Women's affinity to a participatory and consultative style of working is very much in tune with today's management philosophy that supports the empowerment of employees as far more effective than their control and domination. Many women excel in verbal and interpersonal skills. These qualities, combined with a solid technical education, become a real asset, especially for smaller firms whose engineers must interact with suppliers, clients, regulating agencies and even for large firms where some of their work is sub-contracted to other firms. The engineering workplace Women will make up twenty percent of new graduates in engineering within the next year or two. Although there is some progress, there is still much to be done.
Some employers still fail to see the benefit of hiring women.
Perhaps too many managers still project their own traditional lifestyle experience and beliefs onto their workplace environment and fail to understand the changes occurring today in gender roles, such as the increased participation of men in the care of their children and in sharing household duties with their working partners. Companies that fail to recognise the need for flexible policies that allow young parents to balance family and career, will eventually loose their best men and women who will seek firms that are more progressive and forward-looking. The false assumptions about gender-roles will disappear as companies hire capable women who, through commitment and experience, will eventually succeed in dispelling the damaging views. When men demand flexibility and understanding, as they take their fair share of parenting responsibilities, the process of change will be accelerated. Yet this type of experience often leads to promotions.