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London Fire Brigade
JN:2010b/LR/AA
Dec 2016
2
Executive summary
02| Sample Text
Findings revealed that: • Women looked for many qualities in a
potential role, these often overlapped
with the role of a woman firefighter. However, there is an overall lack of awareness of the firefighter role which often results in women creating perceived barriers
• The actual role only appeals to a narrow
range of women: (1) those that have the drive and desire to become a firefighter, and (2) those that could be convinced if the seed was planted and the right opportunity arose
• In spite of this, there are many
unnecessary barriers in place that dissuade women to apply. These include the application process, LFB website, and the lack of ‘selling’ the job
• Furthermore, experts have indicated that the goal of an 11% increase in woman firefighters might be unrealistic
Findings
Research was conducted in three stages:
1. Desk research 2. Building
hypotheticals 3. Conducting depth
and group interviews with a
variety of women
Research
Process
Currently, only 6.9% of
LFB’s operational
workforce are women
In November 2016, Future
Thinking were
commissioned to look into
why the role of a firefighter
does not appeal to
women
A sample of 3 women
firefighters, 5 experts
(individuals who have
expertise in increasing the
number of women in their
organisation), and a
representative sample of
39 women from London
who possessed key work
skill attributes in line with
firefighting general skills
Background &
Methodology
Based on the findings, a number of recommendations have
been made: 1. Continue offering open
days 2. Attract the ‘right’ type
of woman 3. Target recruitment
efforts 4. Make some
adjustments to the LFB website
5. Re-examine the18% target
6. Demystify the role 7. Make some
adjustments to how the LFB and role of a woman firefighter are portrayed in the media
Recommendations
3
Project background
The focus of this research is on women and why they are still reluctant to apply to the Brigade to work as firefighters
The LFB has been making progress over the last 10-15 years to ensure that the Brigade’s operational workforce fully
reflects London’s population and diversity. Focusing on gender and ethnicity, currently 6.9% of the Brigade’s
operational workforce are women, with 12.6% BME. The Brigade recognise there is still more to be done and have
set themselves a target of increasing these numbers to 18 and 25 per cent respectively. Despite significant outreach
work and targeted advertising towards women over the years, the number of applicants have stayed fairly static at
around 10%
The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority has responsibility for the fire and rescue services
provided by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and some emergency planning functions. The LFB
currently employees approximately 5,650 staff in total with around 4,750 operational fire fighters
In June 2016 an Inclusion Strategy was adopted which set out what the organisation will do to recruit, retain, develop
and promote a diverse workforce, which includes a commitment to: Review our recruitment processes, seeking good
practice from similar industries who are also seeking to attract greater diversity of applicants and identify what we
could do differently
4
Project objectives
What women
believe are the
barriers to
applying for
the role?
What women
believe are the
personal qualities,
attributes and skills
required to be a
firefighter?
What would make
women consider
firefighting as a
career choice for
them?
Compared to
other roles within
the emergency services/armed
forces, why is the
role of a firefighter
less attractive to
women?
Ultimately this
project looks to
explain why the role
of firefighter lacks
appeal amongst
women
It has been identified that
more needs to be done to
ensure that the LFB’s
operational workforce fully
reflects London’s population
and diversity
Looking specifically at
gender, only 6.9% of LFB’s
operational workforce are
women
LFB has a medium-term target to
achieve a workforce of 18% women
However, despite significant outreach
work and targeted advertising in
relation to women over many years,
the number of female applicants has
remained static at around 10%
5
Approach: 3 staged approach - all findings are represented within this debrief
Desk research
Following on from a face to face meeting with the core team at LFB, Future Thinking undertook one day of desk research exploring industries that have overcome similar issues with recruiting women
These findings are shown within this debrief and key companies were contacted to take part in the expert interviews
1 2 3 Building the hypotheticals
Once the face to face meeting had been held and the desk research was completed, we created a list of hypothetical reasons that women might not join the LFB – these were tested in stage 3 and are used in this debrief
The research
The following research was carried out:
• 6 x 90 minute focus groups
• 3 x depth interviews
• 3 x depth interviews with women fire fighters
• 5 x expert interviews
6
Sample
Monday 5th Dec Lou Ramsay
moderated
Tuesday 6th Dec Lou Ramsay
moderated
Wednesday 7th Dec Mollie Neilson
moderated
Thursday 8th Dec Anita Appleton moderated
18-25 36-45 26-36 3 x face to face 1 hour depths • 18-25 • 26-35 • 36-45
26-35 18-25 36-45
18 London Boroughs were represented, and a good spread of ethnicities were represented, higher than we would normally ask for in recruitment for London* 16 out of 42 participants were other than white, we did not set a quota on sexual orientation but 2 participants were bisexual
3 x Women fire fighters 5 x Expert interviews*
1. Woman firefighter– 6th Dec
2. Woman firefighter– 6th Dec
3. Trainee Woman firefighter– 14th Dec
*The names of the experts we spoke to have been removed to respect confidentiality. Quotes from these experts are credited as ‘Expert’ within this document
• All agreed with a set of key
work skill attributes in line with
firefighting general skills e.g.
