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Do women have easy access to executive power in the power systems industry?
Since joining Weidmann 4 years ago, I am now seeing more and more women in engineering positions within our company. I am keen for the number of women within our sector to continue to rise and help break down barriers women have traditionally faced such as gender bias, lack of female role models and lower career prospects.
My biggest motivation is Weidmann’s former CEO, and now Chair of the Board, Franziska Tschudi-Sauber, who has always tried to connect female leaders within the organization and supports us to understand and grow in this traditionally male-dominated industry.
Our sector is experiencing a huge transformation as it evolves to meet the challenges of increasing electrification and climate change where our executive team needs to have diverse perspectives in solving these challenges.
The opportunities for women to advance into executive roles requires ongoing efforts from both the organization and individuals to address barriers and promote inclusivity and diversity within the workplace.
What are some unique challenges women in the engineering sector face in their pathway towards leadership positions?
Previously, in my early career, I have experienced gender discrimination with fewer women in top-level roles. With Weidmann, the route for women in leadership positions is much more open. However, the pace of women reaching more senior roles is not as quick as I would like. To achieve this goal requires commitment and effort on both sides.
Some of the challenges I have experienced historically are people’s perceptions of my capabilities, not related to my skills or experience. At that time, some male colleagues would sometimes explain technical topics in much more detail to me because I am a woman – a trait we now recognize as unconscious bias which can be exhibited by both men and women.
Having more women in technical and leadership roles will change the industry significantly. In particular, women often bring different viewpoints, experiences, and problem-solving approaches. Women bring diverse perspectives, offering a broader range of ideas and insights helping to drive innovation and improvements in different areas. This diversity will help the industry be more attractive to a younger generation.
Is there a glass ceiling in the power systems industry? How does Weidmann support the women in leadership positions?
The energy sector is evolving at a much faster pace than it ever has previously due to socio-political pressure to produce clean energy. The energy transition is experiencing huge growth which requires more resources, and we are seeing more women performing engineering roles that were previously filled by men.
Women are more likely to break the glass ceiling as the energy sector transitions and opens its doors for the next generation of women who will bring diverse perspectives and experiences. Having a broader range of ideas and insights will help drive innovation and improvement – vital for the success of the energy transition.
It is important for Weidmann and other key organizations in the energy sector to have a corporate culture where women are involved at a strategic level. A diverse strategic team benefits companies through greater creativity, more effective decision-making and problem solving helping to drive the company to greater commercial success.
Women often excel in fostering collaboration and building agreement, which is essential for driving innovation in complex and interdisciplinary fields like electrical energy. Their inclusive leadership style can facilitate cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing, leading to more innovative solutions.
Weidmann is a family business with a commitment to provide opportunities for growth for all its workforce. There are policies in place based on meritocracy, without gender bias to encourage female participation and initiatives to provide opportunities and growth for all talents. Weidmann is convinced that a diverse and inclusive work environment increases mutual understanding and innovation of the business.
The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘Inspire Inclusion’ – do you envisage a future which is fully inclusive, regardless of gender?
I think we are still some distance away from that, but it would be my wish to have a future for our younger generation where International Women’s Day is not actually celebrated because it is not a topic anymore.
