India’s tech, product and data professionals are keeping their options open. Six in ten are already looking for their next opportunity, while only 18% say they would stay with their current employer if a comparable offer came along. The willingness to move increases with experience, making retention a pressing challenge for employers.
Employer evaluation begins before the first interview
Career decisions take shape long before candidates speak to a recruiter. Professionals research prospective managers, consider former employees’ experiences and look beyond the company careers page. AI is now part of that research: 31% ask tools such as ChatGPT about an employer before applying. Meanwhile, fewer than one in four trust leadership posts. The biggest reason candidates walk away? It is neither pay nor a five-day office week. The report reveals what matters more.
GCCs lead the list of preferred employers
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are the first choice for the next career move of 69% of respondents. But a global parent brand is not the deciding factor when professionals evaluate a specific GCC. The findings reveal what carries greater weight and why AI upskilling represents the widest gap between what professionals expect and what employers provide.
Download What Talent Wants 2026 for the full findings from 2,000 tech professionals across India
