Building an Inclusive Future: Attracting More Women to Home Performance

The home performance industry is at a tipping point. With workforce shortages across skilled trades and growing demand for energy efficiency solutions, the need for a diverse, talented workforce has never been more critical. Yet, one of the most untapped talent pools, women, continue to be significantly underrepresented in the field.

For contractors and business owners, the question isn’t just, “How do we hire more workers?” It’s also, “How do we create an industry that is welcoming, inclusive, and attractive to women?” Drawing from best practices and real-world case studies, we will explore actionable strategies to diversify the workforce and tap into the potential of women in home performance. By implementing tailored strategies that align with women’s interests, we effectively expand the talent pipeline and foster greater participation in the industry.

Data tells the story. According to Pew Research, women make up nearly half (47%) of the total U.S. labor force, but only represent about 14% of workers in the construction and skilled trades. Meanwhile, research shows that diverse teams drive better decision-making, innovation, and profitability. University of North Carolina, Pembroke notes that gender-diverse teams often outperform gender-homogenous ones, sometimes by up to 50%. Clearly bringing more women into home performance isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a business imperative.

Driving workforce diversification requires more than just good intentions—it demands deliberate action. By prioritizing intentional hiring practices and fostering environments where women can thrive, organizations can unlock both social and business advantages.

“We understand that a gender diverse workforce isn’t just a social responsibility, it’s a strategic advantage. Success lies in intentional hiring practices and fostering an environment where women are empowered to thrive, contribute, and lead,” shares Barbara Stapleton, Director of Workforce Planning Solutions with The JPI Group.

Women.NYC and Pivot to Growth: Green Economy CoLab – A Game-Changer for Workforce Inclusion

Women.NYC is leading the charge in workforce equity by breaking down barriers and expanding career opportunities for women in historically male-dominated industries, including home performance. The JPI Group is currently working with Women.NYC to launch Pivot to Growth: Green Economy CoLab, a dynamic cohort-based bridge program designed to ignite women’s motivation to enter the green economy by helping them see themselves—and their skills—within the industry. The Green Economy CoLab is built on the understanding that career decisions are deeply influenced by identity and self-perception.

Research has shown that individuals self-select into careers when they can see a clear place for themselves and believe their existing skills align successfully with new opportunities. By focusing on the unique identities, experiences, and aspirations of women in targeted NYC neighborhoods, this program takes a deliberate, tailored approach to increasing interest and participation in the green economy.

Through a series of interactive workshops, the program helps women identify their transferable skills, visualize their potential in the industry, and develop the confidence to pursue careers in the field, all while providing access to a network, mentors, and recognized industry training. The workshops are designed to shift mindsets, build positive career expectations, create a roadmap to enter or transition to the industry, and reinforce the idea that women belong in green energy careers—not just as participants but as leaders and innovators. Beyond traditional workforce training, Pivot to Growth: Green Economy CoLab provides a holistic support system to sustain motivation and long-term career engagement, including the following.

• Industry Context Seminars: Participants are introduced to emerging sectors through workshops that provide foundational knowledge of transferable skills and insight into the application of those skills in a new industry.
• Career Pathways Workshops: These sessions provide access to important details of the new industries that are pertinent to motivating the pursuit of these careers; they help individuals identify career pathways  to develop the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen fields.
• Specialized Career Coaching: Industry exposure and one-on-one mentorship and guidance are offered to support participants in navigating their career transitions effectively and improve their persistence through their new pathway.

“With the support of The JPI Group, we are breaking down barriers for women seeking to enter and advance in the green economy, including the home performance sector,” says Sofia Mussa, Assistant Vice President of Women.NYC. “This initiative goes beyond job placement, creating new interest in the field and offering long-term career plans  through industry exposure, career skill-building, and mentorship.”

