Surge in tech adoption paves way for female workforce growth in automotive manufacturing

Women are slowly making in-roads into the shop floors and in traditionally male-dominated roles at automakers, thanks to the adoption of advanced technologies in manufacturing processes. Notably, using the advanced technologies in the manufacturing process require precision handling.

Women make in-roads

As per The Economic Times, 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 The Economic Times. “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.

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The report further mentioned that companies are offering benefits ranging from safe company-sponsored transportation to medical costs to avail of IVF and gender- neutral parental leave to attract female workers.

For instance Hero Motocorp, provides crèche facilities and a buddy system. It allows women to take children along with an attendant during business travel for up to six months after returning to work to support returning mothers. Similarly Mercedes Benz India head Santhosh Iyer told The Economic Times that the firm for female employees on the shopfloor has designated personal spaces and a monthly catch-up named ‘Chai and Baatcheet’ to understand their concerns and challenges and take up any feedback for improvement.

“Our efforts are not limited to Mercedes-Benz India alone. In 2024, 4,000-plus women will enjoy educational benefits through Green School Transformation and Bertha Benz Scholarships, to skill graduate trainees. With these initiatives, we will skill the future of India as well as keep a healthy pipeline for hiring within Mercedes-Benz,” he told The Economic Times.

Female workforce at automakers

As per The Economic Times, Tata Motors has more than 6,500 female shopfloor technicians at its manufacturing facilities that roll out electric cars, SUVs and heavy commercial vehicles. Its flagship Harrier and Safari SUVs are assembled by a 3000 all women's team at the company’s plant in Pune. The firm is also planning to hire a quarter of women in its new hires.

“In addition to this, we have more than 3,700 women shopfloor technicians actively involved in assembling commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses across our CV plants in Pune, Lucknow, Pantnagar and Jamshedpur,” Tata Motors spokesperson told The Economic Times.

The country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Motocorp has 3,500 women employees at its shopfloors and there are assembly lines led by women at its factories at Tirupati, Haridwar and Neemrana in Rajasthan. The firm is aiming to have women accounting for 30% of its workforce by 2030.

“Currently at 14%, we aim to have 30% women in its workforce by 2030, by adopting an integrated approach that focuses on recruitment drives, learning programmes, mentoring and networking opportunities to attract, retain, and grow women workers in multiple roles within the organisation,” a spokesperson told The Economic Times.

The report quoted Senior Director of Human resources at MG Motor India, Yeshwinder Patial, and said that his company is working on “fostering a balanced approach, ensuring equal representation of women across all functions and will be increasing the number of women in its workforce to 50%.”

Meanwhile, at MG Motor India, women account for 34% of its 3,001 workers at the manufacturing unit in Halol, Gujarat.