Results

November 17, 2006: Read the report - It's Elemental: Enhancing Career Success for Women in the Chemical Industry

It’s Elemental: Enhancing the Career Success of Women in the Chemical Industry is the report on the findings from Project ENHANCE. It's Elemental represents another important goal of Project ENHANCE—to share the results of this research effort with women and leaders in industrial chemistry.

The project goal of identifying factors that facilitate or hinder the career success of women scientists and engineers working in industry is helpful only to the extent that these data will be utilized effectively in enhancing women’s success in industrial workplaces. To this end, the National Science Foundation generously funded the creation and dissemination of It’s Elemental.

SURVEYS • INTERVIEWS

Surveys

1776 women completed the survey, reflecting 15 companies, and several professional organizations including, the American Chemical Society's Women Chemists Committee, the Women’s Initiatives Committee of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Association for the Advancement of Women in Science, and the American Chemistry Council.

We are now analyzing the survey data from women and upper management. In both surveys, we asked questions about the workplace experiences of science and engineer-trained women, including such issues as stress and coping, career advancement, support from others, workplace climate, the home-work interface, advancement into leadership, and mentoring.

We will use the data we have gathered to develop presentations and written publications in the following topical areas:

  • Experiences of women based on their diverse demographic locations
  • Workplace climate and support, and how they affect women’s experiences
  • Managing multiple life roles for women
  • Role of mentors in the careers of women
  • Factors that facilitate career mobility
  • Women’s willingness and confidence regarding to advancement into leadership positions
  • Successful programs to promote career success
  • Similarities and differences in perceptions of managers and perceptions of women employees
  • Stressors in women’s work lives, and the ways in which they cope

One of our first formal presentations of the data from this study will occur at the Fall 2005 ACS Meeting in Washington, DC in a full-day symposium sponsored by the WCC.

Below is a sampling of some of the survey responses we have tabulated thus far.

Women were asked to respond to several items about advancement and honors with their current company in mind. The table below indicates the percentages of endorsed responses.

Item Yes No
In your company, do you know what you need to do in order to advance if you choose? 63.7% 36.3%
In your company, have you ever been nominated for a professional award or honor? 50.9% 49.1%
In your company, have you ever received a professional award or honor? 48.8% 51.2%
In your company, have you ever failed to receive an advancement opportunity that you applied for or expressed interest in and for which you felt you were qualified? 44.0% 56.0%

In your company, have you ever failed to receive a nomination for a professional award or honor for which you felt you were qualified?

 21.7% 78.3%

Women were also asked whether their companies provided particular benefits and whether or not they had used those benefits. The following are percentages describing how many companies provided benefits, and how many participants used the benefits to which they had access.  (The percentage used was determined from the percentage of women who indicated the benefit was provided.)

Item Provided Used
Compensation benefits, inc. retirement plan, 401K  99.9% 96.6%
Health care benefits for you and your family including mental, Dental, prescriptions 99.9% 96.5%
Supplemental insurance 89.6% 57.8%
Benefit plans for domestic partners 82.3% 21.3%
Child care subsidy or site  44.0% 13.8%
Elder care subsidy or site   29.7% 1.4%
Deferred compensation packages 31.7% 25.0%

The following percentages describe the “perks” that women reported having been part of contract negotiation (formally or informally), and, whether they were satisfied with that “perk”:

Item Negotiated Satisf.
Flex-time or other flexible work arrangement 45.5% 75.2%
Moving and relocation expenses 39.8% 83.7%
Support for professional society meetings and dues 33.4% 70.8%
Vacation time 29.7% 72.9%
Housing subsidy or temporary housing 26.1% 77.5%
Computer and other work-related equipment allocation 23.5% 86.7%
Assistance in locating a position for partner/spouse 16.9% 51.2%
Signing bonus 15.9% 51.6%
Adequate time to do research (if applicable) 15.1% 59.6%
Clerical/administrative support  13.5% 65.2%
Office space allocation  12.3% 78.1%
Lab space allocation 8.2% 77.6%
Company car 6.2% 67.5%
Child care or elder care 3.8% 55.6%

Preliminary Results From Study 1

Personal Demographic Composition of the Participants

  • The women ranged in age from 21 to over 65 years
  • We had a racially/ethnically diverse sample:
African American/Black
Arab/Middle Eastern American
Asian American/Pacific Islander
Caucasian/European American
Hispanic/Latina
Native American/American Indian
Multiracial
Other and Unknown		 5%
Less than 1%
5.9%
78.3%
3.6%
Less than 1%
Less than 1%
6.1%
  • Participating women who were U.S. citizens   88.2%
  • The women represented diversity in education level:

Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s Degree
Doctorate Degree or higher

 52.2%
26.4%
14.7%
  • The women represented diversity in the following areas:

Have 0 children
Have 1 or 2 children living at home
Have 3 or more children living at home
Did not indicate an answer regarding children
Provide care for an elderly parent or other adult
Indicate a documented disability
Indicate being Lesbian or Bisexual

 20.9%
38.2%
6.5%
34.5%
4.5%
1.5%
3%

Company Demographic Composition of the Participants

  • The majority of women reported working in a diversified company
  • The majority of women also reported their company’s total gross revenue to be more than $5 billion
  • Women represented the following functional areas:
Technology
Manufacturing
EH&S
General Management w/o P&L responsibility
Sales
Marketing
General Management w/ P&L responsibility
Purchasing
Commercial Development
Human Resources
Finance
Legal
Government Relations
Other and unknown
47.3%
18.8%
8.5%
3.6%
3.2%
2.6%
2.4%
1.3%
1%
Less than 1%
Less than 1%
Less than 1%
Less than 1%
9.4%
  • Women reported the following roles and responsibilities:

Individual Contributor
Project/Team Leader
Supervisor or Manager
Other and unknown

 47.7%
25.2%
22.1%
5%
  • Women reported the following salaries:

Less than 25K
26K-50K
51K-100K
101K- 200K
201K- 350K
More than 351K
Unknown

 Less than 1%
6.5%
67%
24.5%
1.3%
Less than 1%
1.1%

Interviews

We are also in the process of conducting follow-up interviews of a small group of women who completed the Women’s Survey. We are using the interviews to obtain more in-depth information about women’s experiences in the chemical industry.  Some of our questions are a continuation of the themes included in the survey (e.g., home-work interface), while other questions tap into areas not covered by the survey (e.g., the career paths that have brought women to their current position).

One third of the participants said they were interested in being interviewed for the follow up study. Because the response was so large, we unfortunately cannot interview everyone. Our interview sample is based on the demographic representation of women who completed the survey, with particular attention to demographically diverse women (e.g., racial and sexual minorities, women with disabilities), whose voices typically are not heard.

Please continue to check this website for results as we analyze responses and develop papers and presentations!  We will continue to post results through Fall 2005.  Thank you for your interest!

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