Making Science Make Sense

Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey

Bayer Facts Of Science Eduction XII

The Feed - Nurturing Women and Minority Employees in the Workforce

Questions 22 and 23

22. Does your company have any specific programs in place to recruit women and minority STEM workers?

23. What are they?

Most (77%) of the companies surveyed do not have any specific programs in place to recruit women and minority STEM workers. However, one in five (21%) do. Of those who do have these programs in place, the highest proportion have targeted recruiting towards minorities and a diverse workplace (48%) and also have internships, co-ops, and outreach programs with colleges and universities (43%).

Significantly more of those who are frustrated with their company’s difficulty in hiring women and minorities said they have specific programs in place to recruit women and minority STEM workers (38% vs. 16% of those who are not frustrated).

Question 24

24. When it comes to support of women and minority employees, which of the following best describes your company? Do you feel your company does an excellent job ensuring women and minorities receive appropriate promotions, raises, and recognition, does a good job but could do better, or does not do enough to ensure women and minorities receive appropriate promotions, raises and recognition?

Three in five (59%) of executives surveyed believe their company does an excellent job ensuring that women and minorities receive appropriate promotions, raises, and recognition. One-third (36%) think they can do better.

Question 25

25. How important, if at all, would you say it is for women and minorities to hold senior management positions within STEM companies so that younger female and minority employees have aspirational role models and mentors? Is it very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important?

The vast majority (91%) of executives surveyed feel it is important that women and minorities hold senior management positions within STEM companies, with 56% saying it is very important and 35% somewhat important.

Question 26

26. To what extent are you frustrated by your company’s difficulty to hire women and minorities for STEM positions? Are you very frustrated, somewhat frustrated, not too frustrated, or not at all frustrated?

Most (74%) executives surveyed are not frustrated, that is they do not feel their company has difficulty hiring women and minorities for STEM positions.

As might be expected, significantly more of those who claim that underrepresentation of women and minorities exists in their company are frustrated by their company’s difficulty in hiring them (44% vs. 8% of those who say underrepresentation do not exist in their company).

Question 27

27. In your opinion, what has been your company’s biggest challenge in hiring women and minorities for STEM positions?

The biggest challenge in hiring women and minorities for STEM positions is the limited number applying for the positions (45%). The next biggest challenge is the limited number qualified for these positions (35%).

Significantly more of those who claim that underrepresentation exists within their company indicate there is a limited number of women and minorities applying for positions (58% vs. 36% of those who say underrepresentation does not exist in their company) as well as a limited number qualified for these positions (53% vs. 19%).

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