With the technological revolution in our society, the role of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workplaces cannot be overstated. As we celebrate International Women's Day, it's crucial to recognize and honour the invaluable contributions of women to these fields. Historically marginalized and underrepresented, women have steadily broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and carved out their place in STEM industries worldwide.
But first, how well-represented are women in general in 2024? A recent report of FTSE Women Leaders showed that women hold just 30% of FTSE 100 Executive Committee roles. That number diminishes to 27% for FTSE 250. Even though those numbers aren’t high, it is still a growth of a few percent compared to 2020. However, despite progress, significant challenges persist, underscoring the ongoing need for advocacy, support, and empowerment of women. That is especially true for women in STEM. In America about 23% to 25% of the female workforce of big tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Microsoft are actually doing a tech job. The gender gap presents itself in almost every STEM industry, from energy to engineering. In the energy sector, women only account for 22% of the labour force in the oil and gas sector and 32% in renewables. In the US only 15% of all engineers are female, though 20% of engineering graduates are women. That means that having an engineering degree doesn’t mean that women will start a career in that area and that companies should encourage women to work in STEM workplaces.
The numbers don’t lie, which means that companies should take action to attract more female engineers and scientists. At Coalesce Management Consulting we’re committed to an inclusive and diverse environment with several ED&I initiatives in place that impact our own employees and support our global partners. From our groupwide ASCEND program, which aims to attract, retain, empower and progress more women regardless of seniority, tenure or role; to our commitment to annual diversity surveys, these initiatives allow us to deliver continuous improvements that we can use to advise our partners in energy and advanced engineering businesses and ensure we’re providing bias-free, diverse consultants to their projects. In the overview below we have listed our ED&I initiatives and numbers. Click on the link below to find out more!
This article delves into the advantages of women in STEM workplaces and possible initiatives to create more gender diversity and equality.
Why do we need more women in STEM sectors?
The presence of women in STEM fields brings a multitude of advantages to workplaces and industries globally. Besides inclusion and diversity more female scientists and engineers lead to various economic advantages.
Diversity fosters for example innovation and creativity, driving breakthroughs in research, development, and problem-solving. Women bring unique viewpoints, experiences, and approaches to the table, enriching collaborative efforts and enhancing the effectiveness of teams. Moreover, an article of Forbes states that diverse teams outperform homogenous ones, leading to better decision-making and increased profitability. Additionally, studies showed that teams with women are more socially sensitive, which leads to more productive and creative outcome. In the end companies benefit from this diversity and innovation through higher profit.
The visibility of successful women in STEM serves as inspiration and mentorship for future generations, encouraging more young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Ultimately, harnessing the full potential of women in STEM takes on the war for talent in STEM sectors. It’s clear that women in STEM sectors are an added value, but how can you, as leader in Advanced Engineering and Energy projects ensure your sites, offices and workplaces are best suited for more female engineers and experts?
How can you make the work place more gender diverse?
We recently ran a poll of CMC’s LinkedIn network of over 100,000 engineering experts and business leaders, asking which initiatives are most effective for gender equity.
What makes the most impact to gender diversity in STEM workplaces?
Two of our options score the best; 35% would like to have trust persons within the company and 32% want more female leaders in STEM sectors. Gender equity training holds the third place with 19%. 13% of all female STEM specialists would like to have other initiatives than the ones mentioned above. The numbers of the poll show that companies can take simple but effective measures to attract more female scientists.
At CMC 47% of our employees identify as women and we want them to feel all appreciated, welcome and equal by taking several initiatives such as inclusion advocates, committees and inclusion and diversity policies. We want to help the organisations we partner with to do the same and we will discuss how these initiatives can be integrated in their workplace while also providing equal opportunities for the consultants we deploy to their projects.
Trust persons
Having equity advocates or trust persons on site or in the workplace do not only benefit women, but every employee who may have a delicate issue while working with the company. Trust persons function as a neutral mediator who offer personal guidance and conflict solutions for employees who experience any unpleasant situation at work. A few examples are harassment, bullying and discrimination.
