In the world of supply chains and logistics, research suggests that women aren’t offered the same amount of opportunity and pay as their male counterparts. There is evidence that women face a range of challenges that act as barriers to success, but the industry is working hard to change this and level the playing field.
Due to technological improvements, the supply chain industry is no longer a labor-intensive field reliant on manual work and physical strength. This means the field is slowly shifting to offer all sorts of positions, from management to logistics. Read on to find out about how to attract more women into supply chain management and create more equal opportunities for all.
Widen your choices for women in supply chain
In terms of recruitment, having a diverse talent pool with a plethora of choices is key to encourage women to step into the industry. Partnering with universities and apprenticeship programs that have a high ratio of women is also a good starting point to offer more women the chance to explore the field through internship and apprenticeship programs.
Moreover, when hiring new employees, having a diverse choice of candidates that include several women is important, as well as making sure the recruiters are diverse themselves, to avoid any kind of bias.
Offer employee perks that will be attractive for women considering supply chain management
Different employees prioritize different things in their lives so workplace perks can always be a hit or miss, but providing workplace benefits that are geared towards women is a great strategy to attract and retain female talent. It’s clear both genders prioritize good pay and career progression, but it’s worth considering other opportunities such as remote or flexible work, a good maternity leave package, and incentives such as specific training to connect women to company leaders. This may sway women that are interested but hesitant due to their desire to start a family or their fears of stepping into a male-led industry.
Promoting a close-knit, nurturing workforce
This speaks for itself. Creating a friendly, tolerant, and accepting workplace is essential to attract those who will naturally feel like a minority. On top of this, it’s important to create a nurturing environment where all employees are encouraged to progress further in their careers, and where there is specific mentoring and training to get women to leadership and senior positions.
Educating from early on
Exposing young people to the industry is a great way to encourage them to explore their choices in the supply chain management field further down the line. Things like school trips, or university programs that incentivize a student’s career prospects and skills are just a few examples of ways to educate young people from an early stage. This applies more specifically to women, who have historically taken on professional roles more geared towards the arts and humanities. There are many initiatives to expose young girls to STEM subjects and showing them what they could achieve in a STEM field is key to recruiting more women further down the line.
Rethinking the roles of the workplace
Historically, in labor-intensive fields, men were put in roles that involved manual labor but that usually progressed quickly into leadership and management roles and women were placed in office administrative roles, which usually remained stagnant over the years. Working behind the scenes in compliant roles should no longer be the box women are put in when stepping into the industry. With new workplace advancements and technology, and the development of various new roles to manage the quickly changing atmosphere, there are many opportunities to place women in management roles that they can succeed in.
Telling the stories of successful women
Spreading the word is very important to attract more women into the field. Research shows that acknowledging and praising women who become successful in their roles is a huge incentive for others. Recognition and praise is not a new incentive in the workplace, but making it a point drives home the idea that women have a place in these industries, and that they will be recognised, valued and appreciated regardless of their gender.
Resources for women in supply chain
Women in Logistics and Transport
Mother of two children, Ashley Halsey is a professional writer at Lucky assignments Manchester and Gum Essays who has been involved in many projects throughout the country. She enjoys traveling, reading and attending business training courses.