New Survey: Diversity in Hiring in the UK

Diversity in the workplace is important, and as time goes on, more and more businesses are striving to make their offices more inclusive. We wanted to investigate just how diverse people think their companies really are, and if they think women have the same career opportunities in traditionally male-dominated sectors - such as drainage and wastewater solutions - as their male counterparts. 

We conducted a national survey to discover just how the UK feels about diversity in hiring. From how diverse their offices are, to how they would react if their drainage engineer was a woman, you can find out more about UK attitudes to workplace diversity in our survey results below. 

Key Findings

We spoke to a total of 669 adults for the 2022 survey, from business owners to employees and across a broad age range, meaning we have been able to see results from a variety of different viewpoints. 

Our survey revealed the following:

• People are split on whether the industry they work in is male-dominated, with 50% believing this is the case, and 50% disagreeing
• 70% think their workplace is diverse
• 58% of people would say that men and women are not given equal opportunities to succeed in trade roles
• 70% agree that more needs to be done to encourage people into a career in the drainage sector
• 80% of people do not know how to go about looking for a role within the drainage sector
• 59% would be surprised if their drainage engineer was a woman

By large, there is not a clear consensus on any huge issue existing with workforce diversity or male-dominated workplaces. However, the results suggest that people believe that these issues are considerably more likely to happen in certain trade roles. 

Diversity in the workplace

Promoting and supporting diversity in the workplace is an integral part of the modern-day working environment. In the UK, there are legislations in place to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity in the workplace, regardless of age, gender, race, disability, religion or sexual orientation. 

Despite the rules, it appears that some sectors are still more dominated by a certain group of people, or at least are perceived to be that way. Here, we analyse the difference in people’s opinions in regards to diversity in the workplace, specifically in terms of how men and women are viewed in the drainage sector. 

Gender and Diversity

When we take a closer look at the survey results, we can see that there are varying responses when comparing the attitudes of those who identified as male and those who identified as female. 

• 47% of males think that enough is being done to encourage people to take up a trade, but 78% of females disagree with this.
• Out of the people we surveyed, 66% of females stated that they believe men and women are not given equal opportunities to succeed in trade roles; conversely, 60% of males believe that men and women are given equal opportunities to succeed in trade roles. 

Despite these differing opinions when it comes to trade-based roles in general, there was a much clearer consensus on the male-dominated nature of the drainage sector specifically:

• 85% of males think that more needs to be done to encourage women specifically to consider a role in the drainage sector. 
• 80% of males agreed that they would expect a drainage engineer to be male, with 86% of females agreeing with this.
• 82% of males would be surprised if their drainage engineer was female; 81% of females agreed with this. 

Age and Diversity

When looking at the survey data, we took age into consideration to see how the varying age groups answered the questions. We could see that the younger end of our survey participants were more aware of the disparity in hiring men and women in their industry specifically. 

• 51% of 18-30 year-olds would consider their industry to be male-dominated, whereas only 38% of 46-60 year-olds and 26% of 31-45 year-olds would agree with this statement. 

However, despite their differing perceptions of their own industries, our survey participants were in agreement in their views of the drainage sector. 

• 82% of 18-30 year-olds would consider the utilities sector to be male-dominated, while 73% of 31-45 year-olds and 64% of 46-60 year olds would agree.
• 90% of 18-30 year-olds would expect their drainage engineer to be male, with 86% of 31-45 year-olds and 80% of 46-60 year-olds agreeing. 
• 86% of 18-30 year-olds would be surprised if their drainage engineer was female, 86% of 31-45 year-olds agree, and 74% of 46-60 year-olds would agree.

It is also interesting to note the differing opinion in the age groups’ responses to people taking up a trade.

• 58% of 18-30 year-olds believe there is enough being done to encourage people to take up a trade; however, 79% of 31-45 year olds and 87% 46-60 year-olds would disagree with this view. 

See the Full Survey Findings 

To read our results in further detail, you can find our full survey findings below. Please feel free to use any of our findings for your own content, citing careers.lanesgroup.com if you do so.

