Gender Diversity: UK Transportation and Tech Hiring Tips

Example 3: Gravitas Recruitment Group and partners

I recently helped organise Gravitas’ first Women in TransporTech roundtable, with our Associate Director, Liz Ellis, and Women in Transport’s, Northwest Regional Lead, Joanna Hill, bringing together a powerhouse of female leaders from across the sector. Together, we discussed critical issues facing women in the transportation industry. The event sparked dynamic conversations including:  

• Attracting and retaining female talent in the transport sector 

• Safety of women and girls on public transport 

• Promoting transferable skills and recognising skills gained outside traditional transport roles 

• How technology is transforming public transport  

With participation from notable industry professionals like Lydia Horbury from Bus Users UK, Angela Lopez Garces from Transport Planning, 

Rachel Brady from CMAC Group UK, and Melissa Liburd from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the event highlighted an important dialogue about women's roles and diversity in the transportation and tech sector: with the overarching takeaway that we need to include more female leaders in decisions about diversity.  

Back up your business case for change with credible statistics on the impact of diversity 

If you are looking to actively improve gender diversity in your company, an important first step is to gain the trust and buy-in on your leadership team first.

Having leaders that understand and encourage diverse hiring, means you can gain the authority to change policies, try different hiring tactics, and even introduce internal changes around culture, if needed. Here are a few statistics to help you demonstrate the impact of hiring for gender diversity when presenting to your leadership team.

• Two-thirds of companies surveyed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) agreed that diversity initiatives improved their business outcomes with 63% of companies seeing increased profitability and productivity. 

• Forbes has also found that diverse teams are better prepared for decision-making and accomplishing the task at hand. Differences among team members force each person to anticipate that there will be alternative and unexpected viewpoints to consider. 

• It's clear that gender diversity is important for innovation in the transport industry, but it can also provide merit for any growing company. PWC reports that 86% of women and 74% of men consider diversity and inclusion policies when looking for a new job.  

• Job seekers are influenced by companies seen to be challenging diversity issues head on, establishing credibility and ultimately improving ability to attract and retain talent is 60% according to the ILO. 

Addressing gender bias in hiring strategies

With 1 in 5 women in a PWC study reporting gender discrimination personally when applying or interviewing for a job, it’s apparent that change is needed, if they want to attract and retain female talent.

In fact, a Stonewall poll found that 22% of LGBTQ+ people, including non-binary, have received negative comments or conduct from colleagues; 35%, unsurprisingly have hidden their identity at work, after fear of discrimination.

According to the World Economic Forum, it will take 131 years to reach full gender parity if progress continues at its current rate of progress. It’s no surprise then that Women in Transport's Equity Index found that 75% of transport companies have no documented recruitment strategy to increase or maintain the representation of women in their workforce.

One example of a company trying to attract women into their tech and transportation roles is, transit data experts, Ito World, who launched the #ItoWomen Campaign, promoting the unique career journeys of 3 women in leadership roles. Created to inspire, mentor and champion women in the technology & transport industries, the campaign also encourages change by sharing the realities of women working in the technology and transport industries, and the systemic gender imbalance issues within.

Here are some quick-fire ways to address gender balance when hiring:

1. Review hiring practices, including internal policies, and processes to ensure they are inclusive and bias-free. Don’t just consider how someone is treated during their hiring process, but also how they are supported during onboarded, and then encouraged to develop their career. You could consider a menopause policy, pregnancy loss policy, parental leave policy and mental health and wellbeing policies. 
2. Adjust job adverts & communications, by purging gendered language from job advertisements and company communications.
3. Remove demographic information, at least at initial job application review stage, to exclude unconscious gender-based bias in hiring decisions.
4. Discuss development and training opportunities, during interview stages, and even in your advertising, as many women and non-binary people, will have faced barriers in their professional progression, making your business more attractive. 
5. Consider including female interviewers, in your hiring process, to help introduce more diversity in the hiring decision process.  
6. Consider gender equality training for staff, especially in leadership positions. 
7. Provide equal pay and benefits to all employees, regardless of gender. This should include flexible working hours, hybrid or remote working, to support parents, and encourage work-life balance. 
8. Create a supportive environment. Give emphasis to wellness programmes, inclusive social activities, and let your staff know they are appreciated. Introduce forums or motivational webinars to help support people.
9. Learn from your exit interviews. This can provide the most valuable information on what you should change about your internal culture to attract & retain more diverse talent.  

How to create a inclusive workplace environment in the transport industry 

Engineering Studies suggest that occupational stereotypes carry on through into employment, hindering female professional development in STEM based roles. By de-gendering training and development and holding firm on a zero-tolerance policy for violence and sexual harassment during the formative years of a young person’s career, the transport industry can ensure that career progression is not limited for women.

Over the last decade, organisations have publicly recognised the need to accommodate female staff working onsite. Women that work on-site in transport are often issued ‘one-size-fits-all' PPE that is based on the average male physique. In a survey by the Trades Union Congress, 57% of women reported that PPE hampered their ability to work. Ensuring that on-site facilities are not exclusively designed for men can provide more practical and comfortable work environments that are attractive for women looking for a career in transport.

 Supporting gender diverse career growth in transport

According to the McKinsey & Company "Women in the Workplace, 2023" study, the transportation industry has a relatively strong number of women at entry-level positions (48% of the workforce), but the representation of women progressively narrows at each stage that their career progresses.

It is vital to have open and honest discussions about barriers that prevent women and non-binary people from progressing their career in the long term. Identify what more you can do for gender inclusivity to support the growth, development and retention of talent. Passenger Transport found that inflexible working arrangements and a lack of equal access to the same training and career options as their male colleagues hinders the career progression of female workers and contributes to a lack of retention in female talent in the transport industry.