Quess: Gender Diversity in the Flexi Staffing Sector

Flexi-staffing, or short-term employment arranged through third-party agencies, has quietly become a gateway into formal work for many women in India, particularly those from rural or low-income backgrounds. But while it holds promise, the path is far from smooth. Recruitment channels, workplace norms, and safety concerns can all conspire to keep women either from stepping in or from staying once they do.

Quess Corp, India’s largest flexi-staffing company, is working to change that. With tens of thousands of women associates spread across manufacturing, retail, and logistics, the company faces the dual challenge of expanding opportunity while tackling high attrition and deep-rooted social barriers. Its evolving strategies, from family engagement to tech-enabled support, shed light on how a market leader can influence an entire hiring ecosystem. This case study explores what those strategies look like in practice, and what they might mean for the future of women’s participation in India’s formal workforce.