Women's Share In Blue And Grey Collar Jobs Up 19% In 2023-24, Still See Large Attrition Rates
According to the report, 52% of the respondents with less than one year of experience said they are planning to quit within the next 12 months.
Even as women's overall share in blue-grey collar roles rose to 19% in 2023-24, there is a huge attrition rate, especially with those with less than one year of experience, a report said on Thursday.
Despite women's overall share in blue-grey collar roles rising to 19% in Fiscal 2024 from 16% in Fiscal 2021, as per Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report, the cohort faces high early attrition rates that threatens productivity, continuity, and India's ability to achieve its $30 trillion economy goal by 2047, according to a report, 'State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce-2025'.
State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce-2025' report by the Udaiti Foundation and Quess Corp is based on a survey with over 10,000 current and 1,500 former women workers across sectors like retail, manufacturing, BFSI, and services.
According to the report, 52% of the respondents with less than one year of experience said they are planning to quit within the next 12 months, compared to just 3% among those who cross the two-year mark, underscoring the need for interventions to arrest attrition at an early stage.
Of the 1,500 women who left jobs in the last 6 months, 67% of them are out of the workforce for multiple reasons, it stated.
"There is tremendous opportunity for India to unlock its full economic potential. We have demonstrated that we can open doors for women, and the unlock lies in creating systems that enable them to thrive and grow. Women aren't leaving because they lack capability, they are leaving because we haven't yet built the infrastructure and designed workplaces for their success," the Udaiti Foundation Founding chief executive officer Pooja Goyal said.
With India's blue-grey collar economy projected to comprise 70% of the workforce by 2030, investing in women's retention and advancement isn't just the right thing to do, it's essential for sustainable growth, she added.
The report further revealed that 54% of women who are currently working are unhappy with pay, and 80% save less than Rs 2,000 per month.
Of those earning above Rs 20,000 are 21% less likely to drop out in the near term, and among the women employees who are currently out of the workforce, 42% said better pay would motivate them to return to work, indicating that better pay supports retention, it stated.
The report also found that 57% of the women respondents, who are currently working, face transport challenges and 11% feel unsafe while commuting, especially during their night shifts.
Single migrant women in manufacturing and EMPI sectors rely on hostels (23%) but they face limited safe commuting options, said the report.
One in five women who have left the workforce said they will return to work if the workplace was closer to home, indicating that improving mobility solutions holds significant potential to boost workforce participation, it said.
"It's not just a social imperative, but essential for building a productive, competitive economy. The staffing industry plays a significant role in providing pathways for women to join formal employment. We need to now develop robust, gender-intentional retention strategies that enable the grey and blue collared women workforce to grow," Quess Corp ED and chief executive officer Guruprasad Srinivasan added.