team player
• All to be either training at
least 4 times per week, have
good upper body strength,
train on their own or play a
team sport
• None had considered joining
the LFB
Standard quotas set for
recruitment:
• White: 59.8%
• Mixed/multiple ethnic
group: 5%
• Asian/Asian British: 18.4%
• Black/African/Caribbean/
• Black British: 13.3%
• Other ethnic group: 3.4%
All participants received a cash incentive except the firefighters
7
How women choose work
8
Path to employment
The experts we spoke to talk about the external influences of women's career paths, and how these impact on
choices. These influences were backed up by participants
Family Influence Personal Aspirations Careers Advice Self-Confidence
Role Models Media Interviews
“Some women might feel they
lack the support of their family
and friends when entering into
male dominated work, it could
be dangerous, too physical, or
they may have concerns about
harassment” –Expert
“[I read that] men apply for a
job when they meet only 60%
of the qualifications, but
women apply only if they
meet 100% of them.” -Expert
“We realised that male managers
held a classic unconscious bias of
‘recruiting your image’, they
weren’t giving the same value to
women as they were to men”
-Expert
“I’ve always seen
myself in a certain
type of role”
–Female participant,
18-25
“I was always told to
get a professional
degree, by my
family and my
teachers”
-Female participant,
26-35
“If women do not see other
women they know in these
kinds of roles the roles begin
to not even be considered”
–Expert
“Young People especially
are very drawn to careers
that are prominent in
everyday society and in
the media”
-Expert
Many of these factors reinforce the barriers of working in a traditionally male-dominated role
9
What do women look for in a job?
What
women
look for
in a job
VARIETY “ I would like a job where I can be out of the office for a bit, out in the community, work from home, just not stuck at a desk” (Female, 30)
FLEXIBILITY “I had my dream job for a while, I travelled around and did different things every day
it was great” (Female, 18-25)
CAREER PROGRESSION “They wouldn’t progress me on, they wouldn’t let me leave sales – it was a dead end” (Female, 18-25)
GROWTH “Something that keeps me mentally stimulated, that
gives me focus on what I want to achieve, some sort of goal” (Female, 35)
BENEFITS “Dental and healthcare… discounts on holidays… nothing major but something” (Female, 30)
REMUNERATION "I need to know it’s worth it for me to even consider it.“ (Female, 30)
Women are ambitious when thinking about their ideal job, they are unsure the LFB can offer them all they need
10
What do women look for in a job?
20% Remuneration
Pay is an important factor
when
considering a job, especially for women over
25 years old who have
responsibilities such as a
mortgage or children
Flexibility Career
Progression
Being able to see a viable, long-
term career path and progression in one’s career
was an important consideration; especially for
those between 18-25 who are at an earlier stage in their career
Flexibility (in terms of working
hours and
location) are important,
especially to those who have children. Having
a work-life balance was
important to all women
Variety
Variety within one’s role is
valued. Women want more than
one responsibility and the
opportunity to potentially learn
new skills
Growth
Both short and long-term
personal and professional
growth opportunities
make a potential job opportunity more attractive
Benefits (such as flexi-time,
healthcare, and
subsidised travel) are sought-after. Non-traditional benefits (e.g. dental, gym
membership) can potentially
make a job more appealing
Benefits
Attitudes towards working for the Fire Brigade
12
The perceived attributes of a woman fire fighter centre around a sense of someone who is strong in every sense of the word
Physical skills
Emotional
Skills
Attitude
Practical
Skills
Personal
qualities
• Exceptional upper body and
general strength
• Overall good physical fitness that
has to be maintained
“I see a strong, smart woman,
someone with a commanding
voice, someone you pay
attention too” (Female, 18-25)
• Emotionally strong – able to
cope with stressful situations
• Accepting failure – things might
not always go well
• Possess a ‘soft’ side, to be able
to communicate to all
• Positive, confident, outgoing
• Commanding but also able to
work as a team player
• Fearless, not reckless
• Need to be able to drive,
think an HGV but actually
an LGV
• Understanding all of the
equipment needed
• Mentally focussed, quick
thinker
• Witty, able to work with men,
good at banter, thick skin
• Patient, caring, brave
The role of firefighter is seen as a laudable honourable job and many do not feel the posses the skills needed
13
There is an overall lack of understanding of the FF role, which can mean women create more perceived barriers than genuine barriers
• Dangerous and risky
• No long term career progression
• Could become monotonous – ‘stuck in same
role’
• Lack of women role models to inspire
• Not physically strong enough
• Bureaucratic environment
• Very low awareness of the job
• A typically male job - fireman
• Male dominated environment
• First response feels more frightening than other
emergency services
• Unsure of benefits
• Low recall of seeing woman firefighters
• Dealing with emotionally difficult issues
• Not being able to help
• Low pay
• Odd shift pattern
Genuine
Barriers
“It must be quite mentally
exhausting job – you need
to be very sure of yourself
and your emotions”
(Female, 36-45)
“I’ve never actually seen
a women firefighter out
in public”
(Female, 18-25)
“You need to sell the job,
why would a woman want to
do it, what is in it for them?”
