The study shows an increase in women’s representation in the chemical and manufacturing sectors

The Udaiti Foundation (TUF) and Quess Corp, a pioneer in the HR solutions sector, have released an insightful report titled: “From rhetoric to action – creating gender-inclusive workplaces”, during the round table discussion. The stakeholder dialogue brought together industry leaders from various sectors, researchers and experts from the social sector, who debated the challenges of employing and retaining women, especially in blue-collar and informal roles, with the aim of developing practical solutions to achieve gender inclusivity in the workplace in all areas.

The study is the result of a year-long collaboration between Quess Corp and the Udaiti Foundation. Highlights the significant increase in women’s representation in the chemical and manufacturing sectors over the past four years. There is also talk of banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), where the percentage of women is the highest – 26%, followed by consumer services – 24%. Moreover, the report sheds light on the low percentage of women among Quess associates (blue-collar and informal workers who work for Quess clients) at around 17% due to a number of factors (on the demand and supply side) – such as job positions specifically designed for men, the inability of women to take up jobs requiring long travel hours, long working hours beyond 6 p.m., etc.

However, Quess has not been deterred by any of these challenges and is consistently working with its clients to employ more women and ensure that their representation in the workforce reaches at least 25% over the next few years.

Other conclusions from the report:

Increasing Retention: The initial 90-day period is critical to addressing premature employee attrition and increasing employee retention. Nearly one in two employees who leave their job do so within the crucial initial 90-day window, with women leaving their jobs slightly higher than men. Therefore, this stage requires targeted interventions that could potentially stem the talent outflow. Data suggests that associates who work for an initial 3-4 months after being hired tend to stay in the workforce for an additional 9-10 months.

Growing demand for women in manufacturing:

The demand for female workers is growing outside traditional sectors, especially in the chemical and manufacturing industries. Currently, 11% of Quess’s manufacturing workforce are women and they work in 400 industrial and manufacturing units. New-age manufacturing companies, especially those in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry, are showing an increasing preference for female workers, with some companies employing up to 90% of women on their production floors.

Incentives increase women’s retention at the company: Research shows that access to benefits significantly improves retention among female employees at Quess. A comprehensive benefits package that includes contributions to Provident Fund (PF) and Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) along with performance bonuses plays a key role here. Data shows that married women receiving PF benefits are three times more likely to stay in the company compared to women without such benefits, while single women receiving ESIC benefits are 48% more likely to keep their jobs compared to women without such benefits.

Moreover, performance bonuses make single women three times more likely to stay employed, and married women who receive quarterly bonuses are seven times more likely to stay in the workforce.
Care becomes a major factor in employee departures: Better career development opportunities are the dominant factor in employee departures based on gender, accounting for 43% of job departures. However, women disproportionately cite family responsibilities and health concerns, including pregnancy concerns, as reasons for leaving work.

Commenting on the collaboration, Pooja Sharma Goyal, CEO, Udaiti Foundation, said: “The roles and representation of women in the workforce management industry have evolved significantly, reflecting broader societal shifts towards gender parity. Our partnership with Quess Corp began a year ago with the goal of increasing women’s participation in the workforce, a key success factor in achieving India’s $10 trillion economic ambitions. Our goal is to achieve significant increases in women’s representation over the next 5 years by generating data-driven evidence and stakeholder engagement. We call on industry leaders to join us in our mission to achieve a 50% female labor force participation rate (FLFPR) in the coming decade.”

Guruprasad Srinivasan, Executive Director and Group CEO of Quess Corp, said: “We are pleased to see an increase in women’s labor force participation at Quess over the last few years in certain sectors, including logistics (35%), FMCG (24%). ) and production (11%, but growing rapidly). According to government data, women’s labor force participation in urban India is 25.4% in the age group over 15, one of the lowest in the world. Eliminating the gender employment gap can significantly increase a country’s GDP, and Quess is committed to this cause. We work with our clients and decision-makers to employ women across a range of sectors. We have also taken several initiatives such as providing accommodation and basic amenities to support migrant workers and deputing women liaison officers in production units to oversee the welfare of women workers. We have introduced a chatbot that allows you to engage with new employees during the first 90 days to gather insights and identify potential flight risks.”

Methodology

The report was prepared based on the analysis of Quess’s monthly payroll data. The Udaiti Foundation analyzed the salary data of over 15 lakh Quess employees from 2020 to 2023. The collaborative effort between Udaiti and Quess addresses representation, retention and turnover dynamics among Quess associates, with a particular focus on gender disparities and initiatives to increase women’s representation.

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