Even in the midst of the ongoing worker shortages, women in manufacturing are a massively untapped market. In fact, women only make a small percentage of the manufacturing workforce due to challenges like a lack of flexibility, barriers to leadership positions, and systemic cultural issues. In this episode, executive coach Nicole Provonchee from Bright Blue Consulting discusses some of the common barriers that women and other minorities often face in manufacturing environments, plus shares how people in leadership roles can change their practices and mindset to help cultivate female leadership. 00:22 – Women in manufacturing are an untapped market 1:48 – 47% of the total workforce involve women and women only make up 30% of the workforce in the United States. In manufacturing, the numbers are even lower

2:54 – A lack of flexibility is a big challenge facing female manufacturing employees

3:58 – We need to address how we can help people live the lives they have while still flourishing in the workplace

6:19 – Workplace environments need to be accommodating for women and other primary caregivers

7:25 – By starting dialogues with their female employees about issues like flexibility, workplaces can reach the most productive outcomes

9:11 – Employees also need to have a level of accountability in order to create an open dialogue

12:58 – How can we lead differently to get more women into leadership positions in manufacturing?

13:81 – Even in female-dominated fields like healthcare, women and other minorities struggle to move up to leadership roles

14:54 – The best way to get women into leadership roles is to recruit them early

15:11 – Women can become better self-advocates and articulate what they need from their workplace

16:44- Generally, women only apply for jobs when they're between 60% to 80% confident they will get the position

17:55 – People in leadership positions can encourage women to apply for higher-up jobs

19:25 – Women often hold themselves back out of the misguided belief that they must be experts before they can move forward to a higher role

20:49 – To invest in female leaders, companies should look at their recruitment tactics

22:22 – Cultural systemic change must also take place over time

Contact Nicole:

Bright Blue Consulting

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