D&I Spotlight of the month:
Neem Project in Talegaon Plant & Hosur
At Schaeffler, workforce diversity is fundamental in promoting lateral and divergent thinking while fostering innovation and flexibility. Schaeffler India has undertaken this journey a few years back and has been pursuing the equal opportunities goal ever since.
Taking the lead in this direction, the Hosur & Talegaon plants have created a benchmark in increasing gender diversity on their shop floor. With a combined effort from the Plant management & Human Resources team; these sites have successfully increased the female (Diploma Engineers / NEEM) to more than what we expected.
We took the first step for improving gender diversity at Schaeffler about five years ago. Initially, we inducted female employees in areas such as final quality inspection. Working in this department required good accuracy, sincerity & commitment from employees to ensure that the company delivered quality confirmed parts to customers. The induction of women employees proved quite successful, as the quality-related complaints due to visual defects reduced dramatically. Delighted by the results, we inducted more female quality inspectors as per the requirement & they have consistently delivered good results in all the areas.
Cultural shift :
- Acceptance of lady colleagues on the shop floor has improved & hence the work culture,
- Cultural tolerance and mutual respect are consciously practiced
- Appreciation towards skills and knowledge is seen
- Awareness & Sensitivity towards lady colleagues in the office, and family members back home are evident.