In honor of International Women’s Day, we wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on the state of women in the field of project management. As of 2023, men outnumbered women by 3:1 in the field of project management (1,2). This stark contrast becomes even more apparent when compared to the global workforce breakdown, which the International Labour Organization (ILO) puts at approximately 3:2 (3). Clearly, our industry has a ways to go when it comes to achieving gender parity.
Project management has historically been associated with industries traditionally dominated by men, such as construction, engineering, and IT. Perhaps it’s fitting that Henry Gantt himself, namesake of that most beloved project management tool, the Gantt Chart, was himself a mechanical engineer – a field that, even in 2021, is comprised of just 8.7% women (4).
Looking at the disproportionately low number of women employed in project management is of particular relevance when considering the growing need for project management professionals across the globe. The Project Management Institute (PMI) projects that by the year 2030, the world will need a staggering 25 million new project management professionals. Addressing gender diversity in this field isn't just a matter of equity; it's a strategic imperative for meeting the demands of an increasingly complex global landscape. The solution here seems obvious.
Here at MustardSeed, we find ourselves at an interesting intersection when it comes to gender equity, working as we do at the intersection of two traditionally male-dominated industries: STEM and project management. We take pride in the fact that women make up close to half (41%) of our MustardSeed workforce. While we are proud to be beating the industry average, we nonetheless recognize that work remains to be done from a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) perspective – both for women in the workforce, as well as for inclusion of other groups. So today, as we reflect on the state of women in project management, we say – let’s do better, together.
1 https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/women-in-project-management-2023
2 It is important to note that PMI’s comparison solely between women and men neglects the experiences and representation of individuals who identify as nonbinary within the industry. This omission overlooks an important segment of the workforce and may not fully capture the diversity of perspectives and challenges faced within the field of project management. We look forward to future efforts to enhance inclusivity and diversity in data collection efforts.
3 Extrapolated from the PMI report, which indicated that women’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) is appropriately 47%, while men’s LFPR is 72%. We found our ratio of men to women in the workforce by dividing the proportion of women in the workforce to the proportion of men.
4 https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10085-male-female-dominated-jobs.html