Corporate employers across India are projected to raise employee compensation by an average of 9.1 percent during the financial year 2026-27. Leading the compensation growth trajectory are non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), followed closely by the energy, real estate, and infrastructure sectors. These findings emerged from an annual corporate human resources survey released on Wednesday by global professional services organization Aon Plc, examining nationwide pay adjustments and employee turnover trends.
Sectors Projecting the Highest Salary Adjustments
Sector-wise data reveals that NBFC firms are poised to offer the steepest pay revisions, averaging around 10.1 percent for their workforce. The energy sector follows closely behind with an expected increment of 9.9 percent, while real estate and infrastructure developers are anticipated to offer salary growth of approximately 9.8 percent. The comprehensive projections are based on detailed workforce and compensation metrics submitted by more than 1,200 organizations across 45 diverse industrial sectors in the country.
Economic Underpinnings Driving Employer Confidence
The steady salary planning across corporate India reflects robust domestic fundamentals and business confidence. Roopank Chaudhary, Partner and Head of Talent Solutions for Aon in India, noted that domestic consumption, steady investments, and export momentum have bolstered business optimism, enabling companies to invest in talent while maintaining operational cost discipline. Sustained revenue pipelines and domestic market buoyancy have empowered corporate leadership to maintain healthy increment budgets.
Rising Attrition Points to Intensified Talent Rivalry
Despite steady remuneration packages, corporate employers are navigating increasingly turbulent talent retention dynamics. Employee attrition climbed to 18 percent in 2026, marking a notable jump from 16.2 percent recorded in 2025 and 17.1 percent in 2024. This escalating churn indicates that retaining skilled and high-performing staff remains intensely competitive, prompting firms to recalibrate retention packages and workplace incentives.
Adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Workforce Upskilling
Workplace environments are undergoing a significant technological shift as generative and specialized automated systems become standard operational tools. The proportion of enterprises regularly integrating AI-powered productivity platforms rose to 56 percent in 2026, up from 46.1 percent a year earlier. Furthermore, around 60 percent of surveyed organizations have made workforce skill development a primary priority, responding to growing operational deployment of agentic AI and rising demand for digital capability.
Salary Premium for Machine Learning and Code Compliance Progress
Technical expertise continues to command an outsized financial reward in the talent market. Professionals possessing validated expertise in AI, machine learning, and data science disciplines are earning roughly 10 percent higher compensation from Indian enterprises compared to the levels observed in 2025. On the regulatory and compliance front, 65.4 percent of companies have already aligned their payroll and benefits structures with the provisions of the new wage code, while an additional 20.9 percent expect to achieve full compliance within the coming six months.
