McKinsey & Co. "Women in the Workplace"

Annually, McKinsey & Co releases their "Women in the Workplace" study. What does this mean for transportation? What does this mean for WTS members and stakeholders?

• The 2022 report culminates extensive research on what the McKinsey research team terms “The Great Breakup.”  Download the 2022 WTS International Summary and Analysis here (PDF). 
   
• Women are more ambitious than ever, and workplace flexibility is fueling them. Yet despite some hard-fought gains, women’s representation is not keeping pace. Download the 2023 WTS International "Women in the Workplace" Summary and Analysis here (PDF).

Lifetime Employment-Related Costs of Providing Family Care: U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau and Urban Institute

In early 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau and the Urban Institute released the "Lifetime Employment-Related Costs to Women of Providing Family Care" report. Many women spend significant time providing essential care to children and adults with care needs. These caregiving activities often impose substantial economic costs on caregivers. Download the 2023 WTS International Summary and Analysis Here (PDF).

POLIS and SuM4All

POLIS is the leading network of European cities and regions working together to develop innovative technologies and policies for local transport. In May 2023, POLIS Network and FIA Foundation funded a SuM4All Project entitled Gender Imbalance in the Transport Sector: A Toolkit for Change. WTS International was interviewed and quoted for this global publication.

 

The Work of the Mineta Transportation Institute Report

While women account for 50% of the working age population, the transportation industry struggles to attract and retain women. In Mineta Transportation Institute’s (MTI) 2019 research report “Attracting and Retaining Women in the Transportation Industry,” MTI Research Associates Jodi Godfrey and Dr. Robert Bertini identify research needed to attract, promote and retain women in the transportation industry.

A particular emphasis in this work is on the factors that tend to drive women from the field. Godfrey and Bertini identify the lack of female role models and mentors as a significant deterrent to women joining the transportation industry. Their research suggests the following recruitment approach to attract women into the field:

• Diversify the perception of the industry to better publicize the presence of women in the industry;
• Connect with women early, and not just early in their careers but early in their school years;
• Have a flexible and encouraging work culture to remove the stigmas of a male-dominated field;
• Attract a diverse talent pool that focuses on how organizations foster both communal and agentic goals.

After recruitment, the challenge then becomes retaining those employees. Promotion and retention of women in the transportation industry is multifaceted and requires holistic approaches and dedication from all levels of employment. Mentoring, family-friendly policies, professional development, and leadership training are all key factors that lead to improved retention and promotion rates.