The keys to building a talented workforce: benefits that enable employees to balance their work and personal lives, stimulating and challenging assignments, and a culture that allows all employees to reach their full potential.
WHEN I WAS JUST STARTING MY career (in the early 1980s), some employers - considered progressive at the time - were beginning to offer such benefits as extended maternity leaves, part-time work schedules, and onsite child care. These programs were aimed mainly at attracting and retaining talented young women.
Over the years though, more and more companies have realized the importance of these work/life balance perks - not just to attract and retain women, but to cultivate a satisfied and productive workforce of both women and men. These programs have evolved and expanded to the point where many employees now consider them standard, and companies need to offer at least some means of assisting employees to balance their work and personal lives, simply to remain competitive.
So what are the most progressive organizations now doing to attract and retain talented chemical engineers? What companies are leaders at attracting and retaining women chemical engineers? These questions arose as we were preparing last month's special supplement on women in engineering, so we asked you, our readers, to tell us what your employers are doing. We were particularly impressed with several of the enthusiastic nominations that we received. They reported, not surprisingly, flexible work schedules and family leave programs. But what struck us most were the stories our readers told about the company cultures that encourage employees to make the most of such offerings and that foster the career growth of women engineers.
The following organizations are employers that our readers think warrant recognition and some (though certainly not all, due to lack of space) of the reasons why they feel that way.
Argonne National Laboratory
To build a skilled and educated scientific and engineering workforce, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL; Argonne, IL) offers a range of education benefits. It pays 100% of employee tuition costs for job-related courses, as well as the costs for non-job-related courses if the employee is working toward a BA or BS degree, and all tuition is pre-paid. Last year, nearly 400 employees (out of about 3,700) accessed tuition funds.
ANL also helps educate its employees' children at the Univ. of Chicago, by providing four full-tuition scholarships, plus half-tuition scholarships for all children who qualify for admission.
ANL also delivers onsite customized training to help employees position themselves for advancement. Success stones of employees working their way through the ranks are prevalent at Argonne, reports Eve Gohoure, manager of ANL's Diversity Program Office - from the custodian who earned his bachelor's degree and MBA through ANL's educational programs and eventually became laboratory's former chief operating officer, to the dozens of ANL scientists who began their careers as undergraduate interns.
Environmental engineer Laura Skubal started as a high school student. "I interacted with well-known scientists and engineers, all of whom I have an excellent working relationship with today. I was introduced to a wide variety of scientific topics, and worked with instrumentation that most students do not encounter until they are graduate students or in the workforce. My mentors encouraged and supported me throughout high school, college and post-graduate work, giving me lab space and the freedom to explore my ideas. I am very fortunate to have had this introduction into science," she believes.
Another major part of ANL's strategy is to provide benefits that are in tune with employee needs. For example, control systems engineer Deborah Quock accepted a position with ANL partly because of "the flexible hours and vacation benefits, which were far better than offers I received from other companies. My supervisor has been wonderful about letting me juggle my work hours around my kids' summer day camp hours and extensive oral surgery procedures." She returned to the workforce full-time five years ago, after staying home full-time for seven years to raise two children and then working part-time as a contract engineer for two years. "ANL has been great about giving me the training and technical mentoring needed to jump back into the work-force at full speed," she remarks. This fall, she is starting an MS in computer science at the Univ. of Chicago's evening graduate program, being paid for by ANL.
Before coming to Argonne, Diane Graziano, deputy director of the Chemical Engineering Division, worked for a petrochemical company. When her children were born, she returned to work full-time after the standard six-month leaves. "As time passed though, I wanted to spend more time with my family. My company offered me part-time work, but I was concerned that part-time would gradually translate to full-time at part-time pay - not because of the company, but because of my internal drive. Eventually, I made a conscious decision to step off the career ladder," she explains. After months of searching, in 1993 she joined ANL - the only part-time position she found. "Although the position did not offer benefits, it worked well for me, keeping me involved in challenging and interesting chemical engineering work with a good salary and well-defined boundaries - a maximum 119 days per year - that were convenient to my schedule." In 2000, she moved to the Chemical Engineering Division, still at part-time, but on-staff with pro-rated benefits. In 2001, she was put in charge of a group of scientists, engineers and technicians, and she decided to work full-time, since her children are now 15 and 12. Last year, her director appointed her to be his deputy.
