Amazon India announced the launch of Women in Night Shifts (WINS) at one of its large Sort Centre in Haryana. In addition to Amazon’s existing initiatives, WINS is designed to provide a safe and supportive work environment for women, ensuring equal opportunities for both men and women to work in various shifts, and championing inclusivity for all.
In some states in India, regulations prohibit the employment of women in night shifts in warehousing operations facilities primarily stemming from concerns about women's safety and wellbeing. Therefore, safety, security, and wellbeing take centre stage to enable the WINS initiative. Amazon India has actively engaged with state governments to advocate for equal work opportunity for all. Through dedicated efforts and collaboration with authorities, the company has successfully enabled night shift operations for women across select sites in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, and now, in Haryana.
"We believe in creating equal opportunities and addressing barriers that women face in the workplace and are thankful to the government for their support in enabling women to work in night shifts.," said Liju Thomas, Director of HR, India Operations, Amazon India. "The launch of WINS reiterates our commitment to promoting gender equality and nurturing a safe work environment for our employees and associates. We prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our associates offering comprehensive measures, such as transportation facilities, and enhanced security arrangements for those working in night shifts”.
Amazon has implemented various measures aimed at enhancing the safety and well-being of its associates. These measures include improved facility lighting, provision of escorted pick-up and drop services, running gender sensitization training, deployment of female staff in supervisory and support roles, and conducting sessions with safety experts to address the unique challenges associated with working in night shifts.
Amazon India will continue to engage with government authorities to secure approvals for women to work in night shifts across various locations, advocating for support mechanisms to enable women to do so. This initiative marks another step forward in our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion at Amazon and provide them a safe working environment.