Tata Steel Jamshedpur to deploy women in all three shifts under ‘Udaan’ initiative

Jamshedpur, October 15: Tata Steel Jamshedpur announced a significant expansion of its ground-breaking initiative, “Udaan: Wings of Change,” which will witness female employees deployed across all three shifts (A, B, and C). This strategic move underscores Tata Steel’s unwavering commitment to fostering greater gender diversity, equity, and inclusion within its workforce, aligning with its broader DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) objectives.

Building on the success of deploying female employees in two shifts (A & B) since 2019, the company is now set to extend this initiative to approximately 550 female employees across 21 departments. This expansion follows recent regulatory approvals from the government and reflects Tata Steel’s proactive approach to creating an inclusive work environment. Currently, 185 female employees are successfully deployed across 8 departments in A & B shifts.

“The ‘Udaan: Wings of Change’ initiative is a testament to Tata Steel’s deep-rooted commitment to empowering women and fostering a truly inclusive workplace,” said Atrayee Sanyal, Chief People Officer, Tata Steel. “By enabling female employees to participate in three-shift operations, we are not only expanding opportunities but also strengthening our organizational fabric through diverse perspectives and capabilities. We have meticulously planned a comprehensive support system to ensure their safety, security, well-being, and professional growth.” she added.

To facilitate this transition and ensure the utmost safety and comfort for its female employees, Tata Steel Jamshedpur has put in place a robust support ecosystem. This will include enhanced transportation arrangements like deployment of approximately 20 dedicated vehicles, a 24×7 central Helpdesk for all transportation queries and service requests, a new mobile application for real-time vehicle tracking, SOS alert features, and comprehensive support services and Introduction of a centralized, auto-approved Certificate of Attendance (COA) system to regularize delays due to company vehicle de-boarding.

Moreover, there will be Fortified Safety and Security Measures which would include provisions of Security Marshals, one security marshal will escort each vehicle to ensure safe pick-up and drop-off, Suraksha Cards for unified RFID-cum-Suraksha Cards with SOS functionality for direct alerts to the security command control room. There will be a ‘My Pass’ Mobile App, dedicated for female employees, equipped with SOS alert features and Pink Quick Response Teams (QRT), the mobile units deployed for prompt response to alerts triggered via Suraksha Cards or the ‘My Pass’ app.

There will be bachelor accommodation for female employees aiming to reduce commuting time and enhance convenience.

The company has also introduced some progressive policy modifications which would enable expecting mothers to be deployed in General/A/B shifts only until their child reaches 15 months of age. There will be provision of nursing breaks for A/B shift employees, with company-provided transportation for travel between the workplace and home. Moreover, Creche Facility would cover all three shifts (A, B, C) to support mothers.

The deployment will be implemented in a phased manner, with employee numbers steadily increasing across departments. By February 1, 2026, Tata Steel anticipates having approximately 543 female employees across 21 departments engaged in three-shift operations.