Semiconductor? Masculine, plural

Research by Semi and Accenture examines the gender gap in the semiconductor industry and explains how, through mentoring and sponsorship programs, companies could help reduce it

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by Virna Bottarelli | Although many studies show that gender diversity in the workforce leads to improvements in innovation and corporate profits, female employment is still a sore point. Research titled "Sponsorship of women drives innovation and improves organizational performance," conducted by Seeds (global semiconductor industry association) and Accenture Researchexamines the gender gap in the semiconductor industry and the benefits of reducing it. Focusing on the importance of mentoring and sponsorship programs to give women more opportunities to grow into decision-making roles, the survey highlights some best practices whose adoption offers long-term benefits. As a survey of tens of thousands Peakon of tens of thousands of workers, women-led companies tend to strengthen top-down communication and orient the company toward strategic goals. Studies also show that diversity in the company leads to better financial results and that female investors are more likely to invest in companies founded by women. Gender-balanced and inclusive workplaces also produce non-tangible but equally valuable benefits: employees in these companies are more satisfied with their jobs and develop a greater sense of community with colleagues. This is increasingly true for Millennials and Generation Z, to whom the future leaders of the semiconductor industry belong.

Few women in technology sectors

The technology sector is one of the areas where gender diversity has much room for improvement. In the United States, 47% of the workforce is female, but in the IT sector the percentage of employed women drops to 25%. One explanation is the course of university study that women choose, although female students move away from science, technology, engineering and math (Stem) subjects before entering college. Fifty-seven percent of college graduates are women, but men outnumber women twice as much in engineering majors, from which only 8 percent of female graduates come out. Few large semiconductor companies have a woman at their top.

Advanced Micro Devices is one of them: its CEO, Lisa Su, has led a major turnaround, continuing to lead the company in a male-dominated industry. Following her appointment as CEO, and after spending a challenging year reorganizing company structures, Su has been able, from 2016 to the present, to initiate an acceleration in growth.

Interviews conducted with leaders of global semiconductor companies show that many organizations are committed to reducing the Gender Gap: among them, STMicroelectronics, which offers two training sessions per year to more than 200 women to become future leaders and has set specific quotas to promote the recruitment of female staff. Despite much available data indicating that women are under-represented in technology professions and companies, research shows that men are unlikely to perceive gender inequality in their work realities. This trend translates into inequalities in pay and career advancement opportunities, discriminatory approaches in job interviews and selection (women are asked if they intend to have children, men are not) and other 'glass ceilings' placed over the heads of female workers. To counteract these trends, technology companies need to implement mentoring, education and training programs, including cultural training, at all levels of staff and foster a more open dialogue between HR, business leaders and staff.

Mentoring and sponsorship programs

Even at a young age, women do not have access to mentoring and sponsorship programs that could encourage them to enter science and technology fields of work. These initiatives should begin in high school and continue into their college years. More women employed in the technology sector may lead to a natural progression of sponsorship programs in those companies focused on retaining talent and professional growth. At the corporate level, there are several programs that semiconductor companies can adopt to promote the advancement of women in their organizations. When successful, these initiatives can shape cross-departmental relationships between managers and employees at lower levels: mentors can guide and train professionals, while sponsors can use their influence to advance the careers of their "proteges," helping them access career opportunities.

As Toni Patterson, Career Mentor says, the mentor is a resource on a practical level, giving advice to handle various work issues, the sponsor, on the other hand, is usually a senior profile with power and influence, giving their best to support a career advancement. Several semiconductor companies have already begun to recognize the value of sponsorship programs. Kate Wilson, VP of Marketing at Edwards in the UK is focused on improving diversity in the company. For the past two years, Edwards has been running a mentoring and sponsorship program for women with the goal of increasing their presence in the company from 19% to 30% by 2030. Intel Edwards has structured programs for mentoring, diversity, inclusion, and sponsorship. Melexisfounded three years ago by two engineers and a non-engineering woman, has been held up as an example by a Belgian university as a company that has achieved gender equality. There are also women-focused organizations that provide mentoring, best practices and advice, such as Advancing Women In Product (AWIP), Advancing Women Executives (AWE), Women in Technology International (WITI), and several events dedicated to supporting the advancement of women in technology sectors.

More women for semiconductors

In a recent report, Semi said that China, which is worth 50% of global chip demand, needs more than 400 thousand workers to develop a domestic semiconductor production. Similarly, Singapore is trying to fill the talent shortage in the specialized fields of electrical and electronic engineering, disciplines that underpin the semiconductor industry. Globally, the semiconductor industry had 10 thousand vacancies in 2018. If companies start breaking down the barriers that have kept women out for decades, they could narrow the gender gap and fill the talent shortage plaguing the industry. So it's time to examine the level of gender diversity in companies and work with the HR department to organize a diversity strategy. How? Through formal mentoring and sponsorship programs; appointing women to boards; dedicating people to diversity development in the company; hiring women; reviewing job descriptions and removing biases that may discourage women from applying; participating in or sponsoring programs that encourage young women to pursue technology studies; instilling a zero-tolerance culture of discrimination in the company; and introducing training and education programs on unconscious and gender bias.

 

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