Bridging the gap: male allies advancing women in STEM
Summary
The underrepresentation of women in senior positions within these fields further exacerbates the issue, creating a cycle thats hard to break without concerted effort and genuine support from all genders. For example, dont allow the women to do all the office admin such taking notes in meetings, organising social events, attending things like DEI committees – men can get involved in those as well – the same thing goes in the home.” The help men can offer also extends to advocating for policies that support work-life balance, such as paternity leave, which not only reduces the stigma often placed on women as the primary caregivers, but it also promotes a more inclusive workplace culture. Men have a unique opportunity to advocate for change by promoting and utilising paternity leave policies, mentoring women, and ensuring that their contributions are recognised and rewarded. By doing so from a place of genuine commitment to gender equality, male allies can influence organisational cultures, making them more equitable and supportive of womens advancement. Once youve done that, and youve seen these things, then youre in a position where you can gently challenge those things by taking someone to one side and having a separate conversation with them – which is an example of ‘calling in’.” In terms of making a change at an organisational level, long-time advocate and mentor for women in tech, Vince Pizzoni, Fellow, Career Coach, and Mentor for the Energy Institute shares some steps he believes businesses can make to ensure a more diverse environment.