India sees 56% jump in women’s jobs in February
HYDERABAD, INDIA — In a significant leap forward for gender inclusion in the workforce, jobs for women have surged by 56% in February 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the latest data from talent platform foundit.
This growth underscores a broader shift towards more inclusive work cultures across various industries, notably benefiting employee engagement and retention.
The IT sector emerged as the country’s top recruiter of women, with 36% of its workforce comprised of women.
The recruitment, staffing, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) sector follows closely, with women constituting 24% of its workforce, while the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector boasts a 23% female workforce presence.
Remarkably, the engineering and production sectors, traditionally less accessible to women due to demanding physical work, have witnessed a six-fold growth from 2023, propelled by the growing Electric Vehicle (EV) and automobile industries in India.
Despite these positive trends, the Customer Service/Call Center/Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) roles have experienced a 10% decline in female hiring, indicating a strategic reevaluation of operational needs and the impact of automation.
However, the overall landscape remains promising, with metro cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad leading in women’s workforce participation.
Leadership roles for women have also seen an uptick, with 9% of job postings in February 2024 targeting female candidates.
At the same time, the share of women returning to the workforce increased from 6% to 7% over the past year, highlighting the industry’s openness to reintegrating women after career breaks.
foundit CEO Sekhar Garisa emphasized the importance of female workers, stating, “Female workers play a major role in the success of a company. They are proven to be hardworking and creative.”
He further highlighted the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, ‘Inspire inclusion,’ urging companies to practice diversity “beyond their hiring brochures” actively.
Meanwhile, recent data in the United States shows that women’s labor force participation has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reaching 73% by the end of 2023, with flexible work arrangements being a key factor.
