With flexible options being replaced post Covid, the participation of women in India’s workforce has dropped by about two per cent. However, their participation in the workforce remains at 25 per cent year-on-year. According to the Flexi Employment Social Impact Report 2023, by the Indian Staffing Federation, the fact remains that more than 75 per cent flexi jobs are held by men.
In 2020, men held 79 per cent of flexible jobs, while women held 21 per cent. In 2021, there was an improvement in women’s participation, with women holding 27 per cent of flexible jobs and men holding 73 per cent. There was no change in 2022, while in 2023, only 25 per cent women are working flexible jobs, while men are working 75 per cent of them.
In 2020, those less than 24 years of age held 27 per cent of flexible jobs, while in 2021, the figure increased to 29 per cent. In 2022, it dropped to 26 per cent, and in 2023, it further dipped to 19 per cent.
In 2023, there has been a whopping increase in the percentage of jobs held by those in the age bracket of 25 to 30 years. A good 51 per cent of the flexible jobs were worked by this age cohort. In 2020, only 45 per cent of this age group held flexi jobs, while in 2021, 42 per cent held the same and in 2022, 41 per cent did so. Almost 70 per cent of flexi workers in the workforce are upto 30 years of age.
A significant 62 per cent of flexi workers who are gainfully employed are at least graduates. About 52 per cent possess higher skills, while students accounted for 17 per cent of the flexi workforce.
In terms of initial level of education, 62 per cent of flexible workers were highly educated in 2023 compared to just 55 per cent in 2022, 68 per cent in 2021 and 47 per cent in 2020.
As per the report, flexi staffing saw over five per cent YoY growth among other formats of employment. That means, there is a growing demand in the flexi employment formats with flexi jobs being preferred over others. It is interesting to note that the rate of unemployment and inactivity have both dropped significantly for the flexi workers related to formal staffing companies.