TRAINING & RECRUITMENT | CLOSING THE GENDER GAP
Having technical STEM women who are visible and being able to show that it’s possible is both empowering and motivational. Source: Pirat Pirat/ Shutterstock.
able to show that it’s possible is really empowering and motivational,” says Proctor. The challenge now is extending that representation into
the leadership pipeline immediately below executive level. “We’ve got significant representation at senior level,” she adds. “I would like to focus on that next level and really work on how we get greater female representation through that.”
Beyond recruitment While attracting women into the sector is one challenge, retaining and developing them is another. For Proctor, the conversation must move beyond hiring targets and address the experiences encountered by women once they enter the workplace. One of Assystem’s most revealing initiatives has been
its “Amplifying Women’s Voice” survey, conducted across the organisation. The survey highlighted what Proctor describes as a significant perception gap between men and women. “Men often don’t see the same barriers as women,”
she explains. “There was a real, quite distinct difference between how men viewed the workplace and how women viewed the workplace.” The findings suggested that women were more
likely than men to perceive barriers relating to career progression, development opportunities and work- life balance. Whether those barriers are structural or perceptual is, in some respects, beside the point. Understanding those differences has become
increasingly important as organisations seek to improve inclusion and employee experience. Research has repeatedly highlighted differences in
self-assessment and confidence between men and women in professional environments.
30 | July 2026 |
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As Proctor says: “Where men view opportunity and
confidence through a particular lens, women may see more barriers and less confidence.” The possibility of this perception gap reinforces the need for organisations to ensure that women are fully engaged in emerging technological developments such as AI and emerging digital technologies rather than becoming passive recipients of change.
Developing long-term careers To address progression challenges, Assystem operates a global programme called “IncredibleWomen”, which has been running since 2010. In the UK, the initiative is delivered through a programme known as “EmpowHER”. Since 2021, 53 women have participated in this initiative, which combines leadership development, mentoring and career support. Participants receive structured development opportunities alongside one-to-one mentoring designed to build confidence and support career advancement. For Proctor, the impact extends beyond professional development. “At the end of each cohort, I attend the final session where
participants talk about their growth journey,” she says. The stories shared by participants often reflect
significant shifts in confidence and self-perception: “Women start the programme thinking they’re not quite good enough for the next opportunity or that they need every single skill before they can apply for a promotion,” Proctor states, adding that by the programme’s conclusion, many have developed a very different outlook. “It really is a wake-up journey and a very empowering
journey. It doesn’t just impact working lives. It impacts personal lives as well.” The company reports that participants frequently go
on to progress into more senior roles, helping strengthen the pipeline of future female leaders.
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