What is the role of communicators in attracting women to male-dominated industries?

At Something Big, we have lots of experience working within industries that are typically male-dominated, like logistics, engineering, construction, finance and tech. To start a dialogue and share insights across businesses and sectors we brought together HR, Diversity, and Internal Comms leaders for a meaningful discussion on how to attract women into traditionally male-dominated sectors and drive a better gender balance. In this article, we’ll share the insights gathered and the actionable takeaways you can use to enrich your DEI toolkit.

Are we bridging the gender gap?

There are many industries that are male or female-dominated. For example, within the construction industry, 15% of the workforce is female, with just 2% of on-site workers being female. In contrast, some industries are predominately female, with just 2.22% of nursery nurses and assistants being male. A quick glance at the statistics reveals a stark gender imbalance across various sectors.

But the big question is, are we making any progress in this area? When looking at early careers, internships, and apprenticeships, a report by the Young Women’s Trust showed that in key sectors such as engineering, men outnumber women 25 to one. This glaring inequality emphasises the need for change.

What can communicators do to attract women to male-dominated industries?

During our discussion, we identified multiple ways that communicators can drive change and address gender imbalance in the workplace.

During the recruitment process:

• Ensure that gender-biased language is removed from job ads. You can use AI tools or dedicated gendered language decoders to help you identify any subtle bias in job ads.
• Simplify technical jargon in job descriptions to better welcome new people to your industry.
• Listen to the experiences of women within your business to find out why they like working there and use that insight to understand what could attract new employees.
• Use diverse advertising channels to reach new audiences. Within our discussion group, both Mosques and school newsletters were identified as channels for reaching new audiences.
• Have diverse and inclusive imagery in your recruitment materials, while ensuring your photography is representative of your workplace and culture.

Within workplace culture:

• Recognise that the workplace can still be a challenging environment for women. 61% of Gen Z’s and 49% of Millennials believe they’ve been harassed in the workplace in the last 12 months, including physical advances, inappropriate emails, exclusion and gender-based undermining.
• Implement safe avenues for employees to speak up and seek help about any negative experiences.
• Develop a culture of allyship and consider training all team members on the 5Ds of active bystander intervention – Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct.
• Consider the language that is used within your business. It’s common to hear things like ‘working mums’ and ‘women in business’, and often these are meant in a well-meaning way, but we never hear about ‘working dads’ or ‘men in business’.
• Properly fund, support and empower employee resource groups (ERGs) to ensure your employees have a voice. This will enable you to get to the crux of what’s working, and what’s not.

Employee communications:

• Avoid empty communications or empty promises by ensuring your communications align with your actions. Employees are quick to spot inconsistencies, and empty promises can lead to a loss of trust.
• Effective communication is not one-size-fits-all. Tailor your messages to reach employees at the right time with the right information. Avoid sending blanket messages that may make it difficult for employees to access the specific information they need.

Policies and processes:

• Scrutinize your policies and processes to identify any unnecessary barriers that hinder the hiring and retention of female talent. An example shared during our discussions was a company writing into the contract of an autistic worker that they did not need to answer the phone, making the role accessible without affecting performance.
• In the UK, men spend about 16 hours a week on unpaid tasks like taking care of children and cleaning, whereas women dedicate 26 hours a week to these responsibilities. Businesses could consider revising some policies to better support men and women in achieving a work-life balance. For example, in Norway fathers are entitled to 15 weeks of non-transferable parental leave, designed to foster a more equal split of childcare responsibilities. Whilst this might not be the regulations within your country, that doesn’t mean organisations can’t support changes like this.

Leading the charge in attracting women to male-dominated industries

In the journey toward creating more gender-diverse workplaces, it’s essential to acknowledge and support the organisations and individuals who are already pioneering change. Here are some organisations that may be relevant to your sector:

• Women in Logistics
• Women into Construction
• Women in Tech
• Women’s Engineering Society
• Women in Fire Services
• British Association for Women in Policing
• Lean In Circles – Women in Finance

As a final point within our discussion group, we underscored the advantages of cultivating a growth mindset and exchanged recommendations for three insightful books to help develop our thinking and understanding: “Lift as I Climb,” “Invisible Women,” and “Lean In.”

By adopting clear communication, shifting cultural norms, and embracing a diverse and inclusive workplace, businesses can create environments that support all employees. This not only fosters gender diversity but also contributes to a more inclusive, caring, and productive work environment for everyone.

If you’re looking for a partner agency to help make your workplace fairer, healthier and happier, then we’d love to hear from you.