There are more changes in store ever mind the downsides. Don't let the constraints bog you down. The New Year must begin on a high note, a big dream and a grand vision. And there never was a better time for an Indian to dream and make them happen than now.



Five years of 8%-plus GDP growth, a growth that's fast spreading from services to manufacturing and infrastructure and a spread that's deepening beyond India's big cities - India and Indians haven't seen better times in the nation's history.





Understandably, jobseekers and job market are feeling the ripple effect. Salaries are surging. Job opportunities are getting bigger and better. Demand from the domestic industry is rising just when Indian managers are in demand globally. Add to all this the fact that a talent-starved India Inc has now begun to look beyond top-notch colleges like IITs and IIMs to hire. They have begun to invest, train and employ thousands of India's youth from smaller towns and cities.





This will likely continue. Even if manufacturing slows down, IT begins to feel the pressure and rising interest rates dampen the mood, �Indian economy has the ability to absorb such shocks and maintain its growth momentum for the next 5-7 years,� says K Ramkumar, group head (HR), ICICI Bank. �We are bullish and investing,� he adds.



A global workplace



Indian workplaces will undergo a makeover. The trend started by the MNCs and IT industry will be embraced by corporate India at large in future. Expect physical work environment to improve with better infrastructure and world-class amenities. A good workplace, so far a differentiating edge, will become a hygiene factor in the job market. Workplaces will also become lot more professional and performance driven. This will also mean the workplaces will lean more heavily on technology to enable 24/7 anytime-anywhere work.





India Inc to redefine MNC culture



As Indian firms go global, they will redefine global mindset and the largely western MNC culture we know of today. This has already begun to happen - check out the way the Tatas, Birlas and Mittals are gingerly handling their M&A deals.



Going forward, it will only get more prominent. India's historical legacy of managing and thriving in diversity will give Indian firms the edge to manage global diversity better and set benchmarks in people management. �Our diverse yet inclusive culture is imbued with harmony - and that gives us a very global and contemporary mindset,� says Rajan Srikanth, MD, Asia-Pacific, Mercer.



Respect for labour to rise



A country that historically celebrated knowledge, respected intellect and looked down upon physical labour will see a mindset shift. From celebrating knowhow, India will also begin to appreciate do-how. With many Indians focusing on degrees, the supply of workers doing labour-intensive jobs like masonry, plumbing will become thin. Economics will make sure that their salaries rise rapidly.



More women at work



The Indian economy will generate many more jobs in the services-led women-friendly sectors. �I consider it nothing short of revolution that our women can dream and aspire for a career in India today,� says Ramkumar of ICICI Bank.



Indian managers in demand



As BRIC economies grow in importance, demand for Indian managers will rise globally. Their knowledge of the region, their ability to adapt, their sensitivity to diverse culture and high intellect and emotional quotient will increasingly make them a sought after breed in the international market.



Youthification of workplace



Indian workplace will increasingly get younger. It will bring in many other changes. The ability to constantly learn and unlearn with the shifting needs of the economy and changing technology will become important and companies will find innovative ways to do it.



This flexibility to deal with specific individual needs will encompass virtually every aspect of people management. All this amid shortening career stints and frequent job-hops. "There will be lot of blurring of lines between sectors," says Mandeep Maitra, country head (human resources), HDFC Bank.



Industry-academia partnerships



�Privatisation of skill development will be one of the biggest news in the employment sector,� says Teamlease chairman Manish Sabharwal. All this will coincide with India Inc moving into tier II and III cities to save costs and tap new markets.



They will also hire locally offering jobseekers in smaller cities good job opportunities that was so far available to the big city dwellers.



NGOs to gain shine



With growing corporate thrust on CSR activities, more and more conscientious Indians looking at it, NGOs will become more professional and become better paymasters offering a reasonable lifestyle, says Santrupt Misra, group director, AV Birla Group.



Outsourcing will rise



What we did to the world will begin to happen to us. To bring efficiency, cut costs and focus on core activities, more and more Indian companies like Bharti Telecom will outsource work. HR, customer-care.



Training, coaching employees - things that made a workplace exciting - will not get attention in such an outsourced environment. "It will make things better but also complex and difficult," says D Shivakumar, MD (mobile phones), head, Nokia India.



Entrepreneurship to bloom



With new emerging sectors, more and more educated Indian executives will quit their regular jobs to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.



An eco-system, complete with incubation centers, angel investors, VCs, mentors will help it grow. India will feel the trickle-down effect as these entrepreneurs grow new businesses and generate more jobs.