Maintaining female employment in blue-collar positions crucial for workforce consistency, according to Quess CEO's assertion
High Attrition Rates in India's Blue-Collar Workforce: A Focus on Women
A recent report by The Udaiti Foundation and Quess Corp has shed light on a critical challenge facing India's blue-collar workforce: high attrition rates among women with less than a year of experience. The report, based on data from over 10,000 women in blue- and grey-collar roles across various sectors, reveals that 52% of these women plan to quit within 12 months.
The report also highlights that among women who exited placements with Quess Corp in the past six months, 67% are currently not working, further shrinking an already limited pool of partially trained, job-ready female workers.
Guruprasad Srinivasan, executive director and CEO of Quess Corp, has emphasized the importance of retaining women in blue-collar jobs. He stated that retaining women is essential to building a stable workforce, especially as India aims to lead the global labor market. Srinivasan also noted that India cannot fully realize the benefits of its demographic dividend if half the population remains outside the workforce.
To address this issue, a multifaceted approach is necessary. Here are six key strategies and policy measures:
- Improve Income and Financial Incentives
- Increase pay to improve satisfaction, as 54% of employed women are dissatisfied with their wages.
- Implement performance-based incentives, which can boost retention by up to seven times in some sectors.
- Facilitate access to social security schemes such as Provident Fund (PF) and Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Studies show married women with PF are three times more likely to stay employed.
- Enhance Workplace Safety and Infrastructure
- Ensure safe and reliable transportation options to workplaces, especially for single migrant women.
- Improve workplace infrastructure, including provision of safe and hygienic facilities (e.g., toilets, rest areas).
- Deploy female liaison officers and provide supportive housing for migrant women workers to address security concerns.
- Address Mobility and Proximity Challenges
- Develop solutions to reduce commuting distance; one in five women who left jobs stated they would return if the workplace were closer to home.
- Provide safe, reliable, and affordable transportation, particularly for women reliant on hostels or living far from work.
- Support Work-Life Balance and Family Responsibilities
- Design policies and benefits that accommodate pregnancy, childcare, and family care responsibilities, major reasons for women’s exits.
- Introduce flexible working hours and leave policies tailored to women’s needs.
- Provide supportive interventions such as on-site childcare facilities and health support programs.
- Build Clear Career Growth Pathways and Inclusive Culture
- Create transparent career advancement opportunities to motivate women to stay beyond the early critical years.
- Foster an inclusive, supportive workplace culture where women feel valued and integrated.
- Provide training and skill development programs to enhance career prospects.
- Early-Stage Interventions
- Since 52% of women with less than one year of experience plan to quit soon, targeted onboarding, mentoring, and engagement programs during the first year are critical.
- Continuous feedback and support can reduce early attrition substantially.
Quess Corp has already introduced several retention measures, including the deployment of female liaison officers, housing for migrant women, and DASH, a mobile-based financial product offering salary advances.
In conclusion, addressing pay dissatisfaction, safety and mobility issues, family care challenges, workplace inclusivity, and early engagement can collectively curb attrition and retain more women in India’s blue-collar workforce. These strategies not only reduce workforce instability but also contribute significantly to India’s broader economic goals.
[1] The Udaiti Foundation Report (2023) [2] Quess Corp Press Release (2023) [3] World Bank Report (2022)
- The report by The Udaiti Foundation and Quess Corp indicates that women in India's blue-collar workforce have a high attrition rate, with 52% planning to quit within a year, demonstrating a critical challenge for the economy.
- To combat this issue, enhancing financial incentives can play a significant role. For instance, increasing pay to improve satisfaction and implementing performance-based incentives could boost retention.
- Furthermore, providing safe and reliable transportation options to workplaces and improving infrastructure such as safe and hygienic facilities could also contribute to retaining women in the blue-collar workforce.
- Given that issues related to work-life balance and family responsibilities are major reasons for women’s exits, implementing policies and benefits that accommodate these factors, such as flexible working hours and leave policies, could help retain women in the workforce.
- Integrating defi services like salary advances in the workplace can also provide short-term financial relief, contributing to overall workforce retention and wellness, which is crucial for India's economic growth and leading the global labor market.
