The recent report on blue-collar jobs in India sheds light on the financial challenges faced by a significant portion of the workforce. According to the report, a majority of blue-collar jobs in the country pay within the salary range of Rs 20,000 or less per month. This suggests that many workers are struggling to make ends meet and meet essential needs such as housing, healthcare, and education.
The report, compiled by tech-enabled blue-collar recruitment platform WorkIndia, reveals that over 57.63 per cent of blue-collar jobs fall within the salary range of Rs 20,000 or less per month. This indicates that a large number of workers are earning close to the minimum wage, highlighting the economic strain they are under. Additionally, about 29.34 per cent of blue-collar jobs fall within the moderate earning bracket, with salaries ranging from Rs 20,000-40,000 per month. While workers in this category may experience slightly improved financial security, they are still far from achieving a comfortable standard of living.
The income in the moderate earning bracket may cover basic necessities but leaves little room for savings or investments, underscoring the economic vulnerability of a significant segment of the blue-collar workforce. WorkIndia CEO and co-founder Nilesh Dungarwal emphasized the need for targeted interventions such as skill development, wage reforms, and the creation of more high-paying job opportunities to address these issues.
The report further highlights the disparity in earnings within the blue-collar sector, with only a small segment of the workforce (10.71 per cent) earning salaries over Rs 40,000-60,000 per month. This higher earning bracket typically reflects the presence of specialized skills or experience among these workers. However, the limited availability of such positions suggests that upward mobility within the segment remains challenging. Additionally, only 2.31 per cent of blue-collar jobs offer salaries exceeding Rs 60,000, indicating the scarcity of well-paying opportunities in this sector.
The report is based on an analysis of job data collected from the WorkIndia platform over the past two years, encompassing over 24 lakh job postings across various industries. It identifies field sales positions as the highest-paying blue-collar roles, followed closely by back office roles, tele-calling positions, accounting roles, and business development roles. Skilled cooks and receptionists also fall into the higher salary bracket, while delivery jobs have the lowest percentage of roles offering higher pay.
In conclusion, the report underscores the economic challenges faced by a significant portion of the blue-collar workforce in India and the need for interventions to improve their financial security and overall well-being. Addressing wage disparities, promoting skill development, and creating more high-paying job opportunities are crucial steps towards ensuring a more equitable and sustainable future for blue-collar workers in the country.