TeamLease Services Limited (TEAMLEASE.NS) Q2 FY2026 Earnings Call Transcript & Summary
November 5, 2025
Earnings Call Speaker Segments
Operator
OperatorLadies and gentlemen, good day, and welcome to the TeamLease Q2 FY '26 Earnings Conference Call hosted by HDFC Securities. [Operator Instructions] Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Amit Chandra from HDFC Securities. Thank you, and over to you, sir.
Amit Chandra
AnalystsThank you, operator. So good evening, everyone. On behalf of HDFC Securities, we welcome you all to the TeamLease Quarter 2 FY '26 Earnings Call. Today, we have with us the management team of TeamLease represented by Mr. Ashok Reddy, MD and CEO; Ramani Dathi, CFO and COO; Neeti Sharma, CEO, Specialized Staffing; Nipun Sharma, CEO, Degree Apprenticeship. I will now hand over the call to Mr. Ashok Reddy for the opening remarks, post which we will open the floor for the question-and-answer session. Thank you, and over to you, Ashok.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesThank you, Amit, and good evening, and thank you all for joining the call. We had a consistent quarter for the company. We closed Q2 with a net addition of over 11,000 headcount and had net headcount growth in all the three employment BUs. While the quarter-on-quarter growth in headcount was 3% at the company level, the total operating and total revenue growth was 5%, respectively, leading to a 24% growth in EBITDA and a 10% growth in PBT. We added over 140 new logos in the quarter. Specific to staffing, in Q2, we saw the recovery in employment coming to play out, though the pace remains uneven across sectors. The combined impact of the fiscal and monetary policy tailwinds and the GST 2.0 rollout led to some green shoots in the manpower buildup for the festive season. We closed the quarter with a net headcount addition of over 8,000, representing a 3% quarter-on-quarter growth. Notably, around 23% of these additions came from new client acquisitions, highlighting our ability to win new business and convert it into deployable headcount. Revenue momentum remained robust, supported by solid execution and volume growth. Across verticals, BFSI remains in transition following the hiring slowdown through FY '25 due to regulatory curbs on unsecured lending. Q2 FY '26 showed early signs of stabilization. Several banks and NBFCs resumed controlled hiring, particularly in Tier 2 and 3 locations and in frontline roles across sales, collections, et cetera. While overall hiring volumes remain below prior peaks, we expect a more broad-based recovery in the quarters ahead, subject to no new directives from the RBI for the NBFC sector. In the consumer business, a combination of FMCG, durables, retail and e-commerce, the semi-urban and rural markets provided resilience despite continued pressure from weak urban demand and unseasonal weather affecting the FMCD sales. E-commerce and logistics saw short-term staffing increases linked to the festive season volumes though growth continues to be more measured. While the consumer firms have seen some immediate uptick, they expect the benefits of GST 2.0 rollout to play out in a bigger way in the medium term to long term. In telecom, while the focus is shifting to growth through technology-driven leverage and productivity, we continue to see targeted expansion of manpower in areas such as frontline sales and network management. In summary, for staffing, in Q2, we saw a mixed bag of sectoral growth. Our sales continued with us closing the quarter with over 37 new logo sign-ups, 67% of these came on variable markup. On the hiring front, for the quarter, we had delivered over 20,000 new joinees which is 17% higher than last quarter and 23% of them were hired through our nonrecruiter channel. 23% of the overall 70,000-plus gross joinees in the quarter are first-time employees. Our commitment to operational excellence continues to yield positive results. Our business strategy of driving optimization and leverage led to the FTE productivity improvement to 382, enabling us to manage the headcount growth without additional overhead and team growth. As we move into Q3, we expect some of the more muted sectors to accelerate. In conclusion, we had delivered year-on-year on our growth in our general staffing business this quarter despite some sectors being muted. We have over 20,000 plus open positions. Our continued focus on driving productivity, especially in sales and hiring, combined with the momentum we are seeing from our digital transformation gives us strong conviction about the year ahead. Thank you. And with that, I'd like to hand over to Neeti.
