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Sylvia Etter and Linh NguyenFirst online event organised by women4beverages
"I might have thought that 15 years ago," said Sylvia Etter at the beginning. She was referring to the event's title, "Equality for women – I don't need it, I can do it. She and Linh Nguyen were able to convince the group of 15 women and one man that the demand for equal pay and treatment is more important than ever. Yes, interested men are welcome at w4b! Nguyen stressed: "Almost half of the German workforce is female, but there are still significantly more men than women working in companies in the beverage industry – especially in production, the proportion of women is only around 20 percent".
Gender pay gap has an impact on pensions
Sylvia Etter, who also teaches as a guest lecturer for "Diversity, Equality and Inclusion" at the University of Amsterdam, began by presenting unmistakable facts: "Germany is falling behind compared to other countries," she said. According to the Global Gender Gap, Germany ranked 32nd out of 156 countries in 2006 in terms of "women's economic empowerment"; 15 years later, it was only 62nd. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2013 the unadjusted gender pay gap is 18 percent in favor of men (average of all incomes vs. 6 % adjusted). "The differences increase from the age of 30," said Etter, "it takes about 100 years to close this gap.” Yet, it is already affecting pensions. The average yearly retirement income for men is 25,400 Euros, compared to 17,800 Euros for women. "The gap is significant. It makes sense to be aware of why this is the case and what factors are at play," said Etter.Women are confronted with unconscious prejudices in professional life
The "Gender Salary Experiment" by Terre Des Femmes, which Etter presented, sheds light on the fact that gender is often the deciding factor. In this experiment, a transgender person applied for the same job as both a man and a woman, using the same resume and presentation. This person was consistently offered a higher salary as a man than as a woman – in some cases 33 percent more. Women are also underrepresented when it comes to filling senior positions: "The glass ceiling is definitely there. And it is significant," she emphasized. This finding is based, among other things, on statistics on the proportion of men and women on the boards of MDAX companies. While in 2015 men named Thomas alone hold 4.7 percent of all board positions, the total share of women is only 2.6 percent. Fortunately this has changed. According to Etter, today 18 percent of all board members are female.
As far as the hiring process is concerned, a study presented by Etter showed that the chances for women do not increase proportionally with the number of female applicants. More specifically, if there is only one woman among the candidates, there is statistically zero(!) chance that she will get the job. Only if the share of female candidates is at 75 percent, the chance that a woman will be selected is higher than 50 percent. "So unconscious bias plays a big role here," said Etter.
Prejudice is also evident in the collective perception and evaluation of successful colleagues. For example, the Harvard University "Heidi vs. Howard" study shows that a woman who has made a career is seen as immodest, power-hungry, and self-important – people would rather have nothing to do with her. A successful man, on the other hand, is seen as a great guy who is fun to be around. There is also a persistent belief that hard work is not for women. "We have that in the beverage industry too," said Etter. Especially in production, there are jobs that require physical activity. "Not everyone wants to do it," she said, "but the point is that if a woman wants to do it, she should be given the same opportunities."
Tips for conscious career development for women in the beverage industry
Given the prejudices on many levels, the more aware women are and the more clearly they position themselves, the easier it will be for them to overcome these hurdles. Linh Nguyen, an expert in employer branding, offered valuable advice.
Tip 1: Self-reflection
"Conscious career development starts with self-reflection and goal-setting," was her first tip. She knows from employee appraisals that women are often unclear: "I want to do more, but will you tell me what I need to do to develop?" It is better to identify your own strengths, interests and values, reflect on your own experiences and accomplishments, and then set ambitious goals. "Not being afraid to ask for feedback from others not only strengthens your self-perception, but also how others in your environment perceive you”, said Nguyen.
Tip 2: Visibility
Her second tip builds on that clarity: "Visibility is everything – don't be afraid to market yourself and show your strengths.” Again, it is important to become conscious about what you want to focus on and where your core competencies lie. This makes it easier to "come out of the closet, get actively involved, and shape your role more clearly," Nguyen said. Self-marketing is therefore based on concrete actions and achievements. Talking about them then becomes almost effortless and can be done with integrity to one's role. A fitting quote from German entrepreneur Tijen Onaran: "You don't have to be loud to be visible.”
Tip 3: Networking and mentoring
Tip #3: "Networking and mentoring – connect for success. Networking, both internally and externally, improves your own career opportunities and also strengthens the company. It is often an important part of the job description, and for good reason. Nguyen encourages women to actively seek out sparring partners, make contacts, and cultivate them through "strategic coffee drinking," for example. Mentoring is about learning from someone else's knowledge and experience and sharing it directly. She advises: "There is nothing wrong with approaching an inspiring person and asking to be mentored. Most people respond positively because it is, after all, a compliment.
Tip 4: Communication skills
Tip #4: "Strengthen your communication skills for a successful career!" Also Sylvia Etter pointed out, it is all about appearance. According to Albert Mehrabian's communication model, words make up only 7% of communication. Tone of voice (38%) and especially body language (55%) are much more important. Specifically, this means sitting up straight, using a friendly but firm tone of voice, and speaking in the indicative mode. "Women in particular like to talk in the subjunctive: 'I would have an idea' instead of 'I have an idea' because they think it sounds friendlier. But it comes across as less confident," said Nguyen.
A confident demeanor is also an advantage in salary negotiations. In this context, Nguyen referred to the Pay Transparency Act, which promotes the transparency of salary structures. It is designed to help women, in particular, assert their right to equal pay for work of equal value. Under certain conditions (e.g. in companies with more than 200 employees), employees have an individual right to information.
Tip 5: Leave your comfort zone and make clear announcements
Linh Nguyen's final tip takes us back to the beginning: "Communicate your career vision, seize opportunities, and intentionally step out of your comfort zone!" Nguyen emphasizes: "Especially as a woman, you should clearly state what you want to do next, otherwise men subconsciously assume that you don't want to advance, unless you say that you do ." In practice, she often hears hidden statements such as "she probably wants to start a family anyway". This makes it all the more important for a woman who wants to get ahead to communicate her own goals.
Finally, Linh Nguyen and Sylvia Etter encouraged the women not to be disheartened by rejections or setbacks. Getting it on the second or third try shows perseverance! And ultimately, Nguyen said, all experiences are good for your career: "Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn," is her motto.
Sylvia Etter has worked for over 20 years as an HR Executive for AT&T, one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, where she looks after 12,000 employees in 52 countries. As she says, she is equally committed to mentoring and coaching employees and managers. The career development of women is particularly important to her. Etter is regularly booked as a speaker for international HR conferences. She is also a guest lecturer for the "Diversity, Equality and Inclusion" certification course at the University of Amsterdam. In 2021, she joined Etter & Partner, an HR consultancy for the beverage industry.
Linh Nguyen works as HR Manager at BarthHaas, one of the world's leading hop trading companies. In around ten years of working in the HR environment, she has made a name for herself as an expert in successful employer brands. She is committed to employee retention and creating an inclusive working environment. Since 2022, she has been working at BarthHaas on exciting projects in the areas of employer branding, recruiting and personnel development. Thanks to her professional background, she guides along the entire candidate-employee journey.
About women4beverages
Giving women in the beverage industry, their experiences, perspectives and achievements space and visibility is a key motive of the open network. Followed by the intention to use the network constructively for meaningful projects, profitable business and solutions for a new era. The network thrives on the commitment of the women who join and contribute. w4b is inclusive – interested men, supporters and ambassadors, are also welcome to join the LinkedIn group.