(Expert)
Perceived
Barriers
“It’s a mysterious job, I
don’t actually know
what they do”
(Female, 18-25)
14
Upon greater understanding two responses occur:
It is important to note that even if the LFB are able to address the barriers we have identified the role itself only
genuinely appeals to the minority
• For the majority, once they understand the job
more fully their interest decreases
• The job becomes either more dangerous (e.g.
road traffic collisions, enclosed spaces), or it
becomes monotonous (e.g. greater emphasis
on prevention rather than ‘action’)
Interest decreases
• For the minority, interest increases
• The job is seen as more exciting and
honourable
• They feel that many of the barriers could be
overcome, however they had some concerns
that need addressing
• See the following chart
Interest increases
1
2
“This is in no way
engaging, it sounds
very boring”
(Female, 18-25) “It is very daunting”
(Female, 36-45)
“I like the juxtaposition of
the physical and the
normal work”
(Female, 26-35)
15
It still takes a special woman to join the LFB, but even she needs convincing
Describe the jobs in terms of qualities needed what makes a great firefighter (e.g. courage, integrity, selflessness, respect, loyalty)
Explain career progression and what opportunities are available
There is a call for more women role models to be seen in the media, many claim not to have seen any women firefighters
Fully explain the role, demystify the job and debunk the inaccurate perceptions
Qualities
needed
Career progression
Lack of female
role models
Awareness
It is very clear what LFB wants and needs from the individual, but LFB forgets to ‘sell’ the job to women - they need to hear what they get
Be clearer that this is an achievable physical test if the effort is made, training plans will be provided – it is tough but can be passed
‘Sell’ the role
Physical
Requirements
This is important for women, especially those with children and families, although this is an extreme shift
Consider
flexibility
These barriers come from the hypotheticals we created after the desk research
16
Alongside all of the barriers that remain for those who are only slightly interested in the role, there are additional barriers that LFB need to focus their attention on
Additionally, the LFB does not make applying easy!
01
Application process Many individuals are not
knowledgeable of the LFB
application process, and have
an inaccurate perception of
the length of the process and
requirements needed
Most think they can just apply
when they feel like it
Website The LFB website is not
appealing to potential female
applicants, especially in
regards to the use of tone and
imagery
Additionally, details for joining
the LFB are not instantly visible
03 02
Benefits / ‘Selling’ the job The intrinsic and extrinsic
benefits of becoming a
firefighter are not clearly
communicated
The role is communicated in
overly inward looking way, the
LFB need to ‘sell’ the position
more to potential applicants
17
The London Fire Brigade website: Careers section and relatability
The Careers section is not easy to find on the LFB website. Potential applicants need to go through the ‘About Us’ section first, then find ‘careers’ at the bottom of the menu on the next screen
The visual cues are not relatable to women and do not show examples of women in the London Fire Brigade
18
The London Fire Brigade website: Career progression and visual cues
Although career progression is mentioned, this is not explained or specified in detail
The visual cues are not relatable to women and do not show examples of women in the London Fire Brigade
“Still interested” suggests that a potential applicant should be put off by some of the information they have read
19
The London Fire Brigade website: Further information needed
Although this shows an overall interest of people applying to the London Fire Brigade, it also has the potential to put off potential applicants who
already feel they may not be a competitive applicant
It isn’t specified whether the 85 day initial training is paid. Potential applicants may require this information
in consideration of their pre-existing financial obligations.
