Navigating Leadership In Male Dominated Industry: Women Leading Charge In Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector has long been perceived as a male-dominated industry, where leadership positions remain elusive for women. Women are often underrepresented in leadership positions within manufacturing organisations, hindering their career advancement. However, the narrative is changing, slowly but surely women's contributions to manufacturing are gaining recognition.  

The statistics are stark— Women constitute less than 20 per cent of the overall workforce and hold just over 10 per cent of Key Managerial Positions, while female directors account for less than 20 per cent of the total board director positions, according to the 'Mind the Gender Gap' report by CFA Institute and CFA Society India. Cultural expectations, limited access to technical education, and workplace biases have traditionally hindered women's career progression in this sector. However, this scarcity does not reflect a lack of capable women. Instead, it highlights the need for a systemic shift in how talent is identified, nurtured, and promoted.        

Diverse leadership teams deliver stronger business results, improve creativity, and enhance problem-solving—this has been shown in research after research. It means that the industry fails to capitalize on the individual differences that proprioceptive physiological diversity represents, and the diversity of thought that women would bring to the discussion. Women made up a mere 12% of the workforce in the All India Manufacturing Survey 2022. While this figure hints at an upward trend, it highlights a stubborn gender gap. By 2030, the labour shortage is projected to reach 85 million skilled workers in a wide array of industries, including manufacturing, creating the opportunity to bridge the gender gap and leverage women’s expertise in manufacturing.    

If we don't want to just break barriers but to go beyond and spin change, deliberate efforts have to be made to help women grow in manufacturing. This includes:

Encouraging STEM Education and Vocational Training    
Early exposure to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is crucial in attracting more women to manufacturing careers. Hence, we need to engage educational institutions and industry leaders to create opportunities for young girls to develop the necessary technical skills and the confidence to pursue manufacturing as a career.

Supportive Workplace  
The workplace needs to adapt itself to be more inclusive through family-friendly policies, flexible work arrangements, and unbiased recruitment processes. Most importantly manufacturing companies must address the lack of basic amenities like separate bathrooms and changing rooms that creates an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe working environment in the production houses. Companies should also make an active effort against gender discrimination and strive to offer women equal opportunity for promotion and advancement. 

Nurturing Mentorship and Sponsorship
Women in positions of leadership can be an important resource for mentoring and guiding the next generation. Offering mentorship programs, leadership training, and networking opportunities can go a long way to bridge the gap and empower women to take on leadership roles with confidence.

Ensuring Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Compliance             
It is not enough for companies to simply adopt Gender Parity D&I policies; they must also be vigorously implemented. This involves establishing quantifiable goals for women in the upper echelon and holding organizations responsible for realizing those goals.

The majority of manufacturing plants are situated in remote areas rather than metropolitan cities, highlighting the need for hyper-local hiring strategies. That means building a more inclusive industry by tapping into the talent found in those areas. Organisations where gender diversity is valued in manufacturing tend to have sustained levels of growth as well as heightened creativity. By cultivating an inclusive culture, providing wider access to opportunities for career growth, and investing in skills training, companies can broaden their talent pools for sustainable business success. 

Enabling women in manufacturing is not merely a moral imperative—it’s a business imperative. The road to gender parity is collective, and the onus lies on every stakeholder. Industry players, policymakers, educational bodies, and individuals must work together to ensure that a wondrous ecosystem will be created where women can thrive and not just survive.

Ultimately, organizations and women themselves must own the change. This involves actively shaking off unconscious biases that apply equally to both men and women. For example, both men and women may unconsciously assume that women are less technically competent, or that men are less nurturing. We must consciously challenge these assumptions and focus on individual merit and potential. We need to believe and deliver as equals, fostering a culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of gender.

The views are personal