The new ‘streets’ of opportunity

The Gen X’ers and boomers among us will remember that building a tech career once meant relocating to places like New York, Silicon Valley, or at the very least, Mumbai or Bangalore, to be part of the tech boom. Fast forward to today, and a quieter revolution – beyond AI – is unfolding in cities like Jodhpur, Iasi, Fukuoka, and Guadalajara. These are no longer just our “hometowns”. They’re thriving global talent hubs.

Irish rock band U2 – one of the greatest bands of all time, in my opinion – once wrote an iconic song about longing for a different world. If they were writing about the world of work today, they might have sung about a place where the streets have no name… a world where career opportunities are no longer defined by the cities we live in. And it’s not just about where people are working that’s changing, it’s also how they’re learning and growing their careers in ways we hadn’t imagined not too long ago.

The Randstad India Talent Report for 2024 suggested a 25-35% surge in hiring from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. So, what does this shift to the new ‘streets’ of opportunity really mean for businesses, people, and the future of work?

Breaking the metro myth

Last year, I met a young associate in our Jodhpur office who said something that’s stayed with me. His parents had been nervous when he didn’t leave for Bangalore like his cousins, but now that they’ve seen how his job is helping him build a global career in the same city where they raised him, “they are so proud,” he told me. For decades, it was almost a rite of passage that you packed your bags and left home, heading to one of the large metro cities to make your way in the world. Now, that myth is being shattered by both innovative organisations and future-forward talent.

As businesses boldly expand into tier 2 and 3 cities, they’re discovering untapped potential. To quote another U2 song, organisations have been slowly discovering that they still haven’t found what (they’re) looking for only in the metros. Because exceptional talent may not always be where it was traditionally expected to live.

These smaller cities – once seen as only “hometowns” – have been quietly building the infrastructure, connectivity, and learning mindset necessary to compete globally. They’re not perfect yet, but closing the gap will take strategic collaboration between large companies and local governments to improve the talent experience. Better internet connectivity, modern office spaces, or easier local commutes will all be key improvement and investment opportunities.

The shift towards hybrid work models can also help bridge the gap to an extent. But in-person, at-office collaboration still matters, and smaller cities offer something unique in this department… stronger community ties and a deeper sense of belonging. Companies can leverage and amplify this by engaging more with local universities and community influencers. Through scholarships, internships, or opportunities to participate in purpose-linked volunteering activities, organisations could look to invest in local ecosystems to engage people to help create a sustainable talent pipeline that feels seen and supported.

What’s also remarkable is that employees in these cities aren’t just showing up, they’re displaying ambition in action. Last year alone, over 3,800 employees from our tier 2 cities completed 13,000+ courses… clocking higher learning hours than their metro counterparts.

Opportunity beyond geography

It’s been five years since a microscopic organism broke the long-standing link between physical location and professional opportunity. Companies realised just as employees could work from anywhere, high-potential talent could also be hired wherever they live. Some smaller cities could offer a compelling combination here too: access to global careers without uprooting one’s life, with lower living costs and a higher quality of life. For organisations, that means access to larger talent pools, operational efficiencies, and richer diversity of thought and experiences. It’s a win-win for people and business.

Instead of seeing this shift only as a strategy for HR professionals to implement, it could be a business advantage that would empower companies to unlock potential and create a more sustainable future of work. Employees in smaller cities could deliver lasting impact for global clients while building the career of their dreams without giving up their roots. And just as data shows a hunger to learn among employees in smaller cities, we’ve also seen that those who engage deeply with learning are five times less likely to leave the company.

Someone recently told me she’d completed seven learning waves on our learning platform Genome while juggling a career and two kids at home. Her biggest motivator? She hadn’t imagined being able to become AI fluent and solving problems for a Fortune 500 client while living in a small city in Romania, but here she was, asking Scout, Genpact’s internal AI-powered buddy, to help summarise client briefs… and getting better every day.

Every few decades, the world of work shifts in a way that feels small at first… until it changes everything. This slow but steady shift might be one of those moments.

As the half-life of skills continues to shrink, the speed at which we unlearn and relearn will define careers. Companies that are bold enough to look where they haven’t before are opening more doors in more places – beyond metros vs non-metros – often to find something extraordinary. Because the revolution that matters most isn’t just powered by AI. It’s powered by people, wherever they are.