Concentrated effort by India’s largest carmaker to have more women on the shop floor

Gurgaon: At present there are about 190 women, most of them in their early 20’s and many from outside Haryana who are employed at Maruti Suzuki’s manufacturing plants in Gurgaon and a little further away in Manesar. This number is bound to increase as its leadership is taking conscious steps to enhance women participation across functions.

These young girls are working on the shop floor, alongside men in areas such as production quality control, instrument panel sub-assembly, rear door sub-assembly, transmission assembly and K & Z series engine assembly. They undergo the same level of on-the-job training and skill development programs as their male counterparts, getting an equal opportunity for career progression in the company.

One such is 21-year-old Tanuja Nainwal from Uttarakhand. “This is my first job. I have been working here for over a year now and I am immensely proud of myself. I feel very secure working even in the evening shift as the work environment is safe and transport is provided.”

Her colleague Saloni Mehendiratta (20) from Ambala says she wants to be an inspiration for other girls like her. “I feel empowered working here on the shopfloor performing tasks similar to my male counterparts. It provides girls like me a platform to hone my skills and I want to inspire other girls to become independent.”

Maruti Suzuki leadership acknowledges that hiring has remained limited due to certain challenges. “In some places from where we have hired these women, we had to go and talk to their parents to convince them to let their daughters join the workforce. I feel there is nothing more stronger and efficient than word of mouth. Once the success stories of these women are out there, more girls will be encouraged to join this industry. Historically, fewer women have taken up ITI courses, such as mechanical and electrical. So, the pool available for selection was small. More women need to opt for these courses so that the industry has a better pool of women candidates,” says Rahul Bharti, executive officer, human resources, Maruti Suzuki.

Salil Lal, executive officer, human resources, Maruti Suzuki says, “Since shop floor workers have mostly been men, a detailed study was undertaken to understand the requirements of women employees, and specific infrastructure changes were made on the shop floor to ensure the convenience and security of women employees. Infrastructure changes such as adequate restrooms for women, changing area, creche, and safety support in the form of guards on duty and patrolling during evening shifts were introduced. Furthermore, sensitization training for other team members was initiated to bring a positive shift in mindset and openness to promote an inclusive work culture. POSH training is mandatory for 100% employees to cultivate sensitization and a safe work environment.”