Women hold only 20% of blue-collar jobs in India, face harsh workplace realities: Survey

A recent survey by job matching and hiring platform Indeed has shown that women hold just one in five jobs in the blue-collar workforce in India. The survey, which studied over 4,000 employers and employees across 14 industries in tier 1 and 2 cities, revealed that while 73 per cent of employers hired women for blue-collar roles in 2024, female participation remained stagnant at 20 per cent nationwide.

Blue-collar occupations are formally defined as those labour roles that primarily involve manual or physical work.

Industries like retail, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, construction and real estate, and travel and hospitality lead with an average 30 per cent women’s participation, while telecommunications, BFSI, and IT/ITeS have below 10 per cent representation.

The report said even as more women are seeking blue-collar jobs, primarily for financial independence, workplace realities remain harsh.

“Over half of the surveyed women cite a lack of flexible shifts as a barrier. The nature of blue-collar jobs often demands strict shift timings, making it difficult for women to balance work and personal responsibilities,” the survey found, while highlighting that a significant wage disparity exists in India’s blue-collar sector, with 42 per cent of women believing they are underpaid compared to their male counterparts.

Noting that women face fewer opportunities for career advancement and promotions, further exacerbating the gender pay gap, the report mentioned that every second woman surveyed expressed interest in upskilling, but access to relevant training remains a challenge.

“Without structured learning pathways, career progression remains limited,” it said, while stating that despite these challenges, 78 per cent of employers plan to hire more women in 2025, marking a 5 per cent increase in hiring intent from the previous year.

Citing ‘limited talent pool’ and high attrition as major obstacles, the employers said rising healthcare costs also pose a challenge, even though women rank healthcare benefits such as insurance and paid medical leave as critical workplace expectations.

Finding that businesses are making efforts to hire more women but true progress depends on better retention strategies, career growth opportunities, and policies that ensure financial security, flexibility, and healthcare, the report suggested that the employers must invest in skilling, mentorship, and leadership pipelines tailored for blue-collar women.

“Increasing women’s participation today is more than just about diversity, it is an economic necessity,” Sashi Kumar, head of Sales, Indeed India, said.