Climbing the Energy Ladder: The Future of Women in the Energy Industry
Laukkanen, Alina (2023)
Laukkanen, Alina
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051510747
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051510747
Tiivistelmä
Companies in the energy sector have difficulty attracting, promoting, and retaining women, which is resulting in few women holding top management positions. Recent studies show that success of any company is directly related to the number of women that are represented in higher levels within the organisation. An overview of the literature, the collection of data, a methodological analysis, and a conclusion form the framework for this thesis. Quantitative and qualitative data collection analysis was performed to answer the research question of how women can advance more effectively into higher positions within male dominated companies. Based on the data collected from 264 women in the energy industry, a quantitative analysis was conducted at a live event. An interview with a randomised selection process was used to collect qualitative data from the 264 women from the event. A review of the collected data indicates that mentoring and sponsorship play a crucial role in assisting women in their career advancement. By transforming policies to be more suitable for women, energy companies can promote more women into leadership positions and improve gender equality at work. When women see other women in higher positions, their willingness to apply to higher positions increases. Additionally, the thesis emphasises the need to re-evaluate caregiving and flexibility policies in addition to raising awareness of the gender bias and sexism faced by women in the workplace. To empower women employees in the post-pandemic environment, men and women at all levels must provide caring attention to women’s needs at work.