Low pay, poor work culture: Why women in blue- and grey-collar jobs are struggling

Mint

2 days ago

Across India's factories, kitchens, warehouses, service counters and construction sites, nearly 3.9 million women form a vital part of the blue-and-grey-collar workforce. Yet, their participation remains fragile and often short-lived, despite their growing numbers.
The State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce 2025 report, released by the Udaiti Foundation and Quess Corp Ltd, shows that 52% of women in the blue and grey workforce intend to stay in their jobs for less than a year. The findings are from a survey of 10,620 current and 1,575 former women workers employed through Quess Corp and highlight several challenges faced by the women employed in the blue/grey collar workforce.
The report, using the Periodic Labour Force Survey data, showed that the total number of women in blue/grey collar jobs has doubled in the last four years—from 1.94 million in 2020–21 to 3.88 million in 2023–24— their share in the workforce has increased only marginally, from 16% to 19%. While this may still seem like progress, there is a complex reality that women face in the workforce: the lack of a proper environment to build a sustainable career.
Exit echoes
The report highlighted that a majority of women who have been working for less than a year did not intend to stay in the workforce for less than a year. Interestingly, those who make it beyond the first year show a higher appetite for staying in the workforce longer.
The challenges driving this attrition are persistent and structural. Low income remains the most cited reason (54%) by most of the respondents surveyed, followed by poor work culture (28%), safety concerns (22%), and limited career growth (21%).
Mobility and safety
For many women in blue- and grey-collar roles, getting to work is one of the biggest barriers to staying employed. It's not just about reaching the place of work; it is also about getting there safely, affordably, and on time.
According to the report, nearly one in five women face mobility-related challenges, including long travel time (27%), high commuting costs (19%). Women have also voiced concerns over unsafe or unavailable public transport. These issues are especially pronounced for women working early or late shifts and those commuting from poorly connected areas.
Public transport remains the most common mode of commute for both unmarried women (63%) and married women (59%). Yet persistent issues like harassment, overcrowding, and poor connectivity make daily travel difficult, the report noted. With few reliable alternatives, many women are forced to spend more or travel longer to reach their workplace.
Pay, proximity, and perception
For those who are still employed, workplace culture is a silent strain. Rigid schedules emerged as the most common concern across all age groups. Rigid schedules emerged as the most common concern across all age groups. Other issues included a lack of respect and unsupportive managers, pointing to long-standing gaps in how value and voice are acknowledged at work.
Over one in three women across all ages report a lack of flexibility as a big issue. For women older than 33 years of age, lack of respect and unsupportive managers are bigger issues compared to younger ones.
Women who have quit the workforce, returning is not simply about finding an opportunity, but also about having better work conditions. Better pay remains the top motivator, with 42% of former employees saying it would encourage them to rejoin. Other key factors include proximity to home (20%), access to training and skilling (18%), and greater workplace flexibility (17%).
With millions employed in the blue/grey collar workforce, and millions more expected to join in the coming years as the Indian economy progresses, addressing the challenges faced by the current employees may help bridge the gap between the need for a job and the desire to build a career.
As India hopes to achieve a higher female labour force participation rate from the current 41.7%, enhancing the quality of work and enabling job satisfaction in the blue/grey collar segment will be crucial.