Women in the Auto Industry. There is a long-standing belief that the automotive industry is a man’s world. Times are changing as women are taking on more and more roles in the industry, however according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in 2021 women represented only a 22.4% 1. If you would like to learn more about why and how to increase opportunities for women in your dealership, this blog post is for you!
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of women taking on leadership in the auto industry, with more women becoming dealership owners, managers, car designers, engineers, salespeople, and even race car drivers. While there still are some obstacles to be overcome, there are also lots of increasing opportunities.
Car dealerships are now seeing the value in hiring women in all their departments, and car companies are beginning to recognize the importance of having a female perspective in design and engineering, as women create a more diverse and inclusive workplace, bring a different perspective to the table, build new markets and a wider base of potential customers. According to Forbes Magazine women buy 62% of vehicles today and influence 85% of car buying decisions 2.
Nowadays the increasing presence of women in the automotive industry is sure to bring positive changes for both dealerships and customers alike. So, here are some tips on how to start or continue increasing women’s presence in the automotive industry:
- Offer equal developmental opportunities to build skills and help women prepare for advancement. There are usually tasks that enable talent to learn in various aspects of the industry.
- Try not to focus on stereotypical fit. Sometimes focusing on hiring and promoting based on certain stereotypes reduces the organization’s ability to innovate by leaving out opportunities for people with new perspectives, ideas, and experiences.
- Implement the culture of cross-training all your staff to offer equality in positions that can offer better salaries and new experiences.
- Don’t be afraid of repositioning employees. Open all promotional or development opportunities to ALL your staff members.
- The automotive industry has a busy schedule, but organizations should adapt to current needs by trying to offer a variety of work schedule hours that don’t make your employees feel that if they want to advance in their career, they need to sacrifice their personal life.
Do you want to share how your organization has successfully implemented an equality culture?
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2 Michaelson, J. Insider Career Advice For Women In Automotive. Forbes Magazine, 2022.