Women in Manufacturing: Closing the Gap

It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in manufacturing and technical fields. In many manufacturing-oriented companies, awareness of that gap has grown, leading to the creation of targeted programs that enable, support and promote women in their businesses. That awareness is critical and these targeted initiatives should be commended. But they are only the first step.

What Has Changed, and What Hasn’t

Though many companies have taken great strides in fostering women in engineering and leadership roles and reducing sexism in the workplace, it’s not always the traditional forms of discrimination people think of that have lasting impacts. I’ve personally experienced situations that are all too common for women who are experts in technical fields.

Illustrative of this is an interaction I had with a potential vendor. Although in this instance I was the technical expert—and decision-maker—the pitch was directed at the men in the group. When my male colleagues called the vendor out by asking, “Why are you speaking to us? She’s going to make the call,” they looked properly aghast.

The tendency to assume women are part of the marketing team or serve in junior positions, rather than engineering experts or in leadership roles, is still common in industrial business cultures.

Our male colleagues who are aware of these situations and willing to support the women around them by calling out even small instances of discrimination are to be commended. But ideally, we should not be in those situations to begin with.

I’ve observed in my career that encouraging women in industrial and engineering roles is best approached holistically, ranging from inspiring them at a young age to pursue STEM careers, to establishing formalized mentorship activities for women in management positions.

Closing the gap in the representation of women in many roles goes beyond just internal company initiatives; it involves creating programs for high schools, universities and other organizations. Not only should more women be enrolled in STEM curricula in secondary schools and colleges, they should also be encouraged to apply for relevant qualifying roles. External programs must naturally support and feed into internal systems, complementing each other with the same goal of attracting more qualified women into technical roles.

There are well-known benefits to having seasoned mentors share their wealth of experience and expertise. Less frequently mentioned, yet equally important, is fostering support at a lateral level. Colleagues who share experiences can understand what a role entails and form a professional support network. Within Siemens, a group of women has formed organically to cultivate these relationships in a unique way, spanning across disciplines. This group meets quarterly to share key learnings and support to each other across a breadth of topics.

Siemens also hosts Women in Digitalization, connecting female professionals across corporate lines. The event is aimed at bringing these thought leaders together to offer a safe environment to share their experiences, demonstrating that they are part of a network, and that we want to help facilitate  change. This can be especially important for companies outside of Siemens which may only have one woman in the engineering department.

Direct connection with, and encouragement from, colleagues can be invaluable for women in engineering who may not have a baked-in support system at their plant or company. This type of backing, not just from “above” with traditional mentors, but also from the “sides” with professional support networks, creates an environment that not only accepts women as part of the company, but also encourages them to excel in every way possible.

A Culture of Mentorship

Companies must embrace diversity in experience, thought and background, and create a culture that nurtures knowledge, professional growth, and career development. That sort of environment focuses on team members as professionals, respects them as experts and recognizes the unique challenges they may face. A culture where professionals and experts are intrinsically respected, well-paid and ultimately supported in their professional growth, has immense positive effects on the operations of a business and its bottom line.

I have been fortunate to experience this all-encompassing culture of support during my 13 years at Siemens. One program is a system of online “mentor pods” where professionals can create a pod that features a topic they suggest for mentoring, or enables them to join a group if they’re interested in being guided on a specific topic.

Beyond the formalized mentorship programs that Siemens promotes (for everyone, not just for women), there is a culture that embraces professional development at all levels, internally and externally. Leadership development is part of the company’s fabric, and every role is supported in efforts to mentor and be mentored for growth.

It’s also not unusual for leaders to offer the opportunity for team members to be mentored by another expert in their field. I’ve mentored a younger professional stepping into a new, demanding role to share my experience on approaching leadership and being an expert in the industrial world. If my background can streamline her experiences and make it easier to succeed in her role, it’s not just good for her, it benefits Siemens. It also helps me become a better leader through the experience. This culture of support welcomes diversity in background and thought, and promotes innovation and success.

In addition to professional development, systems of mutual support encourage institutional knowledge transfer, reducing the knock-on effects of an aging and retiring population that is acutely felt in manufacturing. Paths for professional development and growth encourage retention, with employees staying within a company for decades rather than one or two years. Mentoring new staff can also establish reverse mentorship, where new or junior staff share knowledge and insights with more senior counterparts on various topics of strategic or cultural relevance. This can introduce new technologies and business trends to the company. That same culture also encourages the best results and attracts the most qualified candidates.

By fostering an environment that supports and promotes growth, companies are more resilient and innovative, and can better adapt to unexpected changes in the business environment, charting a course for success.

Written by:  Kathrin Starschich, Market Development Manager, Siemens, for SME.