Women fill just 33% of manufacturing industry jobs and 26% of industry leadership positions, according to a new study carried out by Thomas and the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM).
The study surveyed 465 industry professionals to determine workplace trends in the manufacturing, industrial, and related sectors to glean insights into bridging the gender gap, address the glass ceiling and find out more about the diversity and inclusion practices within industry. The survey found that only 1 in 3 manufacturing professionals, and 1 in 4 manufacturing leaders are women. While the medical/healthcare sector has the highest female-identifying employee presence (54%), the industries with the lowest representation include the automotive (29%), energy, utilities, oil & gas (28%), and aerospace & defence (24%) sectors.
That said, the survey also revealed that overall, 62% of women believe that they have made significant progress in the manufacturing industry over the last five years. And, the majority of men and women in the manufacturing industry today are actually optimistic about the future of women in the sector.
LEADERSHIP & DIVERSITY
More than half the women (65%) surveyed believe their company values their contributions, compared to 77% of men. However, only 27% of women report they feel strongly about their personal career advancement opportunities, compared to 40% of male respondents.
When it comes to leadership roles, the industries with the largest percentage of women in top positions include medical/healthcare (43%), food & beverage (30%), and general manufacturing (29%). Female leadership progress, however, is particularly lacking in the agriculture (17%), aerospace and defence (18%), and automotive (19%) sectors.
Additionally, 48% of respondents report they are not aware of or do not have a diversity or inclusion programmes at their company. On a positive note, 74% of individuals surveyed report that their company offers paid maternity leave. When asked about specific employee benefits they would like to receive, 93% of female respondents cite on-site childcare and 26% said paid maternity leave.
GENDER GAP SOLUTIONS
What about the solutions to bridge the gender gap? Approximately 27% believe mentorships is the most helpful solution to advancing women in manufacturing. They also highlight mentorships as the most popular type of training programme offered by companies.
In addition, 43% of women report they have a mentor compared to only 29% of men. With regards to upcoming advancements of women in manufacturing, the medical/healthcare and agriculture sectors reported being the most optimistic. Around 31% of respondents say associations are the most helpful resource for women in manufacturing.
ADDRESSING THE GAPS
Commenting on the report, Tony Uphoff, President & CEO of Thomas, stated: “We’re thrilled to work with WiM to shed light on the results of this benchmark study, further underscoring the importance of recruiting, training, and supporting women in industry to help better address the skills gap and improve diversity in the workforce. We look forward to further supporting WiM’s efforts to share best practices and resources for professionals across the industrial sector to help drive industry forward in its inclusivity efforts.”
Adding to his comments, Allison Grealis, President of WiM and the WiM Education Foundation, said: “At WiM, one of our most important goals is to promote the empowerment and professional development of women in the manufacturing industry by providing best practices for companies and training and tools for individuals. We are delighted to partner with Thomas on this important research to identify ways in which our industry can continue to be a good place for women to build success and hope that this survey serves as a springboard to stimulate larger conversations and ongoing initiatives.”
The survey examined 465 North American suppliers and industry professionals, with company revenues spanning from less than $4.9 million to more than $1 billion. Click here to get a copy of the Women in Manufacturing Benchmark Study.
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