"When I left industry and joined ANL, I had given up my career aspirations, at least temporarily. I thought that if I ever were to revisit them, I would not stay in government research, but return to industry. My mind was changed at ANL by the challenging and stimulating work, talented and amiable colleagues, flexible work schedules, and individuals who believed in my capabilities. I suspect these same work environment aspects, as well as the formal programs and benefits offered by ANL, play an important role in retaining other female engineers," she comments.
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Suzette Schultz, senior manager, corporate technical services for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Wilmington, DE), considers her employer "worthy of praise." She reports that employees "are encouraged to do what we need to do to get our work done, but also to manage our lives." The company helps them do that with a variety of programs that benefit all employees, men and women, including:
* Flexible work schedules. Most people work the 4-1/2-day schedule of 9 hours Monday through Thursday and 3-1/2 hours on Friday, with Friday afternoons off. "As a result, people are happier with the flexibility they are given to organize their lives. An added benefit to the company is that employees tend to miss less work, due to the Friday option, since we can schedule many of our appointments when we are off," she points out.
* Company-provided laptops. "A laptop allows the flexibility to work any time of any day, and this is encouraged (to a point). For example, I can leave work early to participate in an event with my child, then log on at 9 PM, after the kids are in bed, to complete any pressing assignments," she says. "But," she adds, "sending e-mails at 2 AM is not seen as a 'good thing' and is discouraged by our corporate culture."
* Generous family leave policies that apply to both mothers and fathers. "It is not uncommon for a woman to take three months off (or more) to spend with a new baby. Her job is held open for her, and this is not seen as career suicide. When she returns to work, we. have special rooms designated for breastfeeding moms, and they are beautiful and private." Furthermore, the same "maternity" policies apply for employees who adopt a child, and in addition, the company pays a large portion of the adoption fees (up to $5,000). And for parents who have difficulty conceiving, in vitro procedures are paid for by the company.
"The mantra 'work/life' balance is not used as the 'buzzword du jour' around here - we live it," she explains, and management, all the way up to the senior level, are "living examples of this culture."
Take her own boss, for instance: "It is not uncommon to see my boss come in after getting her children on the bus, then leave early to take the youngest to soccer practice or to the orthodontist. Not only is she not shunned for her behavior, she encourages the rest of us to do the same. The caveat is that we must get our jobs done."
Or a male senior vice president who recently led a conference of senior executives: "At the outset, he made it clear he needed to leave at 4 PM because his son was participating in a soccer tournament. The conference was not over, but, true to his word, he left promptly at 4 PM. He told the stunned audience that, by leaving, he was setting an example for the rest of the company."
Schultz remarks that "I have been a proud employee here for over ten years. I frequently get calls from recruiters about positions elsewhere. They couldn't offer me enough money ..."
CH2M HILL
One way that CH2M HILL (Denver, CO) demonstrates that it values, nurtures and respects its employees, says benefits planning director Rudd Little, is through its employee ownership program. The firm's philosophy is that: all employees should have the opportunity to participate in the company's success; the company's prosperity should be shared with those who helped to create that success; and broad employee ownership is critical to building financial strength and creating future opportunities at the company. Eligible employees can obtain stock through their 401(k) plan, payroll deduction (at a 10% discount), direct cash purchase, stock option exercising, or via incentive bonus. Through its 401(k) plan, the company matches up to 100% of the employee's first 4% of salary, and invests an additional 2% of the employee's base compensation in company stock. Today, two out of three employees participate in the stock ownership program. "Consequently, people who work for the firm exhibit a pride, personal dedication, and a trust in their colleagues and executive leadership that is rare among companies of its size," Little points out.
"The idea of stock ownership truly reinforces the whole concept that I am much more than an employee. I can truly own the company," comments Valeria Collier-Vick, a CH2M HILL vice president and chemical engineering graduate of Georgia Tech. "Our corporate culture has always encouraged the principle of self-management. Owning your work and owning your company go hand in hand," adds Sue King, chief financial officer of CH2M HILL subsidiary Industrial Design Group.