Would you consider the industry in which you work to be ‘male-dominated’? 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	32.14%	215
Unsure	13.15%	88
No	49.63%	332
Not Applicable	5.08%	34

 

Do you believe it is important to have a diverse workforce? 
 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	89.94%	511
No	49.63%	332

 

Do you believe it is an employer’s responsibility to ensure a workforce is diverse?
 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	81.34%	462
No	18.66%	106

 

Would you consider your current workforce diverse?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	70.95%	403
No	20.95%	119
I don't work	8.10%	46

 

Should employers take into account transferable skills when looking to recruit?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	96.83%	550
No	3.17%	18

 

Which of the following industries would you typically expect to be male-dominated? 

Answer Choices	Percentages	Responses
Armed Forces	70.77%	402
Arts & Heritage	2.29%	13
Business Support Services	16.90%	96
Charities & Social Enterprise	6.16%	35
Construction, Manufacturing & Design	67.08%	381
Education	3.70%	21
Engineering & Utilities	61.62%	350
Environment	7.39%	42
Finance, Accountancy & Investment	32.75%	186
Government, Policy & Politics	40.49%	230
Health & Social Care	2.64%	15
Housing & Property	20.60%	117
Legal	27.64%	157
Leisure, Hospitality & Travel	4.05%	23
Marketing, Media & PR	9.33%	53
Recruitment & HR	7.75%	44
Retail & FMCG	4.40%	25
Science & Technology	37.32%	212
Transportation & Logistics	49.30%	280
Wealth & Investment	35.56%	202

 

Do you think the shortage of skilled tradespeople will impact you at all?
 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	52.40%	295
No	47.60%	268

 

Do you think there is enough being done to encourage people to take up a trade?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	29.66%	167
No	70.34%	396

 

Do you feel that men and women are given equal opportunities to succeed in trade roles?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	41.74%	235
No	58.26%	328

 

Have you ever considered a role in the drainage sector?
 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	19.06%	106
No	80.94%	450

 

Would you know how to go about looking for a role in the drainage sector? 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	20.32%	113
No	79.68%	443

 

Would you consider the utilities sector to be male-dominated?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Yes	72.48%	403
No	8.27%	46
I don't know	19.24%	107

 

Who comes to mind when you hear the job title ‘Drainage Engineer’?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
A role for a young man	42.09%	234
A role for an older man	36.33%	202
A role for an apprentice	14.39%	80
A role for a young woman	1.08%	6
A role for an older woman	0.54%	3
Something else (please specify	5.58%	31

 

Which of the following statements do you believe to be true about drainage sector work? 

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
The work is dirty and unpleasant	60.61%	337
The sector offers good opportunities for new starters and people changing career	15.83%	88
The work is highly skilled	29.50%	164
Roles within the sector are varied	17.45%	97
The sector is only suitable for people looking for physical work	31.47%	175
The sector provides opportunities for training and career progression	11.69%	65
Transferable skills from other sectors are valued by the industry	13.31%	74
The work is monotonous and lacks variety	19.24%	107
The sector is welcoming to people of all backgrounds and genders	11.87%	66
The work is solitary and isolating	12.77%	71

 

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: ‘More needs to be done to encourage people into a career in the drainage sector’?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Strongly agree	18.88%	105
Agree	69.78%	388
Disagree	10.25%	57
Strongly disagree	1.08%	6

 

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: ‘More needs to be done to encourage women specifically to consider a role in the drainage sector’?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Strongly agree	23.92%	133
Agree	62.41%	347
Disagree	11.15%	62
Strongly disagree	2.52%	14

 

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: ‘I would expect a drainage engineer to be male'?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Strongly agree	28.60%	159
Agree	55.58%	309
Disagree	13.49%	75
Strongly disagree	2.34%	13

 

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: ‘I would expect a drainage engineer to be female’?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Strongly agree	8.63%	48
Agree	18.71%	104
Disagree	53.60%	298
Strongly disagree	19.06%	106

 

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: ‘I would be surprised if my drainage engineer was a female’?

Answer Choices	Percentage	Responses
Strongly agree	22.66%	126
Agree	58.99%	328
Disagree	16.01%	89
Strongly disagree	2.34%	13