Mumbai, Jan 21 (IANS): As the world recovers from the socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis, 74 per cent of India's technology companies are set to increase headcount by 14 per cent in 2021, said a report on Thursday.

Companies now are also open to considering talent remotely available, said the report by professional recruitment services firm Michael Page India.

Titled "Talent Trends 2021," the report signals a stable recovery in 2021 with recruitment across industries.

Job roles such as application architect backend engineer and chief technology officer will be in most demand, it added.

Additionally with the increase in the use of AR and mixed reality (MR) by e-commerce platforms and virtual gaming, the report said that professionals needed in this space and skills such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will gain more importance in 2021.

"With the steady recovery of India's economy and market, most tech companies are anticipated to increase headcount in 2021. We hope tech hiring will bring a degree of stability and serve as a catalyst for overall business recovery," Varsha Barooah, Director of Michael Page India, said in a statement.

According to the study, over 71 per cent hiring managers felt that skills and experience are the most important criteria for hiring in the industry.

With the overall demand levels for tech roles improving to almost pre-Covid levels, employers will continue to compete for high potential professionals.

Entrepreneurs with a stellar professional record who have been forced to close down their ventures during the pandemic, will also be back in the talent pool and available for key positions in growth start-ups, said the report.

With mental health and well-being emerging as an important consideration when looking for a job in 2021, 47 per cent of the technology companies that participated in the study are focusing on "remote/flexible work arrangements "as a key talent attraction strategy.