20
The London Fire Brigade website: Training and support
There is no mention of a training plan or support available to those who need help preparing for the physical element of the application process
21
The London Fire Brigade website: Training and probation
It is not specified if this is paid training
Many participants were put off by the thought of a 9-month probation. They
felt that after going through the training process, they would want some form of job security. This could be reworded to mention that there is continuous support during this period to help applicants make it
through the process
22
Attracting the next generation of women firefighters
23
Summary
Increasing the number of women who apply and are successful within the LFB is not an easy objective to achieve
This is not an every day job, the barriers to the role can feel insurmountable at first glance. This job isn’t for everyone, however, there is a certain type of woman who would love this job, they just don’t know it yet
The key barriers that women have about this role are numerous and varied (typical career progression, role models, qualities needed, and help with the physical requirements). These barriers can be overcome once the job is more fully communicated
Numerous barriers
An atypical female role
A difficult objective
24
Recruitment efforts should focus on targeting women who have a pre-existing or potential interest in the role “The job is what it is…it really is about finding those people who want to do it…If it’s not something you want to do, which a lot of women don’t, there’s no real way of getting them to change their mind” –Trainee Woman Firefighter
Targeting recruitment efforts at
gyms, fitness centres, and women
who are also potentially
interested in the
army/emergency services will
help find the ‘right’ type of
woman. Also, ‘sowing the seed
early’ and targeting young girls
and women
“The Fire Brigade would need to
be targeting gyms, weight lifters,
rock climbers, or places where
women are physically fit” - Expert
Recommendations for the London Fire Brigade
Woman firefighters voiced that the open days were one of the most important factors in solidifying their
decision to join the London Fire Brigade
“The open days, that’s definitely what got me into
the job” – Woman firefighter
Continue offering open days 1
Attract the ‘right’ type of woman 2
Targeted recruitment efforts 3
The website can be improved by making it easier to find the ‘careers’ section, providing additional
information on the role, depicting more women, and changing the overall tone
Website 4
Think about where to advertise, and ensure that social media imagery depicts women. Position the role as a professional role
and clearly outline career progression opportunities
Media 7
Reconsider the 18% target. Increasing the number of woman
firefighters by 11% would require drastic organisational
changes
“That’s a real challenge [getting to 18%]. In 2 years we have
moved from 15.7% and that is because of the balance short
listing, so in two years we only moved 1.7%, so getting from
7% to 18% is a massive task” -Expert
18% Target 5
Do not expect women to understand and desire this job in the same way men do, they need more information
6 Demystify the role
25
Experts in the field would go a lot further with their recommendations, they would look at the job in its entirety and would suggest making dramatic changes
Think about what women need • Reconsider the way the fire service operates, how can it become more
female friendly, especially for mothers who are put off by shift work • Address cultural issues openly – this is a male environment, women will
have a very different experience to other work experiences, address these concerns on the website
• Offer women only training courses, weekend events
Recognise this is not for everyone
• Be honest about the job and whether women want it • “there is no denying that some jobs will always have a larger male
dominance” (Expert)
Think about how to promote the role • Target in a niche way – target specific types • Ensure that job centres, or any third party is promoting the role to both genders equally • Ensure that women are supported once in the role – make sure they are comfortable • Be open about the lack of women in the role - make it explicit that women are wanted, this does not seem
obvious currently on the website
• Think about where to advertise – focus on the right place to attract the right woman (e.g. female rugby clubs) • Look at all media imagery and ensure women are at the fore
“Family demands that women
generally need greater flexibility which doesn’t lend itself to the emergency services and shift work” (Expert)
“We found out through anecdotal
evidence that the Job Centre Plus were discouraging women from applying for jobs at [our organisation], so we invited them to attend one of our workshops” (Expert)
26
Our discussions with experts, firefighters, and women in the community revealed that there are two types of
women who might be interested in joining the London Fire Brigade
The right type of woman for the role
1 The woman who has
always seen herself in
a public service role
• She has always seen herself in a
public-service role (e.g. army,
emergency services)
• She is motivated and has an
intrinsic desire for the job
2 The woman who could
be persuaded if the
‘seed was planted’
• If the opportunity arose and
the barriers were removed, she
would be interested in learning
more about the role and
potentially applying to the LFB
Targeting recruitment efforts at these types of women will likely have the greatest impact in increasing the
number of women that join the London Fire Brigade
Future Thinking takes a consultative approach
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driving everything we do. That’s why we focus
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