Not just women's issues

Eve S. Sprunt, Chevron

Women are entering the petroleum industry in ever-increasing numbers and have been for many years. However, when women congregate, they discuss how few women have advanced to the higher ranks and how much sacrifice those rare female executives have made. Despite huge advances, many women feel frustrated by lack of advancement and poor work-life balance, so they leave our industry.

The generation now joining the workforce is not the same as its predecessors in many ways. We have far more dual-career couples, because more women are in the workplace and intend to continue working after marriage and motherhood. Younger generations divide household responsibilities differently. Fathers expect to play a more active role in their children’s care and activities. We may be able to attract these young graduates to our industry with high pay, but without innovation in industry workstyles, they won’t stay. They are willing to work hard, but demand a better work-life balance.

Couples that began their careers with the same employer may have one of the partners switch employers, because they are tired of being asked whose career takes precedence. They prefer that employers judge them on their own merits instead of picking which one is the weaker member to be sacrificed.

The logistics of relocation are far more complex for dual-career couples. A large bonus and increase in the salary for one will not compensate for the loss of the other’s income. Without a trailing spouse serving as the facilitator, the burden of relocation logistics, especially if there are children, creates serious strain. Single parents may end up being effectively excluded from their children’s lives. If companies continue to consider relocation to be a key requirement to advance, they will lose or underutilize not only much of their female talent, but also many men.

Advancement should not require a series of “initiation rites” that in effect discriminate against certain sectors of the workforce. If the relocation is to gain certain types of experiences, we need to determine if there are other ways for people to get the equivalent training.

Flexible work arrangements and a focus on the work product are essential. While members of the younger generations have a lot in common, they also have individual priorities and circumstances that mean one size does not fit all. Flexibility in work hours, telecommuting, job sharing, part-time work, and maternity/paternity leaves will not only increase retention of mothers, but also of fathers who want to be a larger part of their children’s lives. A wide range of employees, including those approaching retirement or dealing with eldercare, benefit from flexible work arrangements. At Chevron, people work a wide range of hours and schedules for reasons varying from childcare to better commute times. For Chevron, the flexible work arrangements are a powerful recruiting tool.

Burnout is a problem in demanding field assignments. When children arrive, priorities change for women and men. Long or on-call shifts that were previously manageable may become overwhelming. Greater job sharing may reduce attrition. Even if individuals have reduced on-call hours, improved retention could make more skilled labor available.

Men of color and women want to see proof that people like them have succeeded within their company. If young people see no one like them in the positions they hope to achieve, they may become discouraged and quit. Chevron’s Management Committee is becoming increasingly diverse. Chevron’s leadership actively participates in women’s and minority programs, sharing their stories within the company and with outside groups.

When people are recruited from college, if they don’t know people in the petroleum industry, they probably have very little idea of the lifestyle associated with different roles within it. We need to showcase role models of women and other under-represented groups at different stages of their careers in many different career paths.

A young woman considering an extended maternity leave or part-time work wants to see examples of women who have done something similar without effectively ending their careers. We should share examples of women who, after using these arrangements, have advanced and thrived in their careers. Chevron has mothers who have moved from part time to management.

On-site day care may diminish a young mother’s need for a long leave or reduced work hours. If day care has extended hours and provisions for sick children, it will be easier for parents to respond to their employer’s needs. High-quality, on-site day care can be a powerful retention tool for both parents.

Role models can demonstrate solutions to work-life balance challenges that we might not figure out for ourselves. For example, dual-career couples with young children are far more likely to seek international assignments if they have seen examples of how it can be a positive and rewarding experience for people like them. Visiting Indonesia, I met a Chevron woman with two pre-school children; she shared that affordable household staff made it easier for her to work there than in the US. If we want dual-career couples to take international assignments, we must give them help in figuring out how it will work for them.

Women are getting the training they need for careers in the petroleum industry and are accepting offers of employment. Employers must innovate and develop new workstyles that offer career advancement and favorable work-life balance. The focus should be on the skill set the woman brings to the table, not whether she has held all the traditional roles assumed to be necessary to fill the job. Accommodations that assist women will attract and retain a wide range of employees.