For women in the workplace, it can sometimes feel like the past several decades have been an uphill battle to gain footing in male-dominated sectors. In today’s business world, however, industries are finally beginning to evolve and recognize the power of talented women.

Though women still face several disadvantages in male-dominated industries, the tides are changing slowly but surely. Particularly in STEM and finance fields, more women are obtaining entry to high-level positions than ever before. While there is more work to be done, this shows great promise for progress in all industries.

In this article, I will examine where women currently stand in male-dominated fields.

👉 Check out this Guide for Women in Tech here. 

Women in Business: The State of Inclusion in Business Industries

As stated, there are two areas of business in particular that are seeing growth in the number of female employees – STEM and finance.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – and it is within these fields that women have seen a substantial uptick in opportunities. In the United States, the number of women that make up the total STEM workforce grew nearly 20 percent between 1970 to 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

As for finance, the increase in female employment is facing a similar rate to STEM. According to Deloitte’s 2019 100 Women in Finance report, women in leadership roles at financial services firms stood at 21.9 percent, with this figure expected to grow to 31 percent by 2030.

Deloitte further states:

“Gender diversity, in particular at the leadership level, has even been linked to boosts in profitability. It’s no wonder, then, that 34 percent of CEOs recently ranked diversity and other societal impact indicators as a key measure of success when evaluating firm performance.”

More Hurdles Ahead: Industries and Occupations in Need of Improvement

Though the increase in female employment and leadership in STEM and finance is nothing to be scoffed at, it certainly has room for improvement.

Wage gaps that correlate with gender continue to be an ongoing issue. According to UN Women – the UN-based organization working for gender equality – across the globe, women are making on average 77 cents for every dollar men earn. The wage gap also appears to widen for women with children, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

In March of 2020, Insider published a report on the top 10 occupations dominated by men despite a growing pool of female talent. These included:

  • Software Development
  • Farming and Agriculture
  • Construction
  • Financial Analysis
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Clergy
  • Camera Operation and Video Editing
  • Architecture (interestingly, Insider notes that roughly half of all architecture students are women despite the gap in the field itself)
  • Aircraft Piloting and Flight Engineering
  • Firefighting

FinTech’s Focus on Inclusion within Finance

In FinTech, I’ve noticed an industry-wide emphasis on inclusivity in the workplace.

By working diligently to establish and maintain a diverse work environment, FinTech is not only setting an example for other industries to follow, but is also providing women with opportunities within the fields of finance and technology and safe spaces to evolve and grow their careers.

The Women of CPQi: Recognizing Our Female Leaders

Gender inclusivity is an essential building block for a strong leadership team.

Here at CPQi, 50% of our leadership team is made up of women, a fact I am personally proud to play a part in. From sales, to tech, to finance, I’m proud to be part of a company with so many great leaders of all backgrounds.

I hope my success, along with the success of the other women working at CPQi, encourages other companies to diversify their own leadership teams.

Final Thoughts: Join CPQi’s Inclusive Team

The financial industry has long been male-dominated – but with the rise of FinTechs that embrace innovation and inclusion, the face of finance is changing.

If you are looking for a work environment with inclusive opportunities, CPQi is the place for you. Our commitment to equal workspace opportunities has helped many women find their footing and grow their careers in a company that truly cares – after all, talent is talent, and we hire the best.

To learn more about joining the CPQi team, head to our careers page today.