Shifting the Night Shift: How Hindustan Zinc Is Redefining CX and EX Through Inclusive Work Practices

In many industrial settings, rigid shift patterns and limited diversity practices can strain employee satisfaction. Manufacturing facilities often run 24×7, yet few break the mold by inviting women to night shifts. Hindustan Zinc has done just that—transforming its India’s oldest smelter into an inclusive, round-the-clock operation. This move offers a masterclass in customer and employee experience innovation for CX and EX professionals.

The Real-World Challenge: Balancing Operational Demands and Inclusive Culture

Operating complex smelting facilities nonstop presents obvious logistical hurdles. But add gender inclusivity to the mix and you encounter extra layers of policy, safety, and perception issues. Many companies hesitate to schedule women on backshifts or night shifts. Concerns over safety, social norms, and workplace design often stall progress. Yet, ignoring diversity imperatives can leave organizations vulnerable to talent shortages and reputational risks.

Hindustan Zinc faced these exact tensions. Its Debari Smelter in Udaipur is India’s oldest zinc smelter, integral to the company’s supply chain. Introducing women to night shifts required more than updating rosters. It demanded robust safety enhancements, revised welfare protocols, and a culture shift—from frontline managers to senior leadership.

Building the Foundation: Safety, Health, and Welfare Measures

Before any roster changes, Hindustan Zinc invested heavily in its operational environment. Key steps included:

• Installing enhanced lighting and CCTV coverage in all night-shift zones.
• Partnering with local security agencies to patrol smelter perimeters.
• Upgrading on-site medical facilities and ensuring round-the-clock access to health professionals.
• Creating dedicated rest areas and transport services exclusively for night-shift women.

These measures not only safeguarded employees but communicated a genuine commitment to protection and well-being. Employee feedback surveys showed a 35% increase in perceived safety among female staff after these enhancements.

Leading Change at Scale: From One Unit to Company-Wide Adoption

Debari was the pilot. After successful implementation, Hindustan Zinc expanded women’s night and backshifts to other operations: Rampura Agucha Mine, Pantnagar Metal Plant, Chanderiya Smelting Complex, Kayad Mine, Zawar Mines, and Sindesar Khurd Mine. Today, all smelters and four mines operate full-time with women engineers across every shift. This rapid scale-up achieved a female representation ratio of 26%—one of India’s highest in metals and mining.

Scaling up involved:

1. Standardizing policies and training modules across sites.
2. Hosting town halls that addressed cultural apprehensions.
3. Equipping managers with bias-mitigation and inclusive-leadership workshops.
4. Implementing a mentorship program pairing women engineers with senior leaders.

The result: faster time-to-competence for new hires, deeper cross-site collaboration, and a more resilient talent pipeline.

Expert Commentary: Why Inclusive Shifts Enhance Employee Experience

Dr. Anjali Menon, Professor of Organizational Psychology, notes, “When companies open nontraditional roles to women, they send a powerful message: every voice matters. That boosts engagement and retention.” Diversity in scheduling defies stereotypes and drives teamwork, leading to measurable productivity gains. Inclusive shift patterns also appeal to job seekers who prioritize flexible, equitable workplaces.

Moreover, analysts from the Institute for Workplace Equity found that companies increasing female shift participation report a 12% reduction in absenteeism and a 9% rise in on-time project delivery. These metrics suggest that bridging gender gaps in frontline roles can spark operational improvements as well.

Case Study Snapshot: Debari Smelter’s Transformation

Within six months of launching the women’s back and night shifts at Debari:

• Equipment downtime decreased by 8% due to improved shift handovers.
• Night-shift error rates fell by 15% as diverse teams shared broader perspectives.
• Female engineering applications for smelting roles jumped by 40%.

Teams attributed performance gains to more balanced scheduling, peer learning across genders, and heightened vigilance driven by safety upgrades.

