Latest news with #QuessCorpLtd
Mint
5 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Low pay, poor work culture: Why women in blue- and grey-collar jobs are struggling
Across India's factories, kitchens, warehouses, service counters and construction sites, nearly 3.9 million women form a vital part of the blue-and-grey-collar workforce. Yet, their participation remains fragile and often short-lived, despite their growing numbers. The State of Women in the Blue-Grey Collar Workforce 2025 report, released by the Udaiti Foundation and Quess Corp Ltd, shows that 52% of women in the blue and grey workforce intend to stay in their jobs for less than a year. The findings are from a survey of 10,620 current and 1,575 former women workers employed through Quess Corp and highlight several challenges faced by the women employed in the blue/grey collar workforce. The report, using the Periodic Labour Force Survey data, showed that the total number of women in blue/grey collar jobs has doubled in the last four years—from 1.94 million in 2020–21 to 3.88 million in 2023–24— their share in the workforce has increased only marginally, from 16% to 19%. While this may still seem like progress, there is a complex reality that women face in the workforce: the lack of a proper environment to build a sustainable career. Exit echoes The report highlighted that a majority of women who have been working for less than a year did not intend to stay in the workforce for less than a year. Interestingly, those who make it beyond the first year show a higher appetite for staying in the workforce longer. The challenges driving this attrition are persistent and structural. Low income remains the most cited reason (54%) by most of the respondents surveyed, followed by poor work culture (28%), safety concerns (22%), and limited career growth (21%). Mobility and safety For many women in blue- and grey-collar roles, getting to work is one of the biggest barriers to staying employed. It's not just about reaching the place of work; it is also about getting there safely, affordably, and on time. According to the report, nearly one in five women face mobility-related challenges, including long travel time (27%), high commuting costs (19%). Women have also voiced concerns over unsafe or unavailable public transport. These issues are especially pronounced for women working early or late shifts and those commuting from poorly connected areas. Public transport remains the most common mode of commute for both unmarried women (63%) and married women (59%). Yet persistent issues like harassment, overcrowding, and poor connectivity make daily travel difficult, the report noted. With few reliable alternatives, many women are forced to spend more or travel longer to reach their workplace. Pay, proximity, and perception For those who are still employed, workplace culture is a silent strain. Rigid schedules emerged as the most common concern across all age groups. Rigid schedules emerged as the most common concern across all age groups. Other issues included a lack of respect and unsupportive managers, pointing to long-standing gaps in how value and voice are acknowledged at work. Over one in three women across all ages report a lack of flexibility as a big issue. For women older than 33 years of age, lack of respect and unsupportive managers are bigger issues compared to younger ones. Women who have quit the workforce, returning is not simply about finding an opportunity, but also about having better work conditions. Better pay remains the top motivator, with 42% of former employees saying it would encourage them to rejoin. Other key factors include proximity to home (20%), access to training and skilling (18%), and greater workplace flexibility (17%). With millions employed in the blue/grey collar workforce, and millions more expected to join in the coming years as the Indian economy progresses, addressing the challenges faced by the current employees may help bridge the gap between the need for a job and the desire to build a career. As India hopes to achieve a higher female labour force participation rate from the current 41.7%, enhancing the quality of work and enabling job satisfaction in the blue/grey collar segment will be crucial.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Quess Corp Ltd (BOM:539978) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Mergers and Financial ...
Release Date: May 20, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Quess Corp Ltd (BOM:539978) successfully completed a three-way merger ahead of schedule, leading to a sharper focus and unlocking strategic value. The company has reduced its debt levels significantly, now holding a net cash position of INR 255 crore as of March 31, 2025. Quess Corp Ltd (BOM:539978) has improved its Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) by 7 days, now standing at 37 days, indicating enhanced operational efficiency. The board has recommended a final dividend of INR 6 per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to INR 10 per share, with a new policy to return up to 75% of free cash flow to shareholders. Professional staffing segment reported a 26% year-on-year revenue growth for the quarter, with the best-ever EBITDA and operating margin, driven by strategic focus on high-margin technology roles. Quess Corp Ltd (BOM:539978) experienced a sequential revenue decline of 9% in Q4, primarily due to a ramp-down by an NBFC client. The company reported exceptional items totaling INR 158 crore, impacting the reported profit after tax due to discontinued projects and impairment of goodwill. Overseas business revenue declined by 5% year-on-year, with Singapore facing visa-related headwinds affecting IT staffing. General staffing segment saw a 10% sequential revenue decline due to client-specific issues, impacting overall growth. The company anticipates near-term headwinds on top-line growth due to the NBFC sector's ramp-down, which may take two quarters to recover. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with BOM:539978. Q: Can you provide more details on the exceptional items and the projects that were discontinued? How did these receivables build up over the years? A: The exceptional items relate to long-term projects in skill development and utilities, which had long gestation periods and recovery cycles. The board decided to accelerate provisions for these projects due to the demerger. Although we are accelerating provisions, we will continue collection efforts as we wind down these projects. (Answered by COO, Guru Prasar Shini and CFO, Susan) Q: How is the NBFC circular affecting your headcount and growth, and what are your expectations for this year? A: The NBFC circular led to insourcing by a client, resulting in a headcount decline. However, we are confident in offsetting this loss and achieving double-digit headcount growth. We have added 323 new contracts and have open mandates, indicating strong demand in sectors like telecom, retail, and logistics. (Answered by COO, Guru Prasar Shini and President, Indian Global Operations, Lohitha) Q: What is the impact of exiting certain businesses on revenue and margins, and what are your expectations for IT staffing growth? A: Exiting non-core projects will not impact next year's revenue as these projects had long gestation periods and no new business was added. We expect profitability to accelerate due to a focus on higher-margin businesses. IT staffing is expected to grow, driven by our focus on GCCs and high-margin technology roles. (Answered by CFO, Susan and CEO IT Staffing, Kai) Q: What are your medium to long-term margin aspirations, and is there any update on government job creation benefits? A: We aim to improve margins by focusing on high-margin accounts, operational efficiency, and AI-driven productivity. The trajectory is upward, but specific medium to long-term targets will depend on the progress of these initiatives. Regarding government job creation benefits, we are awaiting final rule drafting, which could reduce costs and increase hiring. (Answered by CFO, Susan and President, Indian Global Operations, Lohitha) Q: How are overseas staffing margins expected to move, and are there any new geographies you are looking to enter? A: Overseas margins have been impacted by visa regulations in Singapore, but other geographies like the Middle East are performing well. We are not currently looking to enter new geographies but are focusing on deepening results in existing ones. (Answered by President, Indian Global Operations, Lohitha) For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