Neeti Sharma
ExecutivesThanks, Ashok. Good evening, everyone. On the specialized staffing front, while the IT hiring environment continues to remain selective and cautious, we've seen positive momentum in hiring from Tier 2 IT services companies, GCCs and few product companies. With a net headcount addition of about 300 hires, we've had a quarter-on-quarter sequential growth of 18% and a 17% year-on-year growth. We've onboarded 21 new logos in the last quarter, a combination of GCCs, IT services companies and many new industries focusing on digital transformation. Our delivery efficiency and cost management has helped us sustain gross margins. Our GCC segment continues to be a core growth engine, contributing to about 62% of our overall net revenue. We currently engage with over 90 GCCs across life sciences, pharma, telecom, consulting, engineering, BFSI, consumer and IT sectors through various models such as BOT, staffing and FTE hiring. We're expanding actively within Tier 2 GCCs and regional hubs as well, leveraging our transition models and our data-led account management framework. Recruiter productivity continues to improve sequentially, powered by automation-led hiring systems, analytic dashboards and focused recruiter enablement programs. We also enhanced sourcing efficiency and fulfillment turnaround times across key verticals driving higher hiring velocity. Our global business contributed a net revenue of about 4% in the last quarter and has become EBITDA positive. Synergies between India delivery and global operations have created an integrated consulting-led staffing approach, opening new revenue streams and offshore delivery opportunities for us. While the broader IT hiring market remains uneven, our focused strategy on Tier 2 IT companies, expanding GCCs and non-tech digital transformation, along with global scale is actually helping us grow and keep our sustained growth. We expect continued momentum in new client acquisitions, improved margin trajectory and deeper penetration in global markets as we enter the second half of FY '26. Thank you. And with this, I would like to hand it over to Nipun.
Nipun Sharma
ExecutivesThank you, Neeti. The government's renewed focus on skilling and vocational education continues to be encouraging. Apprenticeships are gaining momentum with NSDC data showing an 18% annual growth in apprentice adoption over the past 3 years. At TeamLease degree apprenticeship, we believe the answer to India's skill gap lies in formal work-relevant education funded by industry and delivered through structured apprenticeships. Our programs span NAPS, NATS and work integrated learning programs, and we partner with 22 universities to offer degrees, diplomas and short-term certifications across both white and blue-collar roles. In quarter 2, TeamLease degree apprenticeship added about 2,600 apprentices across NAPS, NATS and WILP, and there was an increase in operational PAPM by INR 11. 19 new logos were added during the quarter and 22% of the total client base has fully adopted learning solutions. This adoption reflects the tangible impact learning has on improving productivity, reducing attrition and enhancing apprentice engagement. On product innovation and pipeline, our key focus this quarter has been monetizing our apprenticeship linked product lines, including managed training services or MTS for companies building entry-level talent pipeline. The market response has been encouraging. We continue our outreach with events and roadshows to advocate for degree apprenticeships as a sustainable talent strategy. These efforts led to active engagement from 71 clients and prospects in Q2. I also want to briefly touch upon the policy tailwinds. The amendments introduced to the Apprenticeship Act in September represent a significant policy advancement for the promotion of degree apprenticeships. These revisions formally recognize degree apprenticeships within the framework of the act and include provision of a tripartite agreement among the employer, apprentice and the academic institution, thereby addressing the earlier omission of the academic body as a key stakeholder. This development also ensures closer alignment with the Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Program, or AEDP, guidelines issued by the [ UGC ] Grants Commission. Looking ahead, we are witnessing growing interest in education integrated apprenticeships and work integrated learning programs across industries. Electronics and automotive sectors continue to demonstrate strong growth potential. Among emerging opportunities, the adoption of apprenticeships within the global capability centers or GCCs and the renewable energy sector is gaining traction to strengthen future talent pipelines. Additionally, sustained momentum in apprenticeship intake across hospitality, retail, logistics, health care, BFSI and capital goods sectors is expected to continue, driven by consistent sector-wide expansion and workforce demand. Thank you. And with that, I would like to hand it over to Ramani.
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesThank you, Nipun. Good evening, everyone. Our group revenue increased 5% Q-o-Q with a corresponding EBITDA growth of 24%. We have added net 11,000 billable headcount in the quarter, including 320 net additions in specialized staffing business. EBITDA on a year-on-year basis grew 25% backed by strong contribution from GCC as well as cost optimization measures at group level. Inorganic contribution to Y-o-Y EBITDA is about 5%. On a half yearly basis, both PBT and PAT grew by 20% Y-o-Y. DSO and staffing business stands at 7 days and the overall group at 15 days. Funding exposure in the staffing business is maintained at 14% and free cash balance stands at INR 320 crores. All balance sheet metrics are stable and steady. We can now move to specific questions. Thank you.
Operator
Operator[Operator Instructions] The first question comes from the line of Deep Shah from B&K Securities.
