Women in STEM still facing challenges in workplace: Report

Findings from a new report show that women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) roles are still facing many challenges despite the growth in women studying these subjects. 

The University of South Australia report noted that Australia has a long way to go for gender equity in STEM careers.

The report listed a number of hurdles for women and non-binary people in STEM, including an unsupportive or hostile work culture, and entrenched, pervasive attitudes – in the workplace, community and within families – that associate STEM careers with men and not women.  

Women and non-binary people are also experiencing unconscious bias perpetuating gender stereotypes in many workplaces, including the misplaced belief that women (especially mothers) have different skill sets from men.  

They also face inequitable language in the workplace and media, reinforcing gendered stereotypes, including emphasising ‘masculine’ technical skills over ‘feminine’ soft skills, inflexible work practices and lack of female role models in senior leadership positions.

Dr Deborah Devis, lead report author said these obstacles raised by women working in the sector should be a red flag as they continue to exacerbate critical STEM industry workforce shortages across the country.

“There are hundreds of ‘women in STEM’ programs across Australia but the impact of these programs is unclear,” she said.

“We have seen a significant increase in girls studying STEM subjects in schools and undergraduate degrees, but only a small increase in postgraduate programs and young women pursuing STEM careers. The number of women holding senior management roles in STEM industries is also very low.”

To find solutions to these challenges, the University of South Australia Academy for Gender Equality in STEM taskforce has produced specific recommendations to support three STEM groups: future employees, current employees, and leaders.

For future employees, the taskforce recommends mentoring, outreach positions, network-building programs (including young entrepreneurs), and building relationships between students and companies.

For current employees, there needs to be fertility policies, workplace flexibility, equal pay parental leave, and evaluation of internal culture.

For leaders, the taskforce recommends inclusive leadership training, rewarding equitable leaders, non-financial leadership incentives for women, and men’s advocacy for women.

In Australia, only 16 percent of the STEM-skilled workforce are women while 90 percent of women with a STEM qualification work in non-STEM-related fields, according to the Australian Academy of Science.

Dr Florence Gabriel, report co-author said men are an important part of increasing diversity for women in STEM.

“It is also crucial that men advocate for women in the STEM workforce by actively supporting gender equity and promoting diversity and inclusion. It should be an entrenched belief, not an exercise in box-ticking,” she said, 

The feedback from women who took part in the think tanks suggests that STEM careers are no longer considered “nerdy” or “unpopular”, but they remain difficult environments for women to thrive in.

An unsupportive – even hostile – work environment was named as the main reason women left jobs in STEM.

Another major obstacle is the inflexible work hours and a failure among many employers to acknowledge that the burden of unpaid care work for children and older parents still falls disproportionately on women.

Increasing work flexibility would go a long way towards encouraging women to pursue and continue working in STEM careers, the report said, although companies should avoid creating a gender divide where only women are expected to take advantage of flexible work arrangements.