Women Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry Why So Few? (1994) / Chapter Skim
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3 Corporate Initiatives to Recruit and Retain Women Scientists and Engineers
3 Corporate Initiatives to Recruit and Retain Women Scientists and Engineers
Pages 51-86
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From page 51... ...
Another point reiterated during the presentations about effective programs was that the commitment of top management is essential for the successful implementation and longevity of the programs. A Look at Six Companies Xerox Corporation, ALCOA, Aerospace Corporation, AT&T Bell Laboratories, and Scios Nova illustrate what are, by current standards, programs that are effective in recruiting and ensuring the professional progress of women scientists and engineers in industry.
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From page 52... ...
We are committed to substantially increased representation of both majority and minority women within CR&T and within CR&T management.62 At the same time, Council members identified five problem areas to be addressed by CR&T: increased numbers of women in corporate research (only 10 percent of the Ph.D.s in positions leading to senior management at Xerox are women) , career development, salary equity, working 62 Leslie Jill Miller, speaking at the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 17, 1993.
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From page 53... ...
In addition to hiring and promotion recommendations to Xerox CR&T management, the Women's Council has developed a set of career and development recommendations for individual employees and managers. Women scientists and engineers are encouraged to set objectives, meet performance requirements, know their organization, and seek development opportunities.
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From page 54... ...
Since 1990, ATC has developed several effective policies and programs to help employees balance work and family responsibilities, according to Ophelia 64 Drawn from the presentation by Ophelia R Scott, staff administrator, Human Resources and Industrial Relations Department, ALCOA Technical Center, during the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 18, 1993.
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From page 55... ...
ALCOA Technical Center then developed and implemented the Pilot School Program to increase ATC's presence on selected college campuses, to identify talented undergraduate female and minority S&E students, and to create technical linkages with the pilot schools. Selection of the pilot schools was based on the quality of technical programs, size of the minority population, and number of female and minority students who obtained advanced degrees.
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From page 56... ...
The division also assists the fellow in selecting a university for graduate study and provides discussion on potential career opportunities within ALCOA Technical Center. ALCOA's financial commitment to the fellow includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, a monthly stipend, and summer employment.
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From page 57... ...
Further details on the work-family aspects of the Aerospace program are given later in the chapter. AT&T Bell Laboratories66 Naomi Behrman noted that managers at AT&T Bell Laboratories "value both women and men employees who are well grounded in their technical expertise and who have an understanding of the business world." She stated that AT&T Bell Laboratories is committed to encouraging this 66 Drawn from the presentation by Naomi Behrman, coordinator of employee counseling services, AT&T Bell Laboratories Health Services Group, at the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 17, 1993.
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From page 58... ...
AT&T Bell Laboratories also offers both scholarships and fellowships to talented students in science and engineering. The Engineering Scholarship Program "is designed to increase the talent pool by providing financial assistance to outstanding underrepresented minorities and women high school seniors who have been admitted to full-time studies" in computer science/engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or systems engineering.
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From page 59... ...
TABLE III-1: Summary Data, AT&T Bell Laboratories' Graduate Research Program for Women, 1975-1992 Combination: Type of Award Fellowships Grants Fellows/Grants Graduates 23 33 Discipline Physics 21 Chemistry 11 Computer science 6 Mathematics 5 Materials science 4 Electrical engineering 3 Operations research 3 Other 3 Employment sector Industry 9 13 Hired by AT&T Bell Laboratories 4 4 Academe 7 8 Postdoc 5 9 Unknown 2 3 Withdrawals 10 10 Still in program 18 41 TOTAL participants 51 84 SOURCE: Naomi Behrman, presentation at the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 17, 1993.
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From page 60... ...
Available to all employees at AT&T Bell Laboratories, the Employee Counseling Service is a highly effective program that has been offered since 1977. It provides private and confidential one-on-one counseling sessions, consults with management about special organizational and individual issues, and affects the environment of whole organizations by presenting special seminars and workshops on subjects such as balancing work and family, single working parents, and dual-career couples.