Deep Shah
AnalystsThe first question is on the comment made in the opening remarks that 23% of the gross hires that we did this quarter were from fresh clients. So would it be fair to assume that most of these would be on a percentage fee model and not a fixed fee model? In that lens, could you also help us understand what the PAPM was and how it has moved from the past quarter? So that's first. Second, the EBITDA growth that we see at a company level is, of course, is welcome. But what I probably am able to see is the general staffing business still continues to perform in a benign fashion. And a lot of this EBITDA improvement is coming from overheads. So any broad qualitative guidance would be useful as to when do we see general staffing also reach a double-digit Y-o-Y growth in absolute EBITDA terms? And third, on the other HR piece, so again -- so it's kind of a similar question that revenue growth we've been able to deliver. But then the required op-lev is still not coming in. So where do you think -- it is all because of EdTech? Or do you think there are some other areas where we are still investing, and that op-lev will take some more time to be seen in profits.
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesLet me start with the second question first on the EBITDA front. Yes, you are right. For this quarter, as far as staffing is concerned, there is only a linear improvement in EBITDA in line with the revenue growth. And overall contribution has come from cost optimization that has been driven at group level across as well as improvement in billing for EdTech business. Having said that, with all the costs in our staffing business also -- like all fixed costs have been fully absorbed. Incrementally, there will be an improvement. And on a full year basis, we will get to a double-digit growth on EBITDA in staffing. .
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesAlso on the earlier question, the new logo sign-ups and 2/3 of them coming on variable markup. Most of the variable markup clients are relatively the smaller clients. So that doesn't, per se, move the PAPM. The 23% of the growth coming from new clients is driven by a few clients, mostly on a fixed markup who kind of give us the volumes at that end. So on a broader basis, I think we've held the PAPM. It hasn't reduced or gone up substantially.
Deep Shah
AnalystsYes, sure. On the other HR piece, so do we see continued investment there or the op-lev is only around the corner before which it also starts to contribute to profitability? I understand...
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesThere's no increased expenditure at this point. So I think we are optimally costed and invested for the businesses. Now the element of the product go-lives and sales improvement will start reducing the aspect of investment.
Deep Shah
AnalystsUnderstood. So the tepid performance on the profit front is only because of seasonality and second half would see that turnaround. That would be a fair assessment.
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesYes. So it would take 2 more quarters for the HR Tech business to get into a sizable number, both in terms of revenue as well as bottom line contribution because right now, the investment that is going in is mainly in terms of sales. The CapEx investments are already done. It's only sales and marketing, that would continue for another 2 quarters for us to see an improvement in the revenue for HR Tech.
Operator
OperatorThe next question comes from the line of Amit Chandra from HDFC Securities.
Amit Chandra
AnalystsSir, just in continuation in terms of the margins for the general staffing business, obviously, we are seeing some revival in terms of the gross additions there both in the general staffing and the apprenticeship business. But if I see in terms of the absolute EBITDA also, it has been more or less constant over the last like many quarters now. And in terms of the margins also, it has been trending downwards from 1.2 to now 1. And -- but we have been doing all the right things in terms of focusing on more -- increasing the markups, focusing on more contracts where it's more like a variable markup, but it's not showing up in the margins. And also, I think in terms of the mix, how it's changing versus Tier 1 and Tier 2 and how the PAPMs are different there? And also, if you can give some comment on the vertical mix, how the vertical mix has been changing. You mentioned that the BFSI has been recovering. So if you can comment whether we have seen the full impact of the recovery in the quarter or maybe the full impact will be visible in the next quarter? And also, how do you see the manufacturing vertical panning out and the contribution from manufacturing on the general staffing?