35% of the women who answered our poll would like to have a trust person at their workplace, which is a significant number. Trust persons could be at any level within the business, giving people an accessible person to ask confidential and informal advice from before taking any official action. It’s very important that there are different and diverse trust persons with different genders and cultural and religious backgrounds. That way everyone can talk with someone they feel comfortable with. We have inclusion advocates who are always ready to listen to employees who need it.
Women in leadership positions.
The gender gap in STEM sectors is already big, but the gender gap of female leaders in these sectors is even bigger. Only 24% of leaders in technology are female and the number gets as low as 16% for female leadership in infrastructure. Our poll showed that 32% of the female respondents would like to see more female leaders, which can be achieved by implementing various strategies aimed at fostering gender diversity and inclusion.
Firstly, you can establish mentorship and sponsorship programs that pair female employees with senior leaders who can provide guidance, support, and advocacy for their career advancement. Additionally, employers can prioritise leadership development initiatives tailored specifically to women, providing them with opportunities to enhance their skills, build confidence, and expand their networks.
Offering flexible work arrangements, parental leave policies, and childcare support can also help remove barriers that disproportionately affect women's career progression. Furthermore, implementing transparent and unbiased recruitment and promotion processes, setting diversity targets, and holding leaders accountable for achieving gender parity in leadership roles are essential steps to create a more equitable workplace.
Gender Equity Training
19% of our respondents indicate that they would like to see more gender equity training. Implementing gender equity training on the work floor requires a multifaceted approach that prioritises education, awareness, and cultural change. Firstly, you could develop comprehensive training programs that address unconscious bias, gender stereotypes, and systemic barriers to gender equality. These programs should be mandatory for all employees, from frontline staff to senior leaders, to ensure widespread understanding and commitment to gender equity principles. Interactive workshops, case studies, and role-playing exercises can help participants recognise and challenge their own biases and behaviours.
Additionally, incorporating real-life examples and success stories of gender-inclusive practices can inspire employees to embrace diversity and champion gender equity in their daily interactions and decision-making processes. It's essential to foster a supportive and inclusive workplace culture where employees feel empowered to speak up about gender-related issues and collaborate on implementing meaningful changes.
Regular evaluation and feedback mechanisms can help track progress and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that gender equity remains a priority throughout the organization's journey towards creating a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
Other
There are also other initiatives that employers can implement to promote women in STEM sectors, which was preferred by 13% of our female respondents. Even the smallest initiative can have a huge impact on women who want work in STEM sectors. Here are some other options you as an employer can choose if you want to achieve a gender diverse workplace:
Gender equality and diversity committee
Committees are a great way to encourage employees to act for gender equality and diversity. They organise workshops, events and promote gender equity awareness. By organising committees employers show their workforce flexibility and engagement for a female-friendly work environment
Inclusive and diverse policies
You can also implement gender neutral policies or zero tolerance policies towards harassment and discrimination. We are for example Founding Partner Signatories of the Diversity and Inclusion Charter, which is a public pledge to take actions that will drive positive, sustainable, real-world change and encourage other STEM industries to do the same.
Remove the gender pay gap
For every dollar a man earns a woman gets 77 cents. The gender pay gap is a phenomenon that exists in every country. Women earn less in comparison to men, while performing the same job. As an employer you can more transparent and gender neutral by working away the gender pay gap.
True expertise delivered
We always dedicate ourselves for an inclusive and gender equal partner. If you want to read more about our social values, click here.
Coalesce Management Consulting always strives to provide the best experienced staff for our partner’s projects. Whether one expert or an entire team, we deliver experienced specialists that will complete the full project with expertise and dedication. Contact us to discuss your needs and our associates will be happy to discuss our flexible service offerings with experts who can deliver your project goals on time and within budget.