THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE ENGINEERING SECTOR IS INCREASING, BUT AT A SLOWER PACE

THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE ENGINEERING SECTOR IS INCREASING, BUT AT A SLOWER PACE

    WHILE ENGINEERING and technology are generally perceived as male-dominated professions, in India, a study done by IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Bombay seeks to dispel this myth. The study found that 22 per cent of students who are currently enrolled in engineering and technology courses are women. And while the number of women in engineering is lower, the wheels are turning!
    As the need for engineering professionals grows, educators and industry leaders are increasingly turning towards newer ways and means of attracting, retaining and mentoring women amongst the engineering ranks - and for good reasons. For example, empirical studies clearly indicate that companies with more women in decision-making positions tend to perform better in terms of financial results. Also, a recent Booz & Co study calculates that if India’s women and men were to be employed equally, the country’s GDP could grow by 27 per cent!
    The increasing complexity and pace of project execution now places a premium on improvisation, innovation, efficiency and costeffective solutions. London Business School’s research again indicates that equal gender representation can help unlock the innovative potential of teams.
    Gender-balanced teams - those with a larger representation of women - are known to better possess and apply the skills of persuasion, motivation, flexibility, quick assimilation of information and an eye for detail that are all hallmarks of productive and innovative teams. Thus, it is now a market imperative for companies to hire and retain female talent to ensure that their businesses remain relevant and competitive.
    Industry growth has also led to an increasing number of fields where engineers, especially women engineers, can be deployed. Apart from the traditional disciplines of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, opportunities are opening up in several new areas including process engineering, control systems, automation, graphics, modelling, project controls, analysis, project management, material management, field engineering, and many more.
    Engineering companies are taking several actions, both leading and trailing, to recruit, retain and promote women so that they consider engineering as a profession of choice.
Today, it is vital that companies engage and seek a diverse slate of candidates for both entry-level and other positions.It is also beneficial to:
Institute and fund scholarships for women engineering students; Network with women teachers at engineering colleges; Encourage women employees to reach out to their social and professional networks to attract more women candidates; Increase referral bonuses for women candidates; Encourage couples to both seek employment at the same firm; Promote lateral induction of women through unconventional programmes like dual careers or second working innings.
In a country like India, child bearing and rearing and filial care introduce an element of uncertainty and drift in the careers of many women engineers. Companies must recognise this crucial phase in the life of women engineers and incorporate processes to not only educate and sensitise men to it, but also mitigate the impact of such potential slowdowns. However, all is not lost. Several measures can be taken to promote a work-life balance. A few companies strongly believe in a worklife balance and have formulated family-friendly work policies, such as alternate Fridays off that are in addition to the two-day weekend. Other efforts to support a work-life balance include abbreviated work hours on work Fridays; flexible work schedules; the ability to work from home on occasion; empanelment of discounted and subsidised child daycare facilities; supporting smooth transitions before and after parental leave; performance evaluation systems that neutralise the impact of parental leave; and spousal mobility. Other measures include the institution of structured offand on-ramping programmes to help women engineers leave and return with the least amount of anxiety and organisational impact.
    Sponsorship by leaders is a potent method to promote women in the workplace that has been adopted by many companies. Another method that is routinely applied at firms is providing visible work opportunities for women employees to make their mark in ways such as leadership of team events, portfolio assignments, cross-functional roles, leading new initiatives, challenging tasks in new environments, and client management roles.