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesAmit, before Ashok comments on the vertical -- firstly, on the margins, yes, general staffing plus DA put together, right now, our absolute margins are also flat. But again, as I mentioned earlier, now that the fixed costs are absorbed, incrementally, there will be an improvement in absolute profits in general staffing business as well with the combination of operating leverage, new products and also DA being a higher-margin business compared to staffing. So that contribution is also now steadily improving. . And next year, we will see the impact of the variable markup sign-ups that we are doing, like right now almost 60% to 65% of all new sign-ups that we are doing are on variable markup in year 1, whether it's fixed markup or variable markup, the translation of PAPM will be the same in year 1. And the kicker comes in the following year with salary escalation. Also, we'll be focusing more on building the long tail with growth accounts, means the smaller accounts where the PAPM is relatively much higher. It's almost 2x, 3x of what a large client typically would give the PAPM. So now we are building a specialized focused approach on building this long tail and also self-service to smaller accounts. So that will also contribute to our margin expansion in general staffing.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesAlso, Amit, I think as we called out, I mean, there is a diverse element of sectoral play on demand and hiring that has been playing out. I mean we have looked at saying, we address all sectors, all companies and all requirements. So irrespective of a headwind or a tailwind, we kind of work with the corporates. I think the expectation, like I called out, we have over 20,000 plus open positions across sectors at this point in time, some of the sectors that had slowed down in hiring on the banking side are back at the table, some of the FMCG, FMCD that had gone slow on account of the extended monsoon and stuff are slowly coming back into the market. Some of the festival hiring will drop off as we go forward. I mean, obviously, any RBI guidelines towards the NBFC sector could be tailwinds -- headwinds that come in as we kind of experience that. But I think overall, there is the element of demand across sectors that is at the table that is moving, including manufacturing. And we believe we'll be -- our delivery to the open positions has also improved considerably. I think the whole element of a partnership, which is what we call non-recruiter channel as a variable lever to deliver to open positions and stuff has also been playing out. So I think overall, we are more optimistic that the demand position in the next 2 quarters will be more positive than it was in the first 2 quarters.
Amit Chandra
AnalystsAnd in terms of the specialized staffing, obviously, we are seeing some recovery there, and it's being led by GCCs. But ex of GCCs, are you also seeing some recovery in the IT services hiring there? And in terms of the global expansion?
Neeti Sharma
ExecutivesAmit, Neeti here. So yes, apart from GCC, some hiring is happening on the Tier 2 IT services companies, and that's where we are seeing addition. Tier 1 services companies, we haven't seen much change over the last few quarters. But Tier 2 services companies and GCCs are actually taking our growth to where it is right now.
Amit Chandra
AnalystsOkay. And like one question on the tax issue and the clearance that we got from the High Court of Madras on the PF issue. If you can elaborate like what exactly is the status? And have we done any like provisioning there? And is there any chances of reversals in the coming quarters?
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesSo there is no reversal that has to be made in this regard, Amit, because we have received all refunds. So even for those years that the department has gone for a litigation, so they have already cleared all the refunds. And the question, as we stated earlier, is mainly on account of whether the benefit should go to the legal employer or principal employer. So those kind of questions. Otherwise, rest of like how we have computed the 80JJAA benefit on what associate what number we have taken those, on all those calculations, so we got, I mean, fully cleared by the department. And this is the first year, assessment year 2017/'18, where we got a favorable quashing from the High Court. So this also sets the tone for the following years as well. So as far as accounting is concerned, there is no reversal or any incremental provision to be made in the books.
Operator
OperatorThe next question comes from the line of Sujit Jain from Bajaj Life Insurance.
Sujit Jain
AnalystsA few questions. A, PAPM broadly constant for the last 4, 5 years. Could there be finally a scope of that going up? B, your medium-term operating profit growth guidance was, you can correct me, but was a good healthy number of 25%, 30%. Does it stand? And do you give an explicit FY '26 overall group level OP growth guidance? The productivity, which is mentioned at 382 , is it peaking out or with agentic AI tools, et cetera, you can take it higher further? And finally, one of the competitors has clocked almost double the margins that we clock in specialized staffing this quarter. Obviously, where there GCC mix is 10 percentage higher. Directionally, can we also head higher further in specialized staffing operating profit margin?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesYes. So just on the PAPM front, I think it's a weighted average coming from our large, medium and small customers. Like we had always called out, the large customers have been growing larger and they are the ones who typically are at the lowest PAPM. But I think our focus of trying to get variable markup model in place, and some element of a higher traction of customers in the medium and small who pay a higher PAPM has what has been kind of holding the PAPMs per se. I think to some extent, while we work the models to get more customers in the medium and small, the variable and the higher-paying customers, the growth of the large customers is really what kind of weighs the PAPM to kind of be stable. So I think, to some extent, holding it stable is an important variable for us. We will work to improving it, but growth here is really what stymies that. On the productivity front of the FTE ratio, I think we continuously see progress and movement for improving it further as a function of implementing technology, AI tools, various other optionalities that come in as we work with customers. So I think there's a continuous project internally of trying to deliver to more volume and more growth with the same headcount that we have. Other than on the recruiter front, we have not been increasing headcounts internally in the last 2 years. On the margin front of the specialized staffing business, we do not do perm hiring. We only do the staffing side in our specialized staffing business. While there is an element of margin improvement that comes to play as GCC share goes up. I think doubling it unlikely, but we will work to improving it.
