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Break the Bias: Women urged to take 'riskier' roles in automotive sector 

Sarah Tooze

Written by

Sarah Tooze

An illustration of six women from different ethnic backgrounds

Women should put themselves forward for leadership positions - and support other women to do so - to help break bias in the automotive sector.

That was one of the main messages from the heycar ‘Break the Bias’ panel discussion, held in recognition of the 2022 International Women’s Day theme, with influential women in the automotive sector.

There is a need to improve gender equality in the automotive sector as men currently occupy the majority of board level roles, with women representing only 10% of the workforce at executive level and 20% overall, according to a study by Deloitte.

A more diverse workforce will also help make car dealerships more inclusive for customers and help address the skills shortage the industry faces in transitioning to electric vehicles with the Government’s 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans.

The heycar event was watched live online and in person by close to 100 people, with the panel made up of: Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles; Katie Black, Joint Head of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV); Kirsten Stagg, Head of Marketing at Skoda UK; and Moyosola Fujamade, National Contract Hire Relationship Manager at Kia UK, with heycar’s Marketing Director Maren Coleman as moderator.

Maren Coleman, Moyosola Fujamade, Kirsten Stagg, Katie Black, Fiona Howarth
Left to right: Maren Coleman, Moyosola Fujamade, Kirsten Stagg, Katie Black, Fiona Howarth

What are the biggest challenges for women in the automotive sector?

The panel highlighted the need for change at a leadership level and to create a pipeline of female talent as key challenges. 

Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, urged women to be braver and take on "riskier" roles in the automotive sector. 

She warned that if women don’t put themselves forward for more senior positions they miss out on experience that could have led to even “bigger” jobs and means the industry has fewer female role models. 

The panel also discussed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and how flexible working can help women  - and men - to succeed in the automotive sector.  

Watch: What are the biggest challenges in the automotive sector for women to address?

Kirsten Stagg, Head of Marketing, Skoda UK
Kirsten Stagg, Head of Marketing, Skoda UK

Have you seen or experienced gender bias in the automotive sector?

Kirsten Stagg, Head of Marketing at Skoda UK, shared her experience of working in the automotive industry for more than 20 years. 

She explained unconscious bias and how to prevent it influencing recruitment and promotion decisions for women in automotive.  

Watch: Have you seen or experienced gender bias in the automotive sector?

Moyosola Fujamade, National Contract Hire Relationship Manager at Kia UK
Moyosola Fujamade, National Contract Hire Relationship Manager at Kia UK

What are your organisations doing to help break down bias?

The panel shared best practice advice on recruitment and retention, including tips on changing job descriptions and avoiding automotive industry acronyms. 

Moyosola Fujamade, National Contract Hire Relationship Manager at Kia UK talked about the steps Kia UK has taken to create a more inclusive workplace. 

Watch: What are your organisations doing to help break down bias?

Katie Black, Joint Head of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)
Katie Black, Joint Head of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)

What is your view on the skills gap the automotive industry faces?

As Joint Head of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), Katie Black and her team have an important role to play in the transition to electric vehicles.

Katie discussed the Government’s 2030 ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles, the wider net zero skills gap, and the opportunities this brings for women in automotive.

Watch: What is your view on the skills gap the automotive industry faces?

Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles
Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles

What are the opportunities for women in the automotive sector?

The panel discussed how roles are changing in car dealerships and the opportunities created from more online car sales and sales of electric cars.

Fiona said that the move to more online sales takes roles out of the classic dealerships and creates a different environment for women to work in. She shared anecdotal evidence of what it can be like for women to work in a car dealership. 

Watch: What are the opportunities for women in the automotive sector?

12 ways to ‘Break the Bias’

The top tips on breaking bias for women and employers from the heycar panel discussion were:

  1. Take risks - women need to put themselves forward for leadership positions.
  2. Encourage and support other women to apply for leadership roles.
  3. Celebrate female role models.
  4. Seek out a mentor - and look for people who would benefit from having a  mentor.
  5. Urge male colleagues to become active allies.
  6. Address the gender pay gap to ensure roles are appealing to attract talent.
  7. Offer flexible working.
  8. Offer job shares, especially at a senior level.
  9. Consider the wording of job titles, job descriptions and job adverts, and how  to make them more appealing to women and people outside the sector.
  10. Be aware of unconscious bias and make sure it doesn’t influence recruitment  or promotion decisions.
  11. Consider creating or joining a women’s network to share advice and ideas.
  12. Call out bias - don’t be afraid to have a conversation with someone if they’ve made you feel uncomfortable.