International Women's Day is a significant day to recognise and celebrate the achievements of women all over the world. It has become increasingly important to acknowledge and celebrate this day in the workplace, especially in an increasingly competitive global economy. International Women's Day allows employers to recognise the importance of gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
International Women's Day is more than just a day of celebration – it is an opportunity to recognise the continued gender inequality in many workplaces. The importance of promoting women in the workplace, in general, is essential for several reasons;
Promoting gender equality; Having more women in the workforce promotes gender equality. Women have historically faced discrimination and barriers upon entry into the workplace, and increasing their representation can help to break down these barriers.
Diversifying perspectives: Women bring different perspectives and experiences to the workforce, which can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving. By including women, we can create more inclusive and diverse workplaces, improving productivity and innovation, which are fundamental values of our Studio.
Addressing skills shortages: Many industries and sectors are experiencing skills shortages, and by encouraging more women to join the workforce, we can tap into a previously untapped pool of talent. This can fill skills gaps and drive economic growth.
Improving work-life balance: Women often need to balance work with caring responsibilities, such as looking after children or elderly relatives. By creating more flexible working arrangements and promoting work-life balance, we can support women to remain in the workforce and progress in their careers.
Building a more robust economy: Women make up half of the population, and by including them in the workforce, we can help to build a stronger and more resilient economy. Women can contribute to economic growth and prosperity, which benefits society.
Creating a supportive work environment and actively promoting women's work can help create a more equal and inclusive workplace. As our Studio is interdisciplinary, we want to recognise the current statistics and representation of women in our disciplines.
Planning
Our current women representation in our planning discipline is 100% female; although this is not the standard around the UK, we are proud to have such strong positioning held by women. According to a research paper from the RTPI group, the current RTPI membership gender split is 39% women representation. 95% of private sector roles above the director level are held by men, leaving 5% of these roles to women.
Architecture
In the Studio, our female architects make up 60% of the discipline, double the UK average in the workplace. According to the Architects registration board's (ARB) latest annual report, women accounted for only 28.7% of UK architects registered on the ARB Register in 2019. Approximately 62% of the Register were male, with only 38% female. To further close the gender gap in the architecture industry, the ARB is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the sector and has identified several initiatives to ensure that women are better represented in the industry.
Engineering
We are currently hiring for engineering roles and would love to have more women join our dynamic team.
According to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) 2018 Annual Review, the percentage of women in the industry rose from 11.5% in 2017 to 14.4% in 2018. This is a significant step towards achieving gender equality. It is encouraging to see more women in the engineering industry, as they bring unique skills that can help create more innovative and sustainable solutions. Additionally, their unique perspectives can help to create a more diverse and inclusive working environment. The ICE is committed to providing support and resources to women in engineering, including mentoring and networking opportunities, to ensure they can reach their full potential. According to the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStruct E) Annual Report for 2018, women comprise 16.7% of the membership. IStructE aims to make the engineering industry a diverse and dynamic field with contributions from all members, regardless of gender.
We are thrilled to celebrate the women who are vital to our team. We believe in gender equality and recognise the importance of celebrating women's achievements and contributions to society and the workplace.
SPD Studio started the day with a morning tea to show our appreciation and recognition of our female staff members' hard work and contributions. We are excited to celebrate International Women's and highlight the importance of gender equality in the workplace. By recognising and celebrating the contributions of women, we can create a more diverse and inclusive work environment for all our employees.
Happy International Women's Day to all the fantastic women in the workforce.
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