Sujit Jain
AnalystsSure. And one question is on -- could there be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Social Security Bill 2020. Post-Bihar election, there is no election calendar for 1 year. What's your sense? Could India finally see that happening? Or it's very difficult and...
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesI think with the element of the tariff play and how the impact of that, there's been some urgency in government quarters to work on various aspects of the laws, whether we call it decrim, dereg, simplification and other areas. So I think there is a sense of urgency at the government that they need to work on ease of doing business front by simplifying, rationalizing, digitizing various laws and compliances. But while there's an urgency, difficult to put a time frame around when it would happen.
Sujit Jain
AnalystsSure. And a question to this -- answer to this question that 30% aspirational operating profit growth over medium term, does the goal remain?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesGuidance really, Sujit, but I think broadly, what we are saying is we would like our profit growth to be higher than our revenue growth, primarily because there is the economies of scale and a portfolio play coming to the table.
Sujit Jain
AnalystsSo directionally, this company would be like a healthy double-digit high-teen kind of EBITDA CAGR company? That's my last question.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesShould be. Aspirationally, that is what we would.
Operator
OperatorThe next question comes from the line of Arnav Sakhuja from AMBIT Capital.
Arnav Sakhuja
AnalystsSo in your introduction statement, you were mentioning something about a policy statement within the degree apprenticeship space. So could you just give a bit more detail into this?
Nipun Sharma
ExecutivesSo see, government has introduced amendments in the month of September on the Apprenticeship Act. So the first basic thing they have done is that they have revised the stipend levels, and they were as low as INR 5,000, which has gone to INR 6,800, and at a higher level from INR 9,000 to INR 12,300. One very important thing which has happened from our perspective is the formal recognition of degree apprenticeships finally and the inclusion of the academic institution in the tripartite agreement. I think from the inclusivity perspective, also people with disability, they have also been included. And only once a company does not find the people, then they can go for normal apprenticeships. Another thing which government has introduced is the concept of multiple apprenticeships. So now a young person can do two apprenticeships provided there's a minimum gap of 1 year. So these are some of the things which have been done. Also one interesting development which was long demanded was on remote and virtual apprenticeships through training, virtual training. So that has also been included. And all these changes come into effect with effect from 11th of September 2025. So this should give a boost and some of these demands were long pending from the industry. And overall, the apprenticeship ecosystem should get a big boost from these interventions as well.
Operator
OperatorThe next question comes from the line of Nitin from Investec.
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsAshok, based on what you said, is it fair to assume that from a revenue headwind perspective or deceleration perspective, that has sort of bottomed out and directionally, things look broadly better across the three businesses?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesYes. So I think specific to DA, we had already called out that with the exit of the NEM numbers and the overall scheme playouts, we were on a net positive growth that would kind of continue to play out. So I think the historical impact of NEM is fully factored. The sales team has been working to get new accounts and the account mining going, and we have been net positive consistently. On the specialized staffing front also, I think while there was an impact from the service Tier 1 companies decelerating and to some extent, the aspect of it being substituted by GCCs. We've had a quarter -- 2 quarters now of consistent headcount growth -- net headcount growth, and we see that continuing to play out as we go forward. The general staffing business has been positive on a broader sense. Like I called out earlier also, we do have the demand on new hires and new sign-ups continuing to play out, subject to all things being status quo, we do think all three businesses have hit the bottom and will kind of continue to grow. The only variable that we see is any new guideline or government notifications that come to play depending on sectors or specific to time.
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsDo you see anything specific on the anvil that worries you from that perspective on the notifications or anything?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesI mean nothing specific. I mean...
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsMore like a black swan?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesSorry, come again?
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsMore like a black swan event. So unless there is something a threat...
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesA black swan event, I do think that government has been giving incremental notifications on a continuous basis somewhere or the other. So anything of that sort coming to play is really where I would be watchful about.
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsGot it. And I think we have been talking about variable markups for smaller clients sort of a reasonable portion of the new client additions. Now has that sort of changed our overall variable markup percentage on the overall business?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesIt won't really -- like I called out earlier, Nitin, it won't move the needle that much, primarily -- while the variable markup and the smaller clients give us nearly 3x of the 3.5x of the PAPM that the large clients give, the volume growth really comes from the large clients. So from that perspective, it bridges the gap to some extent, but it will not tilt the scale.
