Despite making up nearly half of the general workforce in the United States, women remain significantly underrepresented in the field services industry. While sectors like pest control, lawn care, commercial cleaning and security are essential to our communities, the leadership within these organizations often fails to reflect the diversity of the people they serve.
At WorkWave's 2026 Beyond Service Customer Conference, TEAM Software's Senior Vice President & General Manager Jill Davie moderated a powerful session titled “Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Way in Field Services.” Joined by panelists Tracy VerMulm of PerMar Security Services and Shawn Zickus and Chanel Burmeister of Experigreen Lawn Care, the discussion explored the challenges and opportunities for women in these traditionally male-dominated fields.
The statistics paint a stark picture: women make up only 21.5 percent of the total workforce in field services. Even more concerning is the leadership gap — only 18 percent of management positions are held by women, and at the C-Suite level, that number drops to just nine percent.
However, the tide is turning. Below, we explore insights from these industry leaders on building resilience, the unique value women bring to leadership and actionable steps to foster a more inclusive future for field services.
Building Confidence and Resilience in a Male-Dominated Field
For many women in field services, walking into a room where they are the minority can be intimidating. It's not as simple as merely "faking it until you make it"; building confidence requires demonstrating value and expertise.
Zickus noted that working in a male-dominated environment can sometimes mean being talked over or overlooked. Her strategy for building resilience involves "leveling up" her energy and establishing herself as the undeniable expert in her domain.
"If I know this specific platform or how we need to handle a specific customer interaction, not only do I feel like the expert, but others will see me as the expert and come to me," Zickus explained. "That really helps me to boost my confidence."
VerMulm echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that confidence comes from the knowledge that you provide unique value. With 15 years of experience and a background as a CPA, she established herself as an industry leader by becoming an expert in the company's software and financial operations. This expertise allowed her to command respect based on her contributions rather than her gender.
Key Takeaway: Confidence is built through competence. By deepening your industry knowledge and becoming a go-to resource for your team, you naturally command respect and build the resilience needed to navigate challenging dynamics.
The Strategic Value of Women in Leadership
Diversity in leadership is not just a "feel-good" initiative; it is a smart business strategy. Companies with diverse leadership teams are statistically shown to be more profitable and innovative. Beyond the bottom line, women bring distinct skill sets that are vital for the modern service industry.
During the panel, Burmeister highlighted the natural empathy many women bring to their roles. In customer service — a critical component of field services — empathy allows leaders to put themselves in the shoes of both the customer and the employee. This emotional intelligence leads to better conflict resolution, higher customer satisfaction, and improved employee retention.
"If you give [employees] that empathy and you sit and talk to them and figure out why their performance is slipping, I think that helps them as well," Burmeister noted.
From an operational standpoint, VerMulm pointed out that women often excel at detail-oriented tasks and communication. The ability to present complex data, reports and KPIs in a way that is clear and accessible is a superpower in industries that rely heavily on logistics and metrics.
Additionally, considering that women make approximately 80 percent of purchasing decisions in the household, having female leadership ensures that service design and marketing strategies align with the actual buyer.
The Role of Mentorship in Career Growth
Navigating a career path without a map can be difficult. While formal mentorship programs are valuable, the panelists agreed that mentorship doesn't always need to be structured or official; rather, it is about finding people you respect and learning from them.
"It’s okay if you don’t have a specific mentor," VerMulm stated. "But there is still an opportunity to find people to look up to and learn from." She emphasized looking for diverse mentors — male and female, veteran and younger — to gain different perspectives.
For Zickus, her mentor happened to be her boss, who guided her through a major company acquisition. This relationship provided a safe space to ask questions and learn the ropes of a new corporate culture.
How to find a mentor:
- Look for alignment: Find someone who communicates or leads in a way that you admire.
- Keep it casual: It doesn't require a formal contract. A simple coffee chat or asking to pick someone's brain is a great start.
- Seek diversity: Look for mentors outside your specific job function to broaden your understanding of the business.
Advocating for Ambition Without "Overstepping"
A common hurdle for young women in traditional environments is the fear that expressing ambition will be seen as aggressive or "overstepping." The panel’s advice was unanimous: make your intentions known, but back them up with work.
"If you want more, you ask for more, but you have to show that you should be getting more," Zickus advised. She shared an example of a new hire who explicitly stated her desire for growth during the interview and consistently reiterated it while delivering high-quality work.
The key is to frame ambition around growth and contribution rather than entitlement. Instead of simply asking for a promotion, ask, "What do I need to do to get to the next level?" This approach shows a commitment to personal development and company success.
Burmeister added that presenting solutions, not just problems, is a powerful way to demonstrate leadership potential. "Don’t just come to me with a problem, come to me with the problem and the solution," she said, noting that this mindset allows employees to naturally step into leadership roles.
What We Can Do Now to Support Women
Creating a more inclusive industry isn't solely the responsibility of HR departments; it requires daily actions from everyone. When asked what one thing people could do immediately to support women in field services, the panelists offered practical advice:
- Listen actively: Give women your full attention during meetings. Put down the phone, stop multitasking, and truly listen to their ideas.
- Empower and encourage: Women often feel they need to prove they belong. Managers should actively validate their female employees' strengths and ask, "What makes you feel like you can't do this, and how can we make it better?"
- Check your bias: Recognize that women in leadership may feel pressure to be "tough" to survive. Encourage positivity and celebrate strengths rather than nitpicking behaviors.
As the industry continues to evolve, the organizations that prioritize developing female leadership will find themselves better equipped to handle the challenges of the future. By fostering environments where women can thrive, field service companies can unlock new levels of innovation, efficiency and growth.
