Health, Social and Psychological Problems of Women Employees in Business Process Outsourcing: A Study in India

Amrita Gupta, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Indian women are fast moving from conventional jobs to night-shift jobs in transnational BPO’s. Women working in night shifts are a relatively new phenomenon and stands apart from usual Indian lifestyle. Odd timing of work at night with dual burden of work and family has adverse impact on women’s mental and physical health. The objective of the paper is to highlight occupational health hazards, social as well as psychological problems of women working in night shifts of BPO's and coping strategies adopted. Based on data and evidence available from surveys carried out on women BPOs employees in cities of Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi, reveals that odd working hours against biological clock makes women suffer from a number of health problems. Responsibility of balancing work and family leads to high levels of stress. Though attractive in pay packages, most women employees suffer health hazards, psychological disorders and isolation from social network.