Mentoring is another important part of the CH2M HILL culture. The company supports mentoring by providing resources to prepare and guide mentors and prodigies in their relationships. This includes a website with FAQs and suggested roles for both parties, numerous books that employees can borrow, and supervisor assistance, as needed, in matching mentors and prodigies.
"The firm has consistently supported my community and personal efforts to mentor young prospective engineers," says Collier-Vick. "Now that I have an eight-year-old prospective engineer in my own home, CH2M HILL has supported my work/life balance issues - like approving a year-long leave of absence when my daughter was born and limiting my travel over the past seven years." Other work/life balance benefits include opportunities to telecommute, job share, and work flex-time or compressed-time, as well as a paid-time-off policy that allows employees to accrue 17-27 days per year, depending on tenure with the firm, Little reports.
Employees take tremendous pride in their work and their company. Lauri Gorton, a principal project manager who joined the firm's Milwaukee office right out of college 22 years ago, puts it this way: "I was excited and nervous, full of hopes, goals and very high expectations. CH2M HILL has provided me with the opportunity to achieve all my initial goals and develop new ones, and has been a wonderful place to work and grow - as a professional and a human being. We've grown from 2,000 to over 10,000 in the time I've been with the firm, but still retained our core values. I am proud and grateful to say 'I work for CH2M HILL,' and feel that my Ownership' extends beyond stock value."
Dow Corning Corp.
Dow Corning (Midland, MI) has a m strong history of attracting women engineers, states Shelly Bennett, a manufacturing engineer in specialty chemicals. "When I first started working at DCC in 1997, I was impressed with the number of female engineers working here." Furthermore, in the last few years, the executive organizational chart has changed also. "Just ten years ago, there was one female in the top executive ranks. In the last several years, that has changed. We now have our first female operating officer, Stephanie Burns, a PhD silicone chemist. We also have women running businesses (Marie Eckstein, Process Industries) and enabling functions (Abbe Mulders, IT; Sue McDonnell, Law; and Jan Botz, Communications)."
There is an active women's network, which attempts to address issues raised by women in the workplace. "When an internal review revealed that women in the company received lower wages from 1973-1993, Dow Corning responded by increasing the wages of all the women in the company who started in that timeframe," Bennett reports. "I was pleased to see that, since 1993, there was no apparent discrepancy in wages between men and women."
Dow Corning also operates a working parents network, which is an employee forum for working parents to exchange ideas and tips and raise awareness. And the company also offers flexible work hours, including the recently instituted compressed work week, as well as telecommuting, both on a per-situation basis.
Emerald Consulting Group LLC
"Working in the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on the North Slope of Alaska presents career opportunities that are both challenging and exhilarating," says Cynthia S. Clyde, P.E., operations manager for Emerald Consulting (Anchorage, AK). "Our normal day-to-day operations include the dynamics of engineering in arctic climates and safety training on polar bear awareness. However, Emerald's culture is unique in demonstrating the achievements of women engineers in a male-dominated profession."
The company began as a one-person, freelance consulting firm owned and operated by Bettina S. Chastain. She started her career working as a process engineer at large oil-industry contract-engineering firms, but in 1996 she struck out on her own when she recognized the need for specialized services and a more flexible work schedule to accommodate her young family. Over the past seven years, Emerald has grown to a 16-person firm that provides process engineering and health, safety and environmental consulting services.
Clyde and her female coworkers frequently find themselves leading client meetings consisting entirely of men. "Despite this 'good ol' boys club' atmosphere, Emerald has developed a reputation for maintaining a staff of talented and successful women engineers," she says.
"The firm has created a culture where employees are held in high esteem and are encouraged to excel in all areas of business and personal growth," she reports. Throughout its seven years of existence, its leadership roles have been primarily held by women. "This allows the culture to be further communicated to the women engineers on staff, who are able to work and grow in an environment that is not capped by the traditional glass ceiling. We also work to extend this culture to younger generations of female engineers by participating in various mentoring programs that encourage young women to pursue opportunities in science and engineering."
