In recent years, the conversation around gender diversity in fields like science, technology, engineering, and medicine has gained momentum.

Called STEM, these fields have traditionally been male-dominated, though there has been some progress in the number of women entering them.

Take, for example, the technology sector. A survey of 17,000 participants in 2023 revealed that just 23 percent of the tech workforce was female. Work needs to be done to create and promote inclusive workplaces and close this gender gap.

We explore some strategies that organizations can adopt in order to nurture inclusive environments, and help women join and thrive in their careers.

Provide Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs

A mentor can make all the difference for women in STEM careers. Mentors can guide women through various career challenges, offer timely advice, and help open doors to new opportunities.

In a mentorship program, women can be matched with experienced professionals with similar career paths and interests. This can provide a safe space for women so that they can benefit from open communication and growth.

Sponsorship programs also help in supporting women’s career progress. Through sponsorships, women can get a chance to participate in high-profile projects or leadership roles.

For example, companies like General Electric have various sponsorship programs, including ‘The Women Network’ specifically for the career progression of women healthcare workers. These programs translate into a higher representation of women at the top levels of the organization.

Establishing a Clear Career Development Roadmap

According to a study, men earn up to 30 percent more than women in certain STEM fields, apart from getting better designation and treatment.  Many women may be discouraged from pursuing long-term careers in STEM fields due to a lack of transparency in career development.

Clear and structured roadmaps need to be established by organizations, outlining the required steps for career advancement. This would include skill development and training opportunities.

Leadership training programs tailored for women employees encourage them to pursue management positions they didn’t venture into earlier. For instance, companies like Google and AirBnB have various programs and initiatives for women employees in the STEM field.

Creating Flexible Work Policies

Women typically have more personal responsibilities and balancing them with professional commitments is challenging. Offering flexible work arrangements like flexible hours of work, smaller workweeks, and remote work helps ease the pressures they face.

Companies need to support women and allow them to manage their schedules while also taking care of family obligations. The technical work that women are doing in STEM organizations often requires a lot of focus. Taking the additional pressures off their minds would provide better output. 

STEM organizations create a trust-based work environment by allowing women employees breathing space to manage their personal lives. 

Additionally, policies like high-quality and accessible child care also increase the retention rate of women, who otherwise may quit after a maternity leave.

Preventing Implicit Bias in Recruitment and During Promotion

In male-dominated industries, there is a certain ‘stereotype’ that unconsciously gets hired or promoted faster because that’s how things are traditionally done. This inherent or implicit bias leads to fewer women being considered for roles or promotions.

Proactive efforts are required to ensure the evaluation criteria are objective and generally free from gender bias. This ensures people are hired and promoted on merit and not based on the stereotypical image in the minds of the decision-makers.

It is important to remove this bias. One way is to use social media platforms and corporate websites to highlight the accomplishments of women employees in the organization. By celebrating achievements in supporting diversity in STEM careers, companies showcase their commitment to equality. This also inspires the next generation of women who are starting their careers to pursue STEM.

A Culture of Inclusion

Fostering a culture of inclusivity where all employees feel valued and supported is essential. Creating a welcoming environment for women in STEM is not possible without overhauling the company culture.

Policies on paper can only take care of some aspects of working women in STEM fields. Company culture is often discussed, but true inclusivity extends to daily practices and attitudes. 

This includes respectful communication, offering equal access to resources, and an increase in collaborative activities.

Companies can establish Diversity and Inclusion committees to oversee that this culture is implemented. They can hear out the issues that affect women in STEM and act as a voice for the employees.

This will ensure that the concerns of the women employees will be heard and addressed at an executive level.

Continued Skill Development

Learning and development programs for women in the field of STEM are extremely important, because of the fast-paced nature of these sectors.

Ongoing education and training will help women stay competitive in their fields. This can include professional certifications, subsidized courses, and workshop enrolments.

Ultimately, these programs, policies, and initiatives also strengthen the organization, ensuring a more capable and versatile workforce.

Guest wrtier.