Woman at Work-TejaswaniBy Sanjeev Shekhar
~A Case Study of Tata Steel~
EMPOWERING WOMEN IS EMPOWERING NATION
A History of Empowering Women in Tata Steel
With liberalization, globalization and consequent growth in industries, the aspirations of women have been raised. Tata Steel has been quick to anticipate their emerging needs and provide all facilities and support that fulfill their professional ambitions and motivate them to take on assignments that will put them on an equal footing with their male counterpart.
Tata steel was the pioneer in initiating many empowering programs for the women employees. Tejaswini Programme launched in Tata Steel in 2002, was a small step but a giant leap for womankind for it signaled the beginning of empowering women on the shop floor at jobs considered till then as the bastion of the male.
The first of its kind, Tejaswini a women empowerment programme was undertaken for the Rejas and the Office Girls that were willing to operate heavy motor equipment. Being the role model of corporate citizenship and believer of equal opportunities and providing growth prospects without considering caste, creed, religion or gender, Tejaswini was designed to transform the female employees into proficient operators of heavy mobile equipment like tractors and locomotives. The project brought together Tejaswini women who could manage both household and career.
Since its inception, a total of five batches and around 50 female employees have been trained. Seven out of these ladies, have been awarded with Prime Minister’s Shram Devi awards.
Company’s Initiatives under Women Empowerment that are FIRSTS in India…
1. The Company provides with Maternity Benefits, started in 1928 which later was adapted as law by the government of India too. The benefit was of 45 days before and after delivery, later revised to be of 90 days at one time. An Additional 15 days PL was provided for young mothers
2. Since the early 1970s Tata Steel has been taking in Lady Graduate Trainees. To give an opportunity to non-engineers and absorb women in the production field in the works, the Company has taken initiatives to train women in required mechanical skills through the Tejaswini and Female Trade Apprentice courses
3. For the empowerment of its women employees, the company has set up a Women Empowerment Cell, a special wing at the IR Division, comprising of members from management as well as unionized category women employees, which looks after women’s issues and organize need based training for the underprivileged women employees
4. Tata Steel is concerned about protection of female employees from Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, which is a part of the Code of Conduct Clause of Equal Opportunity employer. The Sexual Harassment Redressal Committee that was constituted on the guidelines of Hon. Supreme Court has been helpful in developing confidence in management’s intention of empowering women employees
5. The Legal Awareness Programme for Women is another initiative of Tata Steel towards women empowerment. Aimed at the working women of Tata Steel, the program, as the name suggests, aims to create legal awareness for the working woman on the home-front and in the work place. Sessions are also held on Financial Investments, Consumer Rights, Environment Laws and Crime – by the women and against the women
6. The company has also initiated the Adult Literacy Programme through the Tata Consultative Services (TCS) inside the works
7. Managing Director holds a dialogue with the lady officers once in every three months. To retain ladies in the organization, husbands with adequate qualifications are given employment. For 100 % lady employees, a Special Women Empowerment Programme has been initiated
8. Under SA-8000, Tata Steel has initiated an awareness programme for the welfare of the women employed in the contractors’ cell. These women are generally illiterate in terms of education as well as their rights and duties. The aim of this program is to make these women aware of their legal rights and duties so as to protect them at work with full dignity. The program also trains them in terms of health and hygiene, safety – both at the work place and at home, AIDS awareness, awareness about drugs, legal aspects, domestic budget and inter-personal skills.
Women Empowerment Programmes for Wives and Daughters of Employees:
Believing in the adage that a good worker has a happy family or home environment, the Company has set up ‘Basera’ - a Trust for Women Empowerment which is targeted at the wives and daughters of employees.
The Domestic Management Programme (DMP), run by Basera, is by far the most successful program under the company’s women’s empowerment initiative. The DMP, as it is better known, was started in the year 1997 after India was ushered into the world of globalization and Tata Steel and its employees were affected by the changes taking place in the global economy.
Another initiative taken by Tata Steel in its centenary year is its pledge to spread safety awareness in the city of Jamshedpur through SAFE (Safety Awareness for Everyone), a woman organization set up for the purpose. The SAFE committee members are wives of the senior executives of Tata Steel & local Tata Group companies.
