On shopfloors of automakers, women gradually taking control
Female workers are making deeper inroads on shopfloors and in functions traditionally dominated by men at automakers, amid adoption of advanced technologies in manufacturing processes which require precision handling.
Tata Motors has more than 6,500 female shopfloor technicians at its manufacturing facilities that roll out electric cars, SUVs and heavy commercial vehicles. At the country’s largest two-wheeler maker, Hero MotoCorp, 3,500 women work on the shopfloors and there are assembly lines led by women at its factories at Tirupati, Haridwar and Neemrana in Rajasthan, while at MG Motor India, women account for 34% of its 3,001 workers at the manufacturing unit in Halol, Gujarat.
Automobile companies are increasingly looking at hiring more female workers to enrich the talent pool and improve the gender balance in factories, which are getting automated and adopting new technologies in robotics, electric systems and electronics.
“Major automotive firms are actively seeking to augment their shopfloor workforce with a substantial influx of female employees, aiming for a representation between 30% and 50%”, Subburathinam P, chief strategy officer at staffing firm TeamLease Services, told ET. “Women bring distinct competencies to these roles, such as adeptness in part handling, meticulous attention to detail, integrity and a strong sense of accountability,” he added.
Tata Motors’ flagship Harrier and Safari SUVs are assembled by a 3,000-strong