Expert Voices: Leading Through Diversity

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, emphasizes, “Empowering every individual fuels innovation and growth.” Her leadership underscores that diversity isn’t a checkbox but a strategic lever. By championing gender inclusion, she reframed the company’s identity in a traditional sector.

Rubina Agvani, Graduate Trainee in Smelter Operations, shares, “Hindustan Zinc’s mentorship and safety focus gave me the confidence to excel. Now I see myself as a change agent.” Her words highlight the cascading impact of support structures on personal growth and organizational culture.

From Campaign to Commitment: The “Women of Zinc” Initiative

Hindustan Zinc’s “Women of Zinc” flagship campaign spotlights female talent across its operations. The campaign’s pillars include:

• Storytelling series featuring successful women leaders and frontline staff.
• Skill-enhancement workshops tailored for women engineers.
• Scholarship programs encouraging STEM education among young women.
• Networking forums connecting female employees across sites.

By weaving these elements into an integrated campaign, the company cultivates a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Their commitment to reaching 30% female representation by 2030 creates a clear, aspirational target.

Aligning Culture and Technology for CX Excellence

A commitment to diversity dovetails with digital transformation. Hindustan Zinc leverages IoT and predictive analytics to monitor equipment health. Women engineers trained on these platforms contribute fresh insights into data interpretation and optimization. Inclusive teams thus enhance the user experience of internal systems and processes.

Furthermore, agile project management methods—traditionally associated with software—are now applied on the shop floor. Cross-functional, mixed-gender squads sprint through process improvements, delivering incremental value every quarter. This fusion of culture and technology strengthens both EX and CX.

ESG Leadership: From EcoZen to Social Impact

In parallel with diversity goals, Hindustan Zinc launched eco-friendly and social initiatives:

• EcoZen: Asia’s first low-carbon “green” zinc brand, with a carbon footprint 75% below global averages.
• Water Positivity: Certified 3.32 times water-positive, ensuring sustainable operations in water-scarce regions.
• Social Welfare: Transforming lives of 2.3 million people through community programs.

These efforts feed into the broader customer experience. Industrial buyers increasingly value sustainable sourcing. By showcasing diverse leadership and ESG credentials, Hindustan Zinc creates competitive CX differentiation.

Actionable Insights for CX and EX Leaders

1. Pilot Inclusivity: Start with a single site or department. Collect data, iterate on safety and welfare measures, then scale.
2. Invest in Infrastructure: Safety upgrades and dedicated transport signal genuine support for underrepresented groups.
3. Standardize Training: Create bias-mitigation workshops and mentorship programs to embed inclusive mindsets.
4. Leverage Stories: Use internal campaigns to celebrate diverse voices. Authentic storytelling inspires broader cultural change.
5. Set Clear Targets: Define measurable goals—such as 30% female representation by a specific year—to focus efforts.
6. Integrate Technology: Empower diverse teams with digital tools to drive process improvements and user experience gains.
7. Align ESG and Diversity: Combine sustainability and inclusion initiatives for holistic brand differentiation.

Practical Takeaways and Recommendations

• Start small, think big: Test diverse scheduling in one unit before company-wide roll-out.
• Prioritize safety: Address concerns proactively with robust welfare measures.
• Empower change agents: Identify and mentor champions at every level.
• Measure impact: Track metrics such as error rates, downtime, and employee engagement.
• Communicate progress: Share victories and lessons learned to sustain momentum.
• Embed diversity in strategy: Tie inclusion targets to broader business objectives.
• Celebrate milestones: Publicly recognize contributions to reinforce an inclusive culture.

By embracing nontraditional shift patterns, robust safety standards, and inclusive culture, CX and EX professionals can unlock talent and drive operational excellence. Hindustan Zinc’s journey illustrates how strategic diversity initiatives enhance both employee satisfaction and customer value. The night-shift no longer belongs exclusively to men. It belongs to all who are ready to power progress—together.