According to a survey released on Thursday, there is a significant attrition rate, particularly among those with less than a year of experience, despite the proportion of women in blue-grey collar jobs increasing to 19% overall in 2023–2024.
Although women’s overall share of blue-grey collar jobs rose from 16% in FY21 to 19% in FY24, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) annual report, the cohort faces high early attrition rates that jeopardise productivity, continuity, and India’s ability to meet its USD 30 trillion economy goal by 2047, according to the ‘State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce-2025′ report. Quess Corp and the Udaiti Foundation‘s “State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce—2025” report is based on a survey of 1,500 former and over 10,000 present female employees in manufacturing, services, retail, and BFSI.
Women in Blue-Grey Collar Jobs Are Quitting Fast
Furthermore, the survey highlights the need for initiatives to prevent attrition early on, as 52% of respondents with less than a year of experience stated they planned to quit within the following 12 months, compared to only 3% of those with more than two years of experience. According to the report, 67% of the 1,500 women who quit their employment in the previous six months are now unemployed for various reasons.
“There is a 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,” stated Pooja Goyal, the founding CEO of the Udaiti Foundation.
Given that 70% of the workforce in India’s blue-grey collar industry is anticipated to be female by 2030, she noted that investing in women’s advancement and retention is not only the right thing to do but also essential for sustainable growth.
According to the report, 54% of working women are unhappy with their earnings, and 80% of them save less than Rs 2,000 each month.
As per the report, women employees who are now unemployed reported that higher compensation would encourage them to return to work, and those who make more than Rs 20,000 are 21% less likely to leave in the near future. These findings suggest that higher pay promotes retention.
Additionally, the report discovered that 11% of the working women respondents feel uncomfortable when commuting, particularly at night, and 57% of them had transportation issues.
According to the report, 23% of single migrant women working in the manufacturing and EMPI sectors rely on hostels, but they have few safe ways to commute. The report noted that one in five women who have left the workforce said they would return if the office were closer to their home, indicating that improving mobility solutions holds great potential to increase workforce participation.
“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,” said Guruprasad Srinivasan, ED and CEO of Quess Corp (source).
