Mentorship and Diversity: How an Inclusive Workplace is Key to Driving Innovation in Engineering

When navigating a career in engineering, women often find themselves as the only female, or one of very few, in their teams. This situation can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion from further career opportunities. A lack of female role models in leadership positions also makes it difficult for women to visualize their own future successes, especially for those in the earlier stages of their careers. Additionally, the demanding nature of engineering roles, combined with societal expectations surrounding caregiving, can create extra pressure for women in these fields.

In this article, we discuss how an inclusive workplace culture that addresses unconscious biases, integrates supportive policies, and promotes values of respect and collaboration can be key to driving innovation and creativity.

Introduction

It can be quite lonely being the only, or one of very few, female in a team. The scarcity of female role models in the male-dominated industry of engineering or STEM frequently leads to feelings of insecurity, lack of direction or not feeling involved in networking opportunities. This can result in demotivation and a downturn of creativity and ambition.

Add to that the demanding nature of engineering roles, alongside societal expectations of caregiving obligations, there is extra pressure for women to balance their professional and personal responsibilities. According to a report from EngineeringUK, women in engineering and technology professions around the globe has recently dropped from 16.5% (2022) to 15.7% (2023), revealing that there is not only a hole in the recruitment of women into the industry but also a talent drain where women are leaving the industry through lack of support and encouragement.

The Innovation Advantage

Engineering innovation is entirely dependent on collaborative efforts. Diverse perspectives lead to more creative solutions and when teams are composed of individuals with different backgrounds, experience and points of view, they are better equipped to drive technological advancements. To accelerate creativity and problem-solving and provide career enhancing opportunities, companies that embrace diversity and support mentorship initiatives can positively affirm themselves at the forefront of industry success.

This way all talent, regardless of gender, can excel. This not only benefits individuals but strengthens the industry, creating a future where innovation is driven by diverse minds working together.

Mentorship

An important strategy to encourage diversity is by mentoring. By having access to experts who can offer advocacy and career advice, a woman's confidence and advancement in her career path can be significantly impacted. Being mentored promotes a feeling of support, empowerment and reduces self-doubt and imposter.

Global organizations formed to assist in the mentoring of women and girls in STEM in the step gap between education and industry include IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE), and the SWE Mentor Network and Mentoring Committee at The Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Both are global networks dedicated to promoting women engineers, technologists and scientists.

By connecting those at the beginning of their careers with seasoned professionals, organizations that implement formal mentorship programs can help bridge the gender gap. Many large organizations have implemented such mentorship programs into their business strategies. These have been found to have a considerable value not only to the women concerned but also to the innovation aspect of their operation.

• NASA (https://www.nasa.gov/women-at-nasa/) has implemented its own Mentor-Protégé Program that pairs early-career female engineers with experienced mentors. 

• Micron (https://www.micron.com/) invests in many programs, including the Global Women’s Mentorship Program to engage girls and young women in STEM to feed the early talent pipeline. 

• General Electric (GE) Women's Network (https://www.gehealthcare.com/) established a mentorship network in 1997 to support women in engineering and technical roles, leading to improved gender diversity in leadership positions.

The role of mentorship

In providing industry-specific coaching, mentored women can have a deeper understanding of technical skills, leadership development and career pathways.

A mentor offers ways for the mentee to overcome prejudice, workplace exclusion, or work-life balance issues. They can provide mentees with industry-specific information on trends, best practices, and problem-solving strategies, as well as access to leadership programs, conferences, and employment opportunities. By observing and being supported by successful women in leadership positions, mentees are better equipped to understand their own potential and effectiveness, and to imagine their career growth.

Potential Risks and Challenges

Reputational harm, lost innovation possibilities, talent drain, and a lack of competitiveness can all arise from failing to prioritize diversity and mentorship. A high employee turnover rate among female employees resulting from a lack of support for women, reduces the number of role models for coming generations. As a result, the underrepresentation cycle is perpetuated. 

Firms without formal diversity initiatives also risk developing an adverse image as well as potentially facing moral and legal issues related to discrimination in the workplace. As potential recruits increasingly look to an organization’s ethics and diversity pledges when considering career changes, this is likely to compromise the operation’s competitive edge in the market because of their inability to hire the best. Additionally, companies may have trouble obtaining government contracts or partnerships that value diversity policies.

However, although diversity and mentoring programs have many advantages, companies must be careful about how they are incorporated into the corporate culture.

When implementing a positive step change, no employee wants to think they are included merely to meet targets rather than being valued for their skills and contributions. Furthermore, initiatives may also be opposed by some who believe they are needless changes to established systems. Mutual respect and cooperation must be endorsed to create a culture where all opinions are heard, even those negative voices.

Mentors also risk unintentionally favoring mentees with comparable backgrounds, unwittingly narrowing the spectrum of perspectives. Others may feel additional pressure, in having to balance their own professional development at the same time as providing direction to their mentees.

Conclusion

Workplaces that are prioritize diversity must consciously seek to uphold a culture that encourages and supports women in engineering, to help businesses attract first-in-class personnel, boost creativity and to improve financial performance. As well as being the moral thing to do, investing in mentorship and an inclusive culture is crucial for long-term success. 

Women in engineering and STEM fields profit from diversity initiatives, but so do the organizations they work for. By cultivating inclusive environments, companies can unleash the full potential of their workforce, to build a future where all engineers, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to flourish, while reaping the innovation benefits that is yielded from full and open collaboration.

References

• EngineeringUK - 

https://www.engineeringuk.com/media-centre/press-releases/call-to-action-to-reverse-small-but-worrying-spike-in-women-aged-35-to-44-leaving-engineering/

• IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) - https://www.ieeefoundation.org/impact/illuminate/ieee-women-in-engineering/#:~:text=IEEE%20Women%20in%20Engineering%20(WIE,engineering%20or%20math%20(STEM).

• The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) - https://swe.org/

• NASA - https://www.nasa.gov/women-at-nasa/

• Micron - https://www.micron.com/

• General Electric (GE) Women's Network - https://www.gehealthcare.com/