Manufacturing has long been an industry dominated by men. Is that still true? What else is happening in the industry as it relates to women? Let’s talk about it — Some of the facts below about women in manufacturing might surprise you!
In fact, the industry is in dire need of more women. It’s not just about equity but also a strategic move that can drive innovation and improve business performance.
1. Women are Still Underrepresented in Manufacturing
Yes, there is still quite a big gender gap in manufacturing. To put this into perspective, while women make up roughly half the workforce in many industries around the world, they’re vastly underrepresented in factories and plants.
Only about 12% of manufacturers are women, according to the US Census Bureau. In the UK, that number rises slightly to 26%, but it’s certainly still far from equal. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though.
Despite these challenges, the trend has been getting better over time. For example, according to the Census Bureau’s Job-to-Job (J2J) Flows Explorer data, the representation of women in manufacturing roles experienced consistent growth across all working-age categories from 2010 to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This upward trend reversed temporarily during the pandemic but has shown signs of recovery in 2021, returning to pre-pandemic levels.
According to a supplier that specializes in helping manufacturers in finding old machinery to buy, skills mismatch and talent shortage continue to be a barrier for growth in the manufacturing sector. This shortage, exacerbated by skills mismatch, could potentially leave 2.4 million jobs unfilled by 2028, leading to an estimated industry loss of nearly $455 billion!
This shortage is why just one reason to encourage women to pursue careers in manufacturing. Doing so can help increase the pool of skilled workers available to meet future industry demands.
2. Flexibility and Child Care are the Biggest Challenges for Women in Manufacturing
In the 2022 Closing the Gender Gap Study published by The Manufacturing Institute, many women in manufacturing cited the inadequate support for flexible work arrangements as hurdles in their ability to balance work and personal responsibilities effectively. Flexible options can include job sharing, split shifts, and telecommuting.
In this report, a significant percentage of women employees in the sector also cited the lack of sufficient child care support as a barrier to their professional advancement within the manufacturing industry. While all genders in manufacturing face challenges related to child care and managing household responsibilities, these burdens disproportionately fall on women.
This particular study revealed that the primary concerns voiced by respondents centered around the affordability and accessibility of child care services. Specifically, 43.4% of participants identified the high cost of child care as a major issue, while 26.6% highlighted difficulties in finding suitable care arrangements.
Also, women respondents expressed concerns about the reliability of available child care options, with 9.7% citing this as a significant challenge. A notable proportion of participants (11.5%) reported uncertainties regarding child care services, while 8.9% indicated various other issues not specified in the survey options.
Frankly, most manufacturing jobs often involve demanding schedules and sometimes irregular shifts. Without adequate child care options, women may struggle to balance their work responsibilities with caregiving duties at home, which can affect their ability to consistently perform at work or take on additional responsibilities that could lead to career advancement.
Women often face interruptions in their careers due to childcare responsibilities, such as needing to take time off work unexpectedly to care for children when regular childcare arrangements fall through. These interruptions can impact their continuity in the workplace and potentially slow their career progression.
Generally speaking, these findings underscore the need for targeted strategies and policies to address gender-specific challenges within manufacturing. These initiatives are necessary for a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment for women in manufacturing.
3. Manufacturing Companies with More Women are More Likely to See Better Returns
Did you know that having diverse teams in manufacturing is more likely to lead to creative solutions, innovations and even better returns? That is well illustrated by a study done by McKinsey that found including women in leadership can lead to higher profits and returns on equity (ROE) for manufacturers.
Specifically, the study found that companies with greater gender and ethnic diversity in their leadership tend to outperform financially. It was also found that those in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to have above-average profitability compared to the fourth quartile.
Remember, problem-solving and continuous improvement are pretty much the cog in manufacturing. And these things occur when the workforce reflects a variety of experiences and viewpoints, driving better business outcomes. Women, with their unique perspectives, can contribute significantly to product design, process improvements, customer insights and more!
How To Get More Women into Manufacturing
The best ways to attract more women to manufacturing is to address several key barriers. That includes:
Changing Perceptions of Gender in Manufacturing: The image of manufacturing as dirty, dangerous, and male-centric must be transformed. Showcasing the modern, high-tech aspects of manufacturing and highlighting successful women in the field can help change these perceptions. Outreach programs, such as factory tours and career fairs for young women, can also play an important role.
Providing Education and Training: Access to education and training is vital for women to enter and succeed in manufacturing. Encouraging more women to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, which are critical for modern manufacturing, is essential for the industry’s future. Partnerships between educational institutions and manufacturing companies can also help create pathways for women into the industry. Apprenticeships, internships, and scholarships specifically for women are also encouraging more participation.
Creating a Supportive Environment: Workplace culture is also essential to attracting and retaining women in manufacturing. Manufacturing companies must foster an inclusive culture where women feel valued and supported. That includes implementing policies for more flexible working hours, parental leave, and mentorship programs. Establishing women’s networks within companies can provide additional support and create a sense of community.
Leadership and Representation: Increasing the representation of women in leadership roles within manufacturing companies is essential.
Visible role models can inspire and encourage other women to pursue careers in the industry. Companies should actively hire and promote women to leadership positions and train HR professionals on bias awareness.
Wrapping up
In a nutshell, the manufacturing industry stands at a crossroads, with a pressing need for innovation, efficiency, and skilled talent. Women represent a largely untapped resource that can help meet these needs. The key to getting more women into manufacturing is to address some of the barriers that have traditionally kept women away from the sector. This way, the industry can build a more diverse and dynamic workforce that will definitely lead to enhanced creativity and improved performance in the sector!
Photo by yourapechkinphotos (Canva Free).
Interesting. All areas of work, not just manufacturing need to step up. This is not the olden days when one person, usually the woman, was the domestic. Back then one person could earn enough for a family.
Governments and corporations have driven markets and taxation needs to the point where both adults raising a family must work.
What happened to “It takes a village to raise a child”?
And even when both parents work, the income sometimes isn’t enough for a comfortable lifestyle for the family :( Rental rates here are crazy high, as are homes for sale ~ I don’t know how people can get ahead…