Gender barriers in Chilean mining: a strategic management

Purpose Given Chile's high projected deficit of skilled labor in its mining industry, the purpose of this paper is to explore the gender barriers present that hinder women from entering the sector. Design/methodology/approach To do this, a descriptive and interpretative study was undertaken and in‐depth interviews were conducted with 70 male and female workers belonging to the operating areas in the mining companies located in northern Chile. The data were transcribed and analyzed through a qualitative approach using discourse analysis by thematic categories. Findings The results show that gender barriers are related to: self‐discrimination of workers themselves, family demands, and male dominance in the field. Originality/value These results are relevant for strategic planning in the mining industry. They allow us to redirect policies to incorporate women in the sector in order to counteract the aforementioned deficits. The practical implications of this study for the mining sector in general include the incorporation of, for male employees, awareness workshops focussing on the importance of the inclusion of women in mining and aspects that favor this process and, for female employees, leadership and empowerment workshops. These initiatives will help to generate a more satisfying work environment that promotes better human resource management and productivity of the sector.