The company is structured to allow its employees to strike a balance between the struggles of forging a career path, while attaining a fulfilling family life. Although the requirements of oil-and-gas consulting often require travel to remote facilities, company policies allow employees flexibility in their schedules, providing additional days off for time spent in the field and a flex-Friday working schedule. In addition, the compensation package provides benefits focused at meeting the needs of women engineers, including generous health and disability benefits targeted at family leave. Because of its size, the company is not subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act, but it has adopted such practices anyway to better meet employee needs.
Emerald has also formed a culture aimed at keeping in tune with life in a "frontier" state by sponsoring team-building activities, such as white-water rafting on Alaska's glacier-fed rivers and sea kayaking in Prince William Sound. "Our dynamic team of professionals certainly enjoys challenges both inside and out of the office," Clyde comments.
"Through the company's innovative culture and motivation, we have proven that even the toughest glass ceiling can be shattered with a little force and determination," she notes.
Solutia Inc.
Solutia's Pensacola, FL, facility (the world's largest fully integrated nylon plant) has a large percentage of women in manufacturing, research and development, and engineering, observes Judith Oppenheim, senior research specialist, and is "a good example of a diverse work site." She remarks that "At one point, I was working with individuals from the former Soviet Union, Belgium, Germany, Pakistan, Jordan, Vietnam, Norway and China. Such international representation created the most diverse experience I have had in my career to date."
During a plant startup three years ago, her counterpart at the catalyst company commented on the large number of women "running the show." One-quarter of the plant's engineers and professionals are women. Similarly, one-quarter of the plant management team are women, half of whom are high-level managers.
Indeed, the person with ultimate responsibility for running the show - leading approximately 1,700 Solutia and contractor employees - is a woman, plant manager Rebecca Peterson. A 1980 chemical engineering graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, she was appointed to this position in January 2003, after having served as plant manager of the company's Greenwood, SC, plant for three years and the NutraSweet Kelco (Monsanto) plant in San Diego, CA, for one year.
Peterson recognizes her unique position and says she has always been a mentor to a lot of women. "We are surrounded by people who will share their ideas and will offer very sound advice on everything from juggling dual-income households, having children, or being a woman or minority in a particular job. People to mentor and share with others ... there's where the true value lies within a company," she points out.
Peterson believes that "a person will be more successful working for a company or location where he or she is given every opportunitiy to succeed." Donya Charles, team facilitator, yarn operations, explains how Solutia has provided the support she needed to be a successful performer, both at work and at home. "Unlike some expecting mothers [her daughter was born in November 2001], I never had any fears about reporting my pregnancy to my management. I knew I would have their support and they would ensure I was not exposed to any hazards. My work area was evaluated by the plant's doctor and the environmental, safety and health engineer. They implemented some limited restrictions to reduce my risk of heat stress, and with those limitations in place, my work area was deemed safe. I continued my job until two weeks before my due date," she relates.
"There are many benefits available to me at Solutia that do not seem to be available at other companies," she adds, such as a Mother's Room, which provides a clean, calming environment where nursing mothers can express and store their milk. She says that her decision to become a working mother was a challenging one. But after reading articles in parenting magazines and "learning of the support systems in corporate America - or in some cases lack thereof - I can't help but count the blessings I have at Solutia's Pensacola site," she enthuses.
[Sidebar]
"Even the toughest glass ceiling can be shattered with a little force and determination ." - C. Clyde
[Sidebar]
Working Mother's Top 100 Companies
Each October, Working Mother magazine publishes a list of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. This year's class hadn't been announced as of presstime, but based on previous years, it's likely to include quite a few employers of chemical engineers. For example, among the companies listed in 2002, more than one-quarter (26) can be found on AIChE's list of Top Employers of Chemical Engineers (www.aiche.org/careerservices). Furthermore, three of WM's six Best in Class - DuPont, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and S. C. Johnson & Son and six of the Top Ten - Abbott Laboratories, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Colgate Palmolive, General Mills, and IBM - clearly employ chemical engineers. And given the versatility of the chemical engineering degree, many of the other firms on the list are likely to have chemical engineers among their ranks in less-traditional roles.
[Author Affiliation]
CYNTHIA F. MASCONE
MANAGING EDITOR
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