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From page 61... ...
The major advantage of this Health Services Group is the ability to give professional support when a medical problem is a component of a stressful situation. As a result of its varied involvement with employees, the Counseling Service at AT&T Bell Laboratories has been invited to make presentations to technical women's network organizations, working parents clubs, and groups addressing sexual harassment issues.
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From page 62... ...
Stephens, former director of human resources, Scios Nova, at the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 17, 1993. 69 Patricia E
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From page 63... ...
Barrios Technology: A Model Company70 Among the examples of programs and initiatives for women managers presented at the CWSE conference, one small company stood out. A relatively small technical company of less than 250 employees that is both woman-owned and woman-managed, Barrios Technology7~ has a strong commitment to moving women into management positions.
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From page 64... ...
The two chief administrators maintain a policy of constant accessibility not only to the people who work directly under them, but also to those at office sites. The company sends managers to short-term personal enterprise programs and a university marketing program.
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From page 65... ...
It "has had some problems with older males in the past," but addressed them by bringing in outside management consultants.72 Elements of Effective Programs Companies have found that recruitment and retention of their technical work force are improved when the company has undertaken steps to ensure the following: . exciting and personally satisfying work; viable and diverse technical and management career paths; and educational opportunities, both at the corporate site and at local colleges and universities, that develop leadership and technical expertise.
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From page 66... ...
When Catalyst asked female engineers to suggest improvements in the culture of their corporations, their strongest suggestion was that top management must be supportive of removing the obstacles to women's advancement.76 CEOs and managers must lead the way in changing the Marsha Lakes Matyas and Linda Skidmore DO (eds.) , Science and Engineering Programs: On Target for Moment, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1992.
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From page 67... ...
If a company has a reputation for hiring women and being supportive of them and this is publicized, women will want to come and work for that company.77 In addition to the involvement of upper management in developing a receptive climate, U.S. companies are targeting specific areas that affect their attractiveness to women scientists and engineers: recruitment initiatives, career development, mentoring, professional networks, compensation and bonuses, and work-family issues.
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From page 68... ...
companies have aggressively begun to provide incentives for women scientists and engineers to join and to remain in their work forces. At Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research, for instance, [ejach manager is accountable for ensuring diversity at all levels in her/his area.
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From page 69... ...
Moreover, women in technical management have access to corporate power and resources and can help to create career opportunities for women. By using the resources of the organization, they can influence the number of positions available for technical women; the nature of those positions; the range of internal corporate programs, such as career guidance efforts; and the establishment of outside relationships, such as university partnerships.
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From page 70... ...
This compares to national statistics that saw women and people of color comprising 25 percent of the exempt work force.84 Women comprise 20 percent of the engineers and technicians at 82 Maria Quintana, presentation at the CWSE conference, Irvine, CA, January 17, 1993. 83 Emily T
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From page 71... ...
Mentoring Programs "A Study of Occupational Departure of Employees in the Natural Sciences and Engineering" conducted by Anne Prestong9 revealed that women who developed successful S&E careers, almost without exception, had important mentors who encouraged them, provided them support, and as Jill Wittels, op.
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From page 72... ...
Professional women must be willing to serve as role models; to develop programs; and to speak about career opportunities, advise, and mentor. (Of course, the downside to this is that, because there are fewer women than men in S&E jobs In Industry, senior women tend to devote more time to mentoring younger women than their male counterparts who mentor younger men.)
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From page 73... ...
Another approach is for professional women to retain contact with colleges and universities by becoming adjunct professors and advising students. At New Mexico State University, the Indian Resource Development Program encourages and assists Native American high school students to go into the fields of engineering, business, and agriculture.9' The American Indian Science and Engineering Society, in existence for 15 years now, also supports Native American students in science and engineering and actively works to increase their numbers in industry.92 It is important to realize that mentor-protegi relationships may change with time.
