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June 2023 - Chemicals

Survey finds that female petrochemical workers are less comfortable expressing their values and views at work than their male colleagues: A global survey of energy professionals has revealed that of the petrochemical respondents surveyed,  female employees feel less comfortable than their male counterparts when it comes to expressing their values and views. The research found that while overall, three-quarters of all employees feel comfortable expressing their views and values in the workplace, just 16% of female workers said they feel 'very' comfortable, compared with 42% of men. 

The seventh annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) report by Airswift polled 10,000 energy professionals of 149 different nationalities across five industry sub-sectors: oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals. The 65-question survey was open for nine weeks and closed in November 2022.

Petrochemicals feedback also revealed that men in the sector were more likely to receive bonuses or commission as part of their role (37%) compared to just over a third of female workers. Men also fared better when it came to professional development (10% vs 5%) and retirement or pension plans (26% vs 20%). 

While overall, 76% of respondents said they feel comfortable expressing their views and values at work, 47% said they believe that these views have had an impact on company policy, while 38% said that although their views are heard, they do not believe they have had an impact. Fifteen percent of petrochemical respondents said that their views and concerns are not listened to by leadership. However, when it comes to a breakdown of male and female workers, differences again were highlighted. Just under half the women polled (48%) said that their values and opinions are listened to but have no impact on policy, compared to 37% of male employees. 

Chief Executive Officer at Airswift, Janette Marx commented: “As in other sectors, petrochemicals employers have been under increased scrutiny to recruit more women into the sector. However, with more women pursuing engineering degrees or getting their MBAs, there is a massive opportunity for companies to expand creative recruiting and retention efforts to improve gender equity in the industry."

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