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CREW revisited in 2007 The Year of Women in Engineering
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A nationwide survey was conducted by the National Women in Engineering Committee
of Engineers Australia in 1999, titled the Careers Review of Engineering Women
(CREW) (Roberts & Ayre, 2002). The CREW study indicated that disturbing levels
of sexual harassment and discrimination were being experienced by women in the
engineering profession, that they were generally less satisfied with their
careers and career progression than were men and that they were more likely to
leave the profession than men. In 2007 as part of the Year of Women in
Engineering, the CREW survey has been repeated and this paper provides an early
analysis of some of the data.
The 1999 CREW study was carried out using hard-copy questionnaires mailed to a
total of 2269 members of Engineers Australia - 1819 to female members
(representing all females at graduate or higher levels of membership at the
time), and 450 to male members, matched with the female sample in terms of
membership grade, engineering discipline and geographical distribution by state.
Responses were received from 767 female engineers (42.2% response rate) and 122
male engineers (27.1%).
The 2007 CREW study was carried out using an on-line questionnaire survey, which
respondents accessed following an invitation by email (or by letter to
approximately 500 female members who did not have email listed on EA database)
to a total of 8214 members of Engineers Australia – 3214 to female members
(representing all females at graduate or higher levels of membership at the
time), and 5000 to male members, matched with the female sample in terms of age,
college affiliation and geographical distribution by division. Responses were
received from 1,187 female engineers (36.9% response rate) and 605 male
engineers (12.1%). Figures 1 and 2 show the profile of respondents with respect
to age and college affiliation and indicate a well matched sample with respect
to gender.
Female and male engineers joined the engineering workforce in similar
proportions after graduation, at 86.1% and 87.3% respectively, slightly closer
figures than in 1999. The study found that 95.9% of men were currently working
as engineers whilst 4.1 % of men were no longer working as engineers, and 92.7%
of women were currently working as engineers whilst 7.3% were no longer working
as engineers. This is not surprising since only current members of Engineers
Australia were invited to participate in the survey.
The studies, both in 1999 and 2007, show that many women in engineering
experienced a difficult workplace. For some women that was their experience on a
daily basis. Workplace culture and conditions remained a source of
dissatisfaction for women in 2007, and the practices of discrimination,
harassment and bullying were still prevalent.
The study explored multiple individual factors contributing to workplace
satisfaction. Table 1 shows women’s and men’s ratings of selected workplace
conditions in order of those that women found to be most dissatisfactory. In
evaluating their overall satisfaction with workplace conditions, 74.2% of all
women reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied and 11.6% that they
were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, compared with 78.4% and 8.0% of men
respectively. These results indicate some positive change for both men and women
when compared to the 1999 study in which the equivalent figures were 60% and 19%
of all women, compared with 70% and 10% of all men. The conditions that both
women and men found to be most dissatisfactory were related to opportunities and
recognition for promotion.
One of the most disturbing findings of the 1999 CREW study was that 36% of all
women reported that they had experienced discrimination while working as
engineers, and 27% reported that they had been sexually harassed. The 2007 study
also surveyed these aspects and in addition respondents were asked to report if
they had experienced bullying. In this study 42.3% of women reported that they
had experienced discrimination while working as engineers, 22.0% reported that
they had been sexually harassed and 28.2% had experienced bullying. It is
pleasing that the reported incidence of sexual harassment has decreased
(although 22% is still unacceptably high), but very disappointing that reported
discrimination has actually increased since 1999. By comparison, 15.8% of men
reported that they had experienced discrimination while working as engineers,
2.8% reported that they had been sexually harassed and 18.6% had experienced
bullying.
Table 2 shows the basis of discrimination as indicated by the women who reported
it. It is clear from this table that gender remains the overwhelmingly dominant
basis of discrimination experienced by women in all age groups in engineering
workplaces. Although the question asked whether they had experienced
discrimination at any time during their career, it is also clear that it is not
a historical phenomenon, since significant numbers of women in the younger age
groups reported experiencing discrimination due to their gender. Comments from
women also indicated that both discrimination and sexual harassment remain as
ongoing issues for them. Women reported that they were harassed, and also their
opportunities were reduced, because of actual or potential family
responsibilities and pregnancy.
The majority of women who responded “other” to the question reported that they
had experienced discrimination on more than one basis, such as both gender and
age. Women also described numerous instances of sexual harassment that sometimes
caused them to resign from positions and was occasionally severe enough to
impair their health.
The study found that 28.2% of women and 18.6% of men reported that they had
experienced bullying by their boss or co-workers. This reported incidence of
bullying is concerning, adding another disturbing element to the nature of the
workplace culture in engineering organisations. Bullying was the prevailing
workplace problem reported by men, but was also experienced by women. It was
sometimes also accompanied by worrying reports of unethical business and
personal behaviour.
Given the increasing awareness by some engineering companies of diversity issues, and the increased introduction of family friendly policies such as paid maternity leave, it was hoped that there would be some improvement in women’s engineering workplace experience since the first survey was conducted in 1999. The 2007 study indicates that there has been some improvement in the percentage of women still working as engineers and overall workplace satisfaction has improved for both men and women. While reported sexual harassment has declined marginally, it is still unacceptably high. Disappointingly, the incidence of workplace discrimination has actually increased since 1999, with gender being the overwhelming reason given for discrimination in all age groups of women. Bullying, which was surveyed for the first time in 2007, is experienced by both men and women in engineering workplaces. Achieving an inclusive and supportive workplace culture in engineering organizations remains a significant challenge.
References
Roberts, P. & Ayre, M. (2002). Counting the losses… Careers review of
engineering women.
National Women in Engineering Committee, Engineers Australia