In these days of equal opportunities, there are many occupations where women in influential positions are plentiful. However, the timber trade is not one of them. Is this a bad thing? Is the trade discriminating against women? Is it even, possibly, sexist? In my own view and experience, no, generally not. However, it is undeniable that a managerial level woman in our industry is about as rare as a cheerful meeting with your bank manager!
When I joined Scanply International Wood Products in 1993, fresh from the female-dominated tourism industry, it was rather startling how many (or rather how few) women I spoke with on a day-to-day basis. Granted, plenty of women ‘manned’ reception, some chased for unpaid invoices and more than a handful were supportive ‘girl Fridays’ but almost none was buying, selling or in any kind of managerial position. This really hasn’t changed to any great extent nearly 10 years later.
On show
Travelling around the feature trade shows – Domotex, Interzum, NWFA, Interbuild, Harrogate and so on – you frequently see ‘hired’ girls in tight sparkly trousers smiling toothpaste grins and handing out a chance to win a luxury forklift but you see pitifully few in suits handing out their own business cards searching for that elusive new product or sale!
This is in no way a feminist rant, indeed, I am convinced tight sparkly trousers might give a distinct advantage while trying to negotiate your average exclusive distributorship agreement!
Of course, we can all think of one or two women sales managers or purchase directors but out of how many timber or flooring companies that we deal with on a daily basis?
The timber industry regularly holds large dinners at prestigious hotels. Among an average attendance of between 650-700 guests I would gauge the female presence to be around 30 – if that. A fantastic example of how rare women are at these industry events was highlighted to me about five years ago whilst at the dinner when I was ‘propositioned’ by a man who had obviously mistaken the reason for my being there. When I handed him my business card he nearly choked with horror and said he was ‘dreadfully sorry but then you virtually never see a woman at these posh dos in our trade’.
Personally I found it hilarious, but I do appreciate that many women wouldn’t see the funny side at all. In an industry with so few women you do have to be ready for occasional sexism, be it inadvertent or blatant. Many companies simply do not have any women to promote through the ranks at all even if they wanted to. Even the most ‘old school’ directors do not, to me, come across as discriminatory but merely not used to having a woman around who is capable of talking trade with them as an equal.
Therefore I have never thought it fair to get on one’s feminist high horse because a seasoned buyer calls you ‘sweetheart’, ‘darlin” or ‘cupcake’! Equally men should not assume that the women they do have in their companies are less likely to wish for promotion because they are planning to run off and start a family at the drop of a hat.
Fewer women than men enter careers that involve sales. Why? I’m not sure. Certainly in a sociable trade like ours, whatever is proclaimed in these politically correct times, it is more awkward to take out, wine, dine and drink all evening with inevitably male customers or suppliers as a woman than if you were a fellow man. It also cannot be denied that carrying heavy boxes of samples around is not quite as simple either!
I do believe some work and a little reassurance needs to be done at top level to convince women that it is perfectly safe to travel at home and abroad alone to customers, exhibitions and shows and also that pay and benefits are equal for men and women alike.
Equal benefits
I also think it is also essential to stress that with the right attitude women are going to be taken seriously and that it will be their products, professionalism and enthusiasm that will speak volumes.
You cannot, of course, force women into the trade at any level. The trade should not have to change to encourage more women, but it should not be negative towards those who do enter its ranks.
I believe being a woman in a male dominated trade is actually an advantage. Our industry is all about customer service, innovative ideas, and being one step ahead – all of which are perfectly achievable by either sex.
As a closing thought, for those women reading this who do fancy progressing but feel a bit daunted, it has to be said that I have lost count of the times over the years at trade shows and functions that I have been told dealing with a woman ‘for a change’ is a breath of fresh air. Believe me, I’m quite happy to settle for that as a professional compliment!