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsIt will not tilt the scale. Perfect. Perfect. And see, considering the industry has gone through this dynamic of high-volume clients having flattish PAPMs -- I mean, flattish or fixed markups. Do you think at some point, the industry moves to some kind of a hybrid markup model or annual escalation on markups? Or you think considering it's just so fragmented, you don't -- it's very difficult to really even for that to happen over a period of time.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesI think it...
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsWe see organization increasing over time, yes.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesNo, no. I mean, I think with the fragmentation, it is difficult. But I mean, it's our constant endeavor to work with corporates to ensure that we are negotiating the price or looking at alternate offerings that we can take to the table that they buy into so that it compensates on the element of realization and stuff of that sort. But I think the pure fragmentation of the market is really what puts the pressure on an annual hike and a transition to variable.
Nitin Padmanabhan
AnalystsGot it. And one last question for Ramani. Ramani, on the EdTech business, you mentioned or other HR services business, you mentioned that there will be investments for another 2 quarters. So you think the usual fourth quarter seasonal bump that we see on the margin side may not happen this time? Or how should we think about it?
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesNo, Nitin. So the investment is only in one segment of HR services, which is HCM or HR Tech business vertical. And they're also largely into sales. It's part of our operating expense only. It's nothing incremental as such. And EdTech business will continue to have the seasonality, like higher billing and higher profit contribution in Q3 and Q4. So that would continue into this year as well. There is no change on that front.
Operator
OperatorThe next question comes from the line of Dipesh Mehta from Emkay Global.
Dipesh Mehta
AnalystsA couple of questions. First on the general headcount, general staffing business. Headcount growth seems to be picking up, but it is still lower than what we used to see in the past few years. So if you can provide some sense, do you expect now it to see acceleration into H2? Partly you answered, but I just want to get more clarity about vertical-wise, if you can provide some color? Whether composition of associate across vertical could be PAPM driver kind of thing expansion in PAPM because across vertical, PAPM varies. So whether we are making any specific effort to drive that mix change led PAPM uptick going forward? Last question is on EBITDA growth. I think last quarter, you indicated about full year 30 percentage growth to sustain across quarters. H1, we are at around 24%, 25% growth. Are we confident to deliver 30% EBITDA growth for the year?
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesOkay. So I think on the headcount growth and open positions, Dipesh, are primarily driven by, as we call out, the playout of the sectors in terms of their employment and their demand. And as I had called out, there has been a tepid but a more positive element of demand playout that has happened. I mean Q4 last year saw a comprehensive reduction in demand. From Q1 onwards, we have seen some of it come back in the banking sector. The FMCG, FMCD was muted. The GST reform is seeing -- is expected to create more demand in the consumer side. So I think from that perspective, the -- how the global/the macro factors play out to industries is really the driver on the employment demand and what gets outsourced. We do believe that the demand is slowly picking up. It's not as aggressive as it was last year or the year before. But it is definitely more positive, and we believe that, that will continue to play out, subject to no externalities. The second element, the element of the PAPM is more -- not so much a sectoral play as much as the size of the corporates. So I think across sectors, if there are small companies or small volume deployments, the realizations are higher as the volume deployment increases, the PAPMs tend to reduce. So while the growing clients, the high volume clients do tend to grow faster, we have been complementing that with some of the medium and smaller clients with higher PAPMs that kind of factors the stabilization of the PAPM per se. On the EBITDA front?
Ramani Dathi
ExecutivesYes. On EBITDA, this year at the current growth, we should be maintaining a 25% year-on-year growth by end of the year until and unless there is any other -- as Ashok called out earlier, any policy change impact or anything of that happens. So we should be able to meet that.
Operator
Operator[Operator Instructions] As there are no further questions from the participants, I now hand the conference over to Mr. Ashok Reddy for closing comments.
Ashok Nedurumalli
ExecutivesThank you very much. Like I said earlier, I think we've had a consistent quarter. All three employment businesses have had net growth. We do have a healthy demand pipeline and customer acquisition that we are seeing, which should enable us to continue the consistent delivery on revenue growth and EBITDA growth over the coming quarters. I think also the various initiatives on technology and productivity gain improvements should continue to play out for us to be able to handle the growth that comes in future with the same headcounts that we have. On the HR services side also, as Ramani had called out earlier, capital investments are largely done. We have the operational investments going on, which should start to show results in the coming quarters. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to delivering continued performance in the coming quarters. Thank you.
Operator
OperatorOn behalf of HDFC Securities Limited, that concludes this conference. Thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines. Thank you.
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