By Sugandha Mukherjee
When women field staff at Dr Reddy’s Laboratories began complaining of persistent headaches, the culprit was not stress; it was their helmets. The protective headgear, designed for men, was heavy and caused discomfort. For a role that involves riding to meet doctors up to 13-14 times a day, it was a barrier. The company responded by introducing lighter, ergonomically designed helmets made specifically for women—a small but telling example of how Indian companies are starting to tailor tools and workplaces for women employees.
At CEAT’s tyre plant in Maharashtra, women are now working night shifts— something rarely seen in India’s manufacturing sector. But it hasn’t happened in isolation. The factory infrastructure was overhauled to enable this inclusion: women are picked up and dropped off in company vehicles accompanied by female security guards; women-only restrooms have been fitted with sanitary vending machines; ergonomic workstations were introduced to reduce strain during long shifts; and young mothers can access on-site crèche facilities. The company also offers flexible shift options during pregnancy and the year following maternity leave. Every month, CEAT hosts a women empowerment forum, where female employees can directly raise concerns or offer feedback to management.
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“We’re seeing real outcomes—improved productivity, higher retention, and stronger campus interest in our brand,” said Somraj Roy, senior vice-president and chief human resource officer at CEAT. “Representation on the shop floor has doubled from 11% in 2019 to over 20%. This is not just about numbers; we are creating a truly inclusive environment.”
By 2027, CEAT aims to have women make up 25% of its shop-floor workforce and 20% of its leadership.
Tata Motors’ Pune plant is home to an all-women assembly line where over 1,300 women build Harrier and Safari SUVs from scratch. The company didn’t simply hire women into a male-defined workspace—it redesigned the space itself. The changes began with clean, accessible restrooms, and crèche facilities. They extended to last-mile transport systems for women and tailored workstations on the factory floor. Across Tata Motors’ plants, including those in Jamshedpur, Pantnagar, Lucknow, and Sanand, more than 5,900 women are now employed—2,500 of them involved in assembling trucks and buses.
The company has backed this expansion with structured support.
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