“You cannot reach for what you do not know is there, and representation matters. For women to enter the industry, they first need to see a place for themselves—where their skills are valued and where career mobility is possible through continuous learning opportunities,” says Andrea Garcia-Fernandez, Workforce Planning Consultant and project lead at The JPI Group. “With this initiative, we’re showing women how their existing skills from other industries directly translate into energy careers. By highlighting skill transferability, we are not just attracting them into the pipeline but also creating long-term pathways for success that go beyond hiring.”

Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining Women in Home Performance

1. Rethink Recruitment and Outreach

Many women don’t enter the home performance industry simply because they aren’t aware of the opportunities available. Attraction is the key to successful recruitment. Contractors can take proactive steps to change this:

• Partner with workforce organizations that focus on placing women in trade careers, as well as local non-profits. This provides access to the unique characteristics and motivations of the group you seek to recruit.
• Engage with high schools and technical training programs to introduce young women to career paths in home performance.
• Rewrite job descriptions to use behavior-based language and emphasize transferable skills, removing gendered language and emphasizing transferable skills over traditional trade experience.

2. Create an Inclusive Work Environment

Once hired, retention is just as important as recruitment. Women need to feel welcomed, valued, and supported in the workplace. Belonging is the key to retention. Business owners can foster inclusivity by:

• Providing mentorship programs that connect new hires with experienced women in the industry. This creates anopportunity to overcome barriers through shared experience and increase the feeling of belonging.
• Ensuring proper facilities. Simple things like well-maintained restrooms and properly fitted uniforms can make a difference.
• Training leadership and crews on inclusivity and unconscious bias to create a more welcoming work culture.

“When we focus on mentorship and inclusion, we see a direct impact on retention and job satisfaction,” says Stapleton. “Creating a workplace culture that truly values diversity is key.”

3. Offer Competitive and Family-Friendly Benefits

Women often weigh job opportunities based on factors beyond salary, such as work-life balance, career advancement opportunities, and benefits. Forward-thinking businesses can attract and retain top female talent by offering:

• Paid maternity and family leave,
• Flexible scheduling options, and
• Clear career progression pathways with opportunities for leadership roles.

“When mothers enter the workforce, securing childcare can present a significant financial hurdle—especially before their first paycheck arrives. Many must demonstrate the ability to pay in advance for daycare before even starting a new job. This barrier can be a deciding factor in whether they pursue an opportunity. Offering stipends or a first-month childcare bonus can help remove this obstacle, making an organization more attractive and accessible to working parents,” says Garcia-Fernandez.

Case Study: ReMaine – Advancing Workforce Development in Clean Energy

A key initiative driving the increase of women’s participation in the clean energy sector is the ReMaine Clean Energy Internship Program, a workforce initiative led by NEEP in collaboration with The JPI Group. This program was developed to help address labor shortages while identifying and supporting diverse talent, including women.

ReMaine has made strides in connecting underrepresented workers to clean energy careers through:

• Employer engagement to expand hiring practices and retention strategies for underrepresented workers in energy efficiency roles.
• Partnerships with local training providers and community organizations to improve access to existing training and certification pathways.
• Targeted outreach efforts to broaden the talent pipeline and ensure more inclusive hiring practices.

“Some of the employers we’ve worked with typically picture a man when they think of a prospective employee, so being able to broaden their outlook and place women in these critical jobs has been very rewarding,” shares Chase Macpherson, Manager of State and Community Solutions with NEEP.

This program helps to shift the landscape of Maine’s energy workforce and make an impact on workforce availability. By working together, NEEP and The JPI Group have contributed to a scalable model that connects diverse candidates with high-quality jobs while fostering a more inclusive and resilient energy workforce.

Attracting more women into clean energy and home performance isn’t just about filling vacancies—it’s about building a stronger, more resilient industry. By rethinking recruitment strategies, fostering an inclusive workplace, and offering competitive benefits, contractors can position their businesses as leaders in workforce development while tapping into a wealth of untapped talent.

Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate progress and take action. The question now is: What steps will your business take to be part of the change?