Sanjeev Shekhar
~A Case Study of Tata Steel~
EMPOWERING WOMEN IS EMPOWERING NATION
A History of Empowering Women in Tata Steel
With liberalization, globalization and consequent growth in industries, the aspirations of women have been raised. Tata Steel has been quick to anticipate their emerging needs and provide all facilities and support that fulfill their professional ambitions and motivate them to take on assignments that will put them on an equal footing with their male counterpart.
Tata steel was the pioneer in initiating many empowering programs for the women employees. Tejaswini Programme launched in Tata Steel in 2002, was a small step but a giant leap for womankind for it signaled the beginning of empowering women on the shop floor at jobs considered till then as the bastion of the male.
The first of its kind, Tejaswini a women empowerment programme was undertaken for the Rejas and the Office Girls that were willing to operate heavy motor equipment. Being the role model of corporate citizenship and believer of equal opportunities and providing growth prospects without considering caste, creed, religion or gender, Tejaswini was designed to transform the female employees into proficient operators of heavy mobile equipment like tractors and locomotives. The project brought together Tejaswini women who could manage both household and career.
Since its inception, a total of five batches and around 50 female employees have been trained. Seven out of these ladies, have been awarded with Prime Minister’s Shram Devi awards.
Company’s Initiatives under Women Empowerment that are FIRSTS in India…
1. The Company provides with Maternity Benefits, started in 1928 which later was adapted as law by the government of India too. The benefit was of 45 days before and after delivery, later revised to be of 90 days at one time. An Additional 15 days PL was provided for young mothers
2. Since the early 1970s Tata Steel has been taking in Lady Graduate Trainees. To give an opportunity to non-engineers and absorb women in the production field in the works, the Company has taken initiatives to train women in required mechanical skills through the Tejaswini and Female Trade Apprentice courses
3. For the empowerment of its women employees, the company has set up a Women Empowerment Cell, a special wing at the IR Division, comprising of members from management as well as unionized category women employees, which looks after women’s issues and organize need based training for the underprivileged women employees
4. Tata Steel is concerned about protection of female employees from Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, which is a part of the Code of Conduct Clause of Equal Opportunity employer. The Sexual Harassment Redressal Committee that was constituted on the guidelines of Hon. Supreme Court has been helpful in developing confidence in management’s intention of empowering women employees
5. The Legal Awareness Programme for Women is another initiative of Tata Steel towards women empowerment. Aimed at the working women of Tata Steel, the program, as the name suggests, aims to create legal awareness for the working woman on the home-front and in the work place. Sessions are also held on Financial Investments, Consumer Rights, Environment Laws and Crime – by the women and against the women
6. The company has also initiated the Adult Literacy Programme through the Tata Consultative Services (TCS) inside the works
7. Managing Director holds a dialogue with the lady officers once in every three months. To retain ladies in the organization, husbands with adequate qualifications are given employment. For 100 % lady employees, a Special Women Empowerment Programme has been initiated
8. Under SA-8000, Tata Steel has initiated an awareness programme for the welfare of the women employed in the contractors’ cell. These women are generally illiterate in terms of education as well as their rights and duties. The aim of this program is to make these women aware of their legal rights and duties so as to protect them at work with full dignity. The program also trains them in terms of health and hygiene, safety – both at the work place and at home, AIDS awareness, awareness about drugs, legal aspects, domestic budget and inter-personal skills.
Women Empowerment Programmes for Wives and Daughters of Employees:
Believing in the adage that a good worker has a happy family or home environment, the Company has set up ‘Basera’ - a Trust for Women Empowerment which is targeted at the wives and daughters of employees.
The Domestic Management Programme (DMP), run by Basera, is by far the most successful program under the company’s women’s empowerment initiative. The DMP, as it is better known, was started in the year 1997 after India was ushered into the world of globalization and Tata Steel and its employees were affected by the changes taking place in the global economy.
Another initiative taken by Tata Steel in its centenary year is its pledge to spread safety awareness in the city of Jamshedpur through SAFE (Safety Awareness for Everyone), a woman organization set up for the purpose. The SAFE committee members are wives of the senior executives of Tata Steel & local Tata Group companies.
Sanjeev Shekhar
Journalist/Media Consultant/PR
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