May 2025 Volume 7

OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

perceptions affect every day decision-making. Revisiting the result that being viewed as someone who might want kids in the future could cause hesitancy in being accepted for certain jobs, implicit bias can be reflected in a simple thought such as “they might not want to travel as much because they have kids.” It also could show up as “they wouldn’t fit in with the rest of the guys” or “they wouldn’t want to work in those conditions.” To avoid the influence of implicit bias, hiring managers can have conversations with potential candidates about company expectations for certain positions. Open and honest discussions can lead to a better understanding of both the company and candidate’s needs. In a short-response question, participants were asked about other challenges that they have had operating in a male-dominated workplace. Many participants elaborated further on the topic of respect. They mentioned the reoccurring need to prove that they are capable and knowledgeable. They deal with the challenge of gaining respect from others and dealing with sometimes being overlooked. Others mentioned feeling like an outsider and feeling like they must change who they are to be accepted, instead of being welcomed into an environment that tries to be inclusive. Interestingly, a few mentioned that it can be a challenge to work with women in the industry. Participants highlighted that, sometimes, colleagues who are women can tear down other women instead of uplifting them. The survey participants encouraged women to help one another and to abandon this trend. Retention and Confidence Although there are many survey findings that point towards challenges related to being women in the industry, the survey responses pointed toward other factors as being more prominent in causing women to potentially leave the industry. In a “select all that apply” question, forty-two percent of participants thought the challenges resulting from being a woman in a male-dominated industry were a factor in decisions to leave the industry. Other factors, such as finding opportunities elsewhere, needing more work-life balance and lack of professional development opportunities, received more participant selections as reasons that influence women moving to other industries. In a promising find for the continued retention of employees, although a large portion of participants admitted that they have considered leaving the industry because of stresses associated with being a woman in the forging industry, the frequency was only “sometimes” or “once in a while” for most participants. Twenty-nine percent of respondents noted that they never considered leaving the industry because of this adversity. Another key phrase in discissions on the experience of women in the workplace is “imposter syndrome”. Psychology Today writes that “people who struggle with imposter syndrome believe that they are underserving of their achievements and the high esteem in which they are… generally held. They feel that… soon enough, people will discover the truth about them”3. Although results were divided almost equally between participants who

experience imposter syndrome “often,” “sometimes,” “rarely” and “never,” the majority of participants indicated in a separate section that they feel confident rather often. The participants also self-identified with many great qualities, including their ability to be direct/honest, their leadership abilities and their ability to be detail-oriented. They also described themselves as strong-willed, passionate, supportive and competitive. Mentorship as a Tool One of the best tools to improve confidence, increase retention and promote growth is mentorship. In response to a question that asked which support programs are the most beneficial to women in the forging industry, 61% of participants cited external mentoring programs, and 58% cited internal mentoring programs. Mentorships can be from either formal mentor relationships or from those with whom someone works and regularly interacts with, who might more naturally take to the role. Responses about the role of mentorship in participants’ careers showed some have been lucky enough to have great mentors. These mentors were reported to have helped them to advance in their careers. Some participants mentioned having good mentors, but all of whom are men. There were a surprising number of participants who either never had the opportunity to have mentors or had mentors early in their career but do not have mentors now. Fifty percent of participants said they never had a mentor who was a woman. Forty-three percent said they have had 1–3 mentors who are women. As more women take on leadership roles, there is hope that these numbers will increase in coming years. It’s important to remember the value of mentorship in someone’s career. As participants pointed out, mentors can serve as role models, provide advice, be a support system, help think through different situations and promote growth in one’s career. Mentors also can advocate for and sponsor people when they are not in the room. One option for women in the forging industry to find mentorship opportunities is through the FIA’s Women in Forging mentorship program. Many already benefit from the program, but the FIA is always looking for more mentors and mentees to join. Outside of mentorship, participants noted other ways to find meaningful interactions with women in the forging industry. Fifty-six percent of participants responded that they find meaningful connections through attending conferences and training. Thirty-seven percent join women’s industrial groups, whereas 30% participate in social media networking. The majority of participants mainly interact with other women via direct conversations. Some participants mentioned that they rarely get to interact with women in the industry outside of those with whom they work but would be interested in attending trainings, conferences and industry groups if they were given the opportunity. One participant mentioned that while she was in school, she found reading about women in articles or meeting women via school programs expanded her knowledge of women in the industry.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2025 58