Top builders expand workforce as housing boom propels growth targets

India’s top three developers—DLF Ltd, Prestige Group and Lodha Group—have almost doubled their employee count as they clocked unprecedented sales, laid out extensive launch plans, set project delivery targets and entered new markets.

Since 2021, Gurugram-based DLF, the country’s largest developer, has doubled its workforce. It had a headcount of around 1,600 people then.

“The hiring has been done to achieve our growth plans. We have hired talent across the spectrum and roles," said a DLF spokesperson. “We have a launch pipeline, and, accordingly, we have strengthened core and critical functions to ensure seamless delivery of our projects across the country."

Also read | Living in paradise: The great Goa realty rush

DLF has hired in leadership positions, and in areas pertaining to project execution, design, procurement, engineering, safety, compliance, product management and sales roles.

Bengaluru’s Prestige Group has ramped up its team from 8,500 in March 2021 to the current 11,000, prompted by a steady growth trajectory.

“Our intensified hiring activity is in response to the evolving demands of the market and is aligned with our growth objectives," said Milan Khurana, executive director, human resources, information technology and administration, Prestige Group. “We have scaled our recruitment efforts in major cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad and Bengaluru."

Khurana said the company is targeting qualified professionals in key functions such as engineering, sales, customer relationship management and finance, and has hired in mid-junior to senior leadership positions.

Similarly, the Lodha Group has expanded its headcount from 2,700 in March 2021 to 4,800 people today. The Mumbai developer has also expanded to Bengaluru and Pune in recent years.

“Our ventures such as industrial parks have further fuelled this hiring ramp-up," said Janhavi Sukhtankar, president, human resources, Lodha Group. “Our focus for the next three years will be to achieve our growth targets in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Bengaluru."

The four publicly listed developers, DLF, Prestige, Macrotech Developers Ltd (Lodha Group) and Godrej Properties Ltd, clocked around ₹73,000 crore of residential sales bookings in 2023-24, a milestone for the country’s real estate sector. In FY25, the four companies are collectively targeting ₹88,000 crore of sales.

Robust home sales have not been limited to just the top developers. Other property development firms, both in the metro cities and beyond, have been hiring as well.

Ahmedabad-based Arvind Smartspaces Ltd expanded its workforce as it deepens its presence in Bengaluru, Pune and its home market. It recently entered Surat and plans to venture into the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It currently employs 460 people compared to 140 full-time employees in 2021.

Also read | Realty wars in NCR: Can Prestige Group eat Godrej’s lunch?

In recent years, as project launches stepped up, execution and delivery have also been a key focus area for developers.

“There is a strong emphasis on building talent in areas such as design, quality control, and project execution to meet the growing demands," said Tanmoy Roy, chief people officer, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. “Between 2021 and now, we have seen a significant increase in our workforce, growing our headcount by more than 100%."

After its public listing in November 2022, Mumbai’s Rustomjee Group has hired in new roles in investor relations, fundraising and analytics among others. The company employs around 918 people now.

Another Mumbai developer K Raheja Corp.’s headcount rose to 1,910 in August 2024 from 1,361 in August 2021.

“…We have ramped up hiring in middle and junior management roles, focusing on expertise in project management and digital transformation," said Urvi Aradhya, chief human resources officer, K Raheja Corp. “This aligns with industry trends where specialized skills are needed for managing large-scale projects efficiently."