IHCL aims for 20 per cent women in workforce by 2020

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), the Indian hospitality company that manages various hotels, resorts, safaris, palaces, spas and in-flight catering services, is all set to have 20 per cent women in its workforce in the next one year. At present, the Company has only 17 per cent women as part of its over 32,000 strong staff.

It is reported that IHCL has an internal referral programme wherein it offers higher commissions to external consultants who refer women for various posts. It has also formally put in place a policy to ensure that 50 per cent of the students hired from the campuses are girls.

IHCL gets them to undergo six months of on-the-job training, before putting them in significant frontline roles at the hotels. The company’s first batch got absorbed by Taj Aravali,Udaipur.

Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) policies are also in place at IHCL, which is proof that the Company is taking diversity rather seriously and wishes to ensure safety for its women staff. In fact, not long ago, its CEO had been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee. IHCL had handled the matter with the appropriate seriousness with the help of an independent committee, giving the complainant a fair chance to speak. Later, the CEO had quit on personal grounds.

Ten women employees of the Company have availed of the IVF treatment facility offered to its women staff—IHFCL was amongst the first to offer the same in the country!

That is not all, its restaurant China Polis in Vivanta, Trivandrum is run by an exclusive team of women only.

The Company’s property at Mumbai, Taj Wellington Mews (Mumbai), had been aiming to have 50 percent women in its workforce. It has already touched 45 per cent.

That is not all, the Company believes in developing its women for leadership roles too and has programmes for the purpose in place.

On this Women’s Day, many more Indian companies need to take inspiration from IHCL.