Women conquer the craft

Almost one in four craft businesses in Brandenburg is run by a woman, and more and more women are completing master craftsman examinations.

This article is part of the special feature on women in the trades.

Across Germany, there are over 200.000 craft businesses run by women . This puts the craft sector in a strong position compared to the overall middle class. According to KfW Bank, of the approximately 3,8 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany , almost 20 percent were recently led by women.

However, female leadership positions in the skilled trades are unevenly distributed . While women can now be found as bosses in all skilled trades, they often concentrate on service-oriented sectors . For example, hairdressing , tailoring , or self-employment as a beautician are common . Plumbing , construction , masonry , and automotive repair shops remain clearly male-dominated.

Even more female bosses in the trades are desirable

However, the potential of women as entrepreneurs in the skilled trades is still far greater. Women bring unique leadership skills to the table , thereby breaking down traditional gender roles in the trades and simultaneously serving as role models for future generations . Given the high number of skilled trades businesses in Brandenburg facing succession, more female leaders in the sector are highly desirable. Studies show that women in leadership positions generally prioritize different aspects than men. For example, a study by the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs revealed that women place a stronger emphasis on creativity , caring , and teamwork . Strong customer relationships and good relationships with employees are also considered more important success factors by women.

Corina Reifenstein , President of the Cottbus Chamber of Skilled Crafts , says: "Whether as entrepreneurs or as working wives – women bear a great responsibility in craft businesses. Because of this, they also play a central role in the issue of succession."

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Different style of communication

For Dörte Thie, Vice President of the Potsdam Chamber of Skilled Crafts, Chairwoman of the Central German Dental Technicians' Guild , and owner of the Dörte Thie Dental Studio in Blankenfelde-Mahlow, the role of a manager in a company is nothing new. She has been an entrepreneur in the skilled trades since 1990. Dörte Thie can only confirm that the compatibility of family and career plays a particularly important role for female bosses: "Family is the decisive factor. Better conditions need to be created here in order to inspire even more women to start and manage a craft business ," says Thie.

Flexible working hours are a topic particularly important to women in the workplace. Thie notes that, based on her experience, women also bring emotional intelligence and a different communication style to teamwork, which are valuable leadership skills. She observes, "This makes it easier to inspire and motivate a team to tackle a task." Dörte Thie also points out, "Larger craft businesses often have mixed management teams. Here, women can, for example, also take on the financial management of the company ."

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