Women hold just 1 in 5 blue-collar jobs; 78% employers plan to hire more women in 2025: Indeed

Indian women hold only one out of five jobs in the country’s blue-collar workforce due to harsh workplace challenges including wage disparities and poor sanitation, a survey by Indeed has revealed.

The job platform surveyed more than 4,000 employers and employees across 14 industries in India’s tier and tier 2 cities. While 73% of employers hired women for blue-collar jobs in 2024, the overall female workforce participation in the country remained stagnant at 20%. Blue-collar roles are defined as jobs that primarily involve manual or physical work.

Industries like retail, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, construction and real estate, and travel and hospitality lead the charts with an average women participation of 30%. However, industries including telecommunications, BFSI and IT/ITeS have below 10% representation.

The report said that while women in the country are increasingly seeking blue-collar jobs, mainly to achieve financial independence, the workplace conditions remain harsh and become hindrances to their participation in the said workforce.

More than half of the women who were surveyed cited the lack of flexible shifts as a barrier as well. Blue-collar jobs often have strict shifts, making it difficult for women to find work-life balance and manage their personal responsibilities.

Notably, the gender pay gap makes this problem worse as nearly 42% of women in the blue-collar sector believe that they are underpaid as compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, these women have fewer opportunities for career advancement and promotions, intensifying this wage disparity further.

The survey further showed that every second woman respondent expressed interest in upskilling but access to relevant training also poses a big challenge. Without adequate training, career advancement opportunities remain limited.

Even with these challenges, 78% of employers are planning to hire more women in 2025, up by 5% from the hiring intent in the previous year. However, the employers note a 'limited talent pool' and high attrition as major obstacles, along with rising healthcare costs as women rank benefits including insurance and paid medical leave as important workplace expectations.

"While businesses are making efforts to hire more women, true progress depends on better retention strategies, career growth opportunities, and policies that ensure financial security, flexibility, and healthcare. 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’s an economic necessity," a PTI report quoted Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India as saying.