It is currently estimated that the total value of the Audio Visual industry within the UK equates to £18 billion pounds (1). While this is an impressive figure, it appears not everybody is joining the success of this sector.
The Audio Visual (AV) industry is an incredibly rewarding one to work in and offers many opportunities for everyone. It appears however, that there are some aspects of this business which need to be looked into. One of the biggest factors which has gained exposure is the gender gap in AV. Why are there relatively few women in the Audio Visual world (2)?
We at TwistedPair are determined to help break these gender barriers.
Perceived Roadblocks
Any question which involves gender differences within the workplace tends to be controversial. Referring to the lack of female presence in AV is no different. Why does the industry appear to attract more males than females? Where are all the ‘AV savvy’ women we know are out there?! Some reasons include (3):
- A relatively narrow degree of diversity.
- The industry itself is smaller when compared to the entire technology sector.
- An inherently masculine work culture.
These observations are looking at the picture as a whole and not taking into account individual businesses and people. The problem comes down to how a company presents themselves (4). Successful business women are very careful when searching for a new position, particularly if they possess an impressive level of experience. At TwistedPair, we embrace our varied workplace and believe we offer a fantastic working environment for everyone. For us, the presence of women in the AV industry is vital in creating a balanced workplace and it’s important to us to understand the possible downsides of a heavily male-dominated workforce.
A Blow to Innovation
Equal professional opportunities involves more than disregarding old-fashioned stereotypes. A lack of women in AV negatively impacts creativity and you’ll find your workplace will be much more successful with a distinct variety of both men and women in your team, creating a balanced work environment. More professional women are entering the workforce, this can be seen in the rise of female CEOs throughout the UK. Currently women in upper-level management positions comprised 54 per cent of those surveyed (5). There are also currently six female CEOs within the top 100 FTSE companies. Unfortunately, these figures have not directly translated into the AV sector.
An Empowered Workforce
TwistedPair believes that an empowered workforce is the best route to adhere to the needs of a changing business world. There is no doubt that the Audio Visual industry is evolving quickly so why should recruitment and employment opportunities be any different? Our team has been guided by the mantra that diversity within the workplace leads to a greater sense of flexibility and creativity and this is only the beginning of associated benefits.
The encouragement of a more flexible working practice at TwistedPair has helped to motivate employees and created a more rewarding and richer working experience. Some additional factors include (but are not limited to):
- Increased levels of productivity.
- An enhanced sense of in-house collaboration.
- The ability to think “outside the box” more when dealing with the demands of AV projects.
The bottom line is simply that a happy and balanced work environment makes good sense. Why limit ourselves to a single gender or demographic, we would be hindering progress as opposed to embracing logical change. This belief has not been lost on the employees at TwistedPair, a recent survey uncovered the following:
- Staff retention was a firm 98 per cent during the past 12 months.
- 95 per cent of all employees stated that they were proud to work for TwistedPair.
- 92 per cent would recommend TwistedPair as a good place to work.
It is therefore no surprise that TwistedPair has enjoyed a year-on-year growth rate of ten per cent for the past five years.
The opportunities in the AV industry are limitless and we are proud to have risen above common industry standards at TwistedPair, ensuring all of our employees are proud to work for our company. If you are interested in what our company has to offer please contact us, we’d love to hear from you!
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