Michael UngarCEO of the Industry 4.0 Club

Creating a Culture of Belonging in Manufacturing

27 Mar 2025 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:35

In this segment of a YouTube discussion on fostering belonging for women in manufacturing, the speakers highlight two complementary pathways to inclusion. Speaker A emphasizes tangible, physical‑world changes—providing properly fitting uniforms, stylish safety boots, and auditing equipment, policies, and workspace dimensions to ensure they are not male‑centric. Speaker B expands the view to a systemic, top‑to‑bottom organizational effort, arguing that genuine belonging requires commitment from the boardroom through administration down to the shop floor, with consistent policies and cultural practices. Together they outline short‑term, concrete actions (e.g., apparel options, design audits) and long‑term strategic shifts (policy overhaul, leadership buy‑in) that can make manufacturing environments more welcoming for all employees.

Chapters

Going out of your way to answer questions, you know, making sure that you're listening to those who are underrepresented within the, within the whole. And small things like, you know, clothes that fit you, or, you know, I've even seen companies that are doing great work providing like stylish safety boots for women, right? So that you can feel confident in your appearance. Like if that's something that is important to you, like you have options for you. Because again, so much is typically made for men. That just having that, you know, representation in something physical is really, really important. And so to kind of take a look at the physical world around us and, and think of like, who is this designed for? And, you know, whether that's like a policy, whether it's machinery, like heights, you know, all sorts of things. And then what are some practical ways that in the short term or in the long term, we can make this a more welcoming space for all?
I think for me, it, it's similar to you. I think making women— giving them the feeling that they belong where they are in any area of manufacturing that they work is an organizational, top-to-bottom endeavor. And right from the boardroom to administration, policy procedures, right into the floor and how it impacts women throughout the organization. It is work, and— but it can be done, and it has an impact on all of the employees in the end.