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From page 74... ...
Dresselhaus and Linda Skidmore Dix, "Summary: Cross-Cutting Issues," in Marsha Lakes Matyas and Linda Skidmore Dix (eds.) , Science and Engineering Programs: On Target for Women.7, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1992.
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From page 75... ...
Many conference participants involved in women's networks noted that an advocacy group must focus primarily on educating in a way that does not create a defensive reaction, and how forceful the group wants to be must be gauged by what will make the most progress at a particular point in as Esther M Conwell, "Promoting Science and Engineering Careers in Industry," in Marsha Lakes Matyas and Linda Skidmore Dix (eds.)
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From page 76... ...
Networking can link entry-level scientists and engineers with more experienced individuals who share their experiences and offer advice, specifically in the area of career advancement.97 Professional networking encourages the sharing of information and helps women to feel that they are supported in their pursuit of careers that have not traditionally been open to them. For example, Systers is a network begun in October 1987 "to aid communication among women interested in 'systems,' thus the name 'systers,"' according to the electronic network's originator, Anita Borg.98 96 Carolyn Leighton, founding executive director, International Network of Women in Technology (WITI)
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From page 77... ...
cit. un-American Chemical Society, Domestic Status, Discrimination, and Career Opportunities of Men and Women Chemists: A Report of the American Chemical Society's 1991 Survey of Domestic Status, Employment, and Attitudes of Men and Women ACS Members, Washington, DC: ACS, October 1992.
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From page 78... ...
The National Technical Association promotes professional networking among African American scientists and engineers through periodicals and conferences. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering increases access to engineering careers for African American, Hispanic, and Native American men and women through research and public policy analysis, publications, educational program development, and scholarship support.
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From page 79... ...
Upon examination of the data, with answers provided to questions about a few of the cases, the Council concluded that there was reasonable salary equity. Addressing Work-Family Issues Some companies whose employees attended the CWSE conference, as well as other U.S.
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From page 80... ...
; and the child-care referral program, funded by ALCOA Technical Center and operated by the Child Care Network, a United Way agency. This program helps employees locate caregivers near their home or workplace, educates employees on the selection of quality child care, provides workshops on child care and parenting issues, provides resource data on currently operating child care facilities in the area, and locates summer care for school-age children.'06 op.
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From page 81... ...
Finally, part-time employment and flexible scheduling both occur at Aerospace, but the flex-time is not as flexible as at many companies: an hour is allowed on either end of the day for flexible scheduling, which seems inadequate for many women who must pick up or deliver children to child-care centers. AT&T Bell Laboratories has a number of flexible programs for its employees, including child care resources, family leave, flexible excused workdays, management personal days, leave for the care of newborn or newly adopted child, leave for family care, School Smart (which helps employees with educational issues for school-aged children)
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From page 82... ...
An example is given by ALCOA Technical Center. The Center formed a retention team to quantify retention of minority and female scientists and engineers, perform cause-and-effect analyses, determine root and/or contributing causes, and compare the findings with similar measures and issues for the majority population at ALCOA Technical Center, so the causes could be classified on some shared unique scale.
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From page 83... ...
Finding a lower retention rate for women and lower job satisfaction among women than neon, in 1987 Corning set up what it called a Corrective Action Team. On the recommendation of this team, a number of actions were carried out similar to those listed above for the ALCOA Technical Center, as well as mentoring and counseling programs and a new career planning system.
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From page 84... ...
Second, the examples of corporate initiatives brought forth at the conference suggest the need for a compilation of as many "successful" programs as possible and a culling of the most important attributes of these programs to inform strategies and policies that address the underrepresentation of women in science and engineering in industry, as well as women's career development issues in industry. For further details, see Esther M
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From page 85... ...
Meffa Tanikawa takes measurements on an experimental weather station on a rooftop at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. (Photo: The Aerospace Corporation)
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