We are still decades away from truly egalitarian workplaces – here’s what STEM leaders can do

STEM may have further to go, but there are simple changes companies can implement to start turning the tide.

Despite a cultural narrative of supporting women in science as they enter the field and grow their careers, women in STEM leadership dropped in 2021.

Overall, women make up a small percentage of the total workforce in STEM fields, and the pandemic furthered this gap, as women disproportionately left for caretaking roles.

As many as 40 per cent of women leave their STEM jobs after having a baby. However, as many as 24 per cent of child-free women also chose to leave the field.

There is marked attrition at other points of women’s lives as well, including perimenopause and menopause. Some employers write this off as a “woman” problem- blaming the desire for women to be at home with their children, caring for ageing parents, or taking on other roles.

Meanwhile, women themselves actually cite forms of gender discrimination and unsupportive work environments as the reasons for their departure.

Sadly, not only do employers lose out on these valuable colleagues, but they also short-change future scientists of mentors and role models down the road. These losses also have a financial impact.

It can cost as much as one and a half times the salary of a highly skilled worker to replace them, not to mention the lost knowledge, training/onboarding time, and impact on morale.

So what can companies do to increase their retention of women throughout the lifespan? To begin, they need to ask women.

According to a recent MetLife survey, which highlighted the problem of attrition of women in STEM, women asked for increased flexibility, career progression opportunities, meaningful organisational purpose, and creating an inclusive workplace.

Taken together, these suggest improving workplace culture in everything from fighting implicit bias (for example, assuming women in the 30-40 age range will want to have children and focus less on their careers) to ensuring that women’s contribution and potential are considered for promotion, just as they are for men.

But workplace culture change is not simply a matter of saying “we value women” and leaving it there. There must be concrete policy changes made to support women.

As mentioned, policies around work flexibility are important, as is ensuring that employees who use said policies are not unconsciously punished.

Throughout the pandemic years, we learned that work can be done remotely and honed the technology needed to do so.

Businesses, whether large or small, can offer flexibility around when and where work is done and around various models of part-time work. This allows employees to have a sense of autonomy and purpose in the work they do and see themselves as partnering with the organisation. These policies benefit men and women in having greater work-life integration.

It is also critical to have better leave options including parental leave for all parents – birthing or not – as this allows for better physical and mental health outcomes for parents and baby.

In ensuring these policies are open to men and women, regardless of birthing status, companies can also help set the stage for more egalitarian relationships and workplaces from day one. Businesses can also offer parental leave coaching through this time.

Parental leave coaching helps guide parents and their managers through preparing for leave, taking leave, and the return to work. It facilitates healthy communication and improves employee commitment and engagement.

Whether bringing in a coach as needed or using online platforms such as Lead your Leave through the Center for Parental Leave Leadership, employees can support parents and managers to make this transition a positive growing experience for all.

Relatedly, companies can broaden leave policies to include care-taking needs of all sorts, and health related leave for women throughout the lifespan.

As many saw recently, Spain passed menstruation related leave. Companies can adopt similar policies and extend it to leave around the menopause period as well, to include time away for doctor’s visits and addressing physical symptoms, as well as mental health concerns.

Workplaces should also be sure that their health care benefits cover related care, once again covering both the physical needs and mental health support. This can include access to medical and mental health support through apps like Maven or Balance to make needed care even more accessible.

Proactive and direct communication can also improve outcomes for all employees, including women. It can help them to feel supported and improve workplace culture.

To be concrete, this includes transparency around pay and a closed wage gap. It also means ongoing conversations around how the employee is feeling about work, as these conversations can help address problems before they become bigger.

Regular “stay” conversations around what will keep top talent happy can create positive working relationships and more engagement.

We are still decades away from truly egalitarian workplaces, and STEM may have further to go. That said, there are simple changes that companies can implement to start turning the tide.

STEM leaders need to talk to the women that work for them, listen to what they have to say and believe them when they say things are not equal. They need to provide them mentorship and coaching to help them grow their careers rather than letting them step away out of frustration.

Creating supportive workplaces allows for engaged and empowered employees who can continue to contribute their gifts throughout their working lives.

 

Dr Anne Welsh is a clinical psychologist, executive coach, and consultant. She began her career at Harvard before opening her own practice with a focus on supporting women in STEM and healthcare and working parents across career sectors. Find out more at drannewelsh.com.