Anisha Ashokan / DNA

Mumbai, Aug 11: Working in night shifts has always been a reason for parents to worry. But with most organisations pampering employees just like guardians, they can be rest assured about safety of their children.

The BPO concept being relatively new and modern, its staff mostly comprises youth. This provides for a broad-minded and more flexible colleagues at workplace.

Mitali Chavan, who works for Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City’s Infostreams, says, “Women don’t have to prove a point just because they belong to a particular gender. There is a socio-cultural shift with men and women competing with each other in a healthy manner.”

IT-ITES-BPO companies in Navi Mumbai  have almost 50 per cent of their workforce as women. Sudha Rajan (name changed), ex-employee of a city-based call centre, said, “Most BPOs offer pick-and-drop facility. So, we don’t have to worry about reaching our homes safely.”

The 23-year-old Tracmail employee Deepa Hegde is never worried about night shifts or even security at workplace. She says, “While dropping us back home, the company ensures that a male colleague is the last to be dropped, and security personnel accompanies the driver if a woman has to be dropped.”

Also, the workplace environment is another factor that attracts the youth. Rajan says, “In many sectors, the work environment can be stressful due to ego hassles between seniors and juniors. But in a call centre, only performance matters and acceptance levels are high.”

Vashi resident Savita Bhattacharya (name changed), says, “My daughter started working in a call centre two years ago. Initially, it was a terrible experience for me.

Some days later, I was less worried as I could see the company’s security guard stand near the gate till she entered the building.”

If this were not enough, some organisations also have a separate forum for women. For instance, Infostreams has a forum where women can share their personal and work-related problems.