Women’s participation in the blue and grey collar sector has witnessed a rise of nearly 41 percent over the last year, data by Billion Careers, a Quess Corp subsidiary, shared with The Indian Express showed on Wednesday.
According to the data for women-specific blue-collar jobs, the hiring platform saw a growth of 40.94 percent from February 2021 to January 2022, as 4,63,174 female users signed up for jobs on the platform against 3,28,634 during the same period the previous year.
Among the blue-collar jobs, BPO/customer care was the most popular category with 40.39 percent of total jobs posted, followed by human resources jobs at 9.53 percent, the data by Billion Careers showed.
Explaining why BPO/customer care services continue to be the most preferred jobs among women, Billion Careers CEO Amit Nigam said, “These job roles offer flexible schedules to employees, a relatively better salary, and a safe and comfortable working environment, which are some of the primary concerns of women who seek employment.”
He further explained, “Many BPOs have ensured that their companies have strong policies in place that safeguards the safety and security of women employees in the workplace. Some of them are – good transport facilities, health insurance, maternity leaves, and the proximity of a good work-life balance. These policies and rights make this sector a preferred choice for most female job seekers.”
The data also showed that the top job roles for women after BPO/customer care were Data Entry Operator (9.63 percent), Tele-caller (8.77 percent), Back Office Executive (4.46 percent), Back Office Staff (3.94 percent), Customer Care Executive (3.45 percent), Accountant (2.95 percent), Computer Operator (2.58 percent), Packaging Girl (2.29 percent), Helper (2.25 percent), and Delivery (2.21 percent).
“Employers who wish to attract more female employees to job roles must prioritise building an inclusive work culture that values diversity and provides equal opportunities for growth and development. This entails offering flexible working arrangements, maternity leave benefits, health insurance, mentoring programs, and equal pay,” Nigam said.
The average age for women signing up for jobs stood at 27 years, the data stated.
According to the data, with 17.20 percent of jobs posted for women, Bengaluru was the top city, followed by Delhi at 16.36 percent, Hyderabad at 11.42 percent, Mumbai at 8.96 percent, Noida at 7.63 percent, Chennai at 6.60 percent, New Delhi at 5.68 percent, Gurugram at 4.30 percent, Pune at 3.89 percent, and Ahmedabad at at 3.39 percent.
The Billion Careers data also showed a gender pay gap of 23.49 percent in the blue and grey collar economy, as men were offered a higher average salary of Rs 2.53 lakh per annum (lpa), while women signing up for jobs were getting an average salary of Rs 2.05 lpa.
“The blue/grey collar industry’s gender pay gap is a result of several factors, including unequal opportunities for skill development and career advancement,” Nigam said. He added, “To resolve this issue, steps must be taken to encourage more women to enter non-traditional jobs, promote equal pay for equal work, and implement policies that ensure a safe and inclusive work environment for women.”
He further said, “It is also important to increase gender diversity at all levels of the organisation and provide equal opportunities for training and development. Many women are also involved in the informal sector such as agriculture, housekeeping, etc. Efforts must be taken to formalise the informal sector which would provide job security and increase wages for women.”
“Companies must conduct pay equality edits every year and mind the gap rather than ignoring it, steps must be taken to address the issue. Companies should also invest in hiring more potential female leaders, who would give hope to others for growth and will also act as crucial pillars representing diversity in a company,” the Billion Careers CEO said.
The Billion Careers data showed a gender pay gap of 23.49 per cent in the blue and grey collar economy. (File photo) 
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