Concerned About Winter Office Hours and Women's Safety? Seeking Your Advice!

Hi HRs,

Hope you all are well. I am facing an issue in the office and need suggestions from you all. I work for an IT company where office timings are from 10:00 AM to 07:00 PM. Many female employees are concerned about the timing, especially during the winter season, as they believe it may impact their security. I have discussed this with management, but they are unwilling to change the timings as it would affect clients and work. I would appreciate any assistance you can provide on this matter. Thank you.

10 AM to 7 PM is the normal working hours, but nowadays, girls are also working night shifts. It would be better to consider alternatives such as providing vehicle facilities to drop them nearer to their homes. Additionally, always using a mobile app to stay connected with the police and family can be beneficial for their safety.

Beyond agreeing with Mr. R K Singh's version, I state that as yours is an IT company and mostly you have unique timing for all, management may not be interested in changing specifically for one set of employee group. IT companies that engage females in graveyard shifts generally arrange for pick-up and drop-off services. Moreover, women empowerment should be strengthened by building confidence in them to work in groups or individually and tackle any issue collectively or individually. Nothing is impossible nowadays.

You have not provided the number of female employees engaged. Is your company located in a very remote area? You can propose the drop facility to management after conducting a study on costing, as it is a general shift operation only and not rotating shifts. If management does not provide, the female employees can also pool together as teams to arrange their drop.

Challenges in Accommodating Employee Timings

It is very difficult to accommodate timings as per the requirements of the staff. Some women employees have security concerns, some may have family concerns, and male employees may have different concerns. Every situation is difficult to manage.

Legal Requirements for IT Companies

IT companies are registered under the Shops & Establishments Act (popularly known as the Shop Act) of each state. This Act provides for the timings and security for women employees. In some states, the end time is 08:00 pm, in some states, it is 08:30 pm, and in some states, it is 09:00 pm. If a female employee is working beyond these timings, the employer is legally bound to provide home drop transport with security.

Addressing Security Concerns

As per your post, your timing is up to 07:00 pm; hence, they are correctly refusing. If they are not willing to accommodate you, then you have to make a decision. Alternatively, you can inform the management in writing with a record that there are security concerns to be on the safe side.

Warm Regards,

Bharat Gera
HR Consultant
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy-Reasons]

Why do we think everything should suit us?

Why do we all think that everything should be as per our suitability and wishes? Why did none of you raise the alarm when your shift was decided from 10 to 7?

If you are still not convinced about how 10 AM to 7 PM is inconvenient for you, it may be due to your personal perception. No organization wants its employees to suffer for any reason. If this timing is a concern for all those who are working, collectively approach your management. If changing the timing to 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM is not acceptable to all of you, you need to work with the management to find what is best for the organization and its employees.