From STEVE BEACKON
Lesley Currah is right to identify negative and conservative attitudes
among some parts of the male scientific establishment as an obstacle to
women’s advancement (Letters, 24 February). But there is some tangible comfort
to be offered.
My company is a major employer of scientists in Britain. Like many other
companies who depend on technical skills for their commercial success we
are worried about the growing crisis in availability of skilled people and
about the implications of the so-called demographic time-bomb. Quite apart
from the need for equity, there are therefore good business reasons for
employers to make the best use of the female workforce.
Our response has been to try to make ourselves a more attractive and
considerate employer to women. We have been promoting a range of flexibilities
to give women the ‘better deal’ referred to by Currah: part-time working,
job-sharing, home working, flexible hours, a career-break scheme and child-care
facilities. In doing so we have consulted very widely among our female workforce.
It is early days yet for some of our initiatives and we have yet to see
the results, but I am confident that they meet our female employees’ needs
as they currently perceive them.
I recognise that these developments do not by themselves tackle the
question of attitude which, as Currah suggests, lies at the root of many
of the problems. However, an employer’s ability to demonstrate examples
of women who have successfully combined careers with their other commitments
goes some way to combating in-built prejudices.
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In AEA Technology we still have fewer women in senior technical jobs
than we would like. But their numbers are growing. We have been going to
considerable lengths to publicise our flexible working successes internally.
This has encouraged more of our female employees to seek opportunities to
combine a career with their domestic responsibilities, but, just as importantly,
it has convinced some ‘doubting Thomases’ that such flexibilities are workable.
What is really needed for women to have an opportunity to succeed as scientists
and engineers, I would suggest, is for the employer to have the imagination
and commitment to provide them with the right framework.
Steve Beackon AEA Technology London SW1
