For over 100 years, the 8th of March has marked what has come to be known as International Women’s Day. This has various meanings and significance – in some countries, it’s a day of protest, whilst in others it marks a celebration of accomplishments and serves to further promote gender equality.

To mark International Women’s Day 2022, some of Halmann Vella’s female employees weigh in on what the day means to them, reflecting on gender equality and sharing their personal experiences.

‘There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish’

First up is Catherine Chetcuti Stevens, Head of Human Resources.   

In her role, Catherine is responsible for developing and implementing HR policies and handling employee relations. This executive position has fingers in many pies and deals with resourcing, recruitment, payroll and employee wellbeing amongst others. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the role continued to evolve and Catherine has had to support vast changes to the way people work, as well as changes to priorities and a culture shift towards increased flexibility. 

“Halmann Vella is committed to providing an inclusive working environment where all employees are treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or age,” she says, and Catherine supports and drives this inclusive culture. 

On a lighter note, she is also involved in organising events intended to provide the team of 200 employees with an opportunity to meet in an informal environment.   

“Prior to my employment with Halmann Vella I held various positions in finance,” Catherine reveals. It was upon joining the group five years ago that she was encouraged by the then CEO to consider a career change, moving into Human Resources. “Despite the learning curve that was required, particularly in the early stages, this has been a decision that I have not regretted. The role has provided me with the opportunity to not only progress in my career but also to develop my people skills further. It gives me a huge amount of satisfaction to coach, mentor and support staff members,” she explains.  

Looking back on her career, Catherine reflects that, despite facing challenges on a daily basis – much like anyone else – fortunately, none have related directly to gender. “I have a strong character which helps me to overcome difficult circumstances and to face challenges when they arise,” she maintains. In fact, in this day and age, Catherine believes that “with the right will and dedication, I do not think that gender provides a barrier to top positions. This week I read this and I loved it: ‘There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish’.”  

Besides being a mum and having a career, Catherine is also one of Malta’s top long-distance runners.  This obviously requires long hours of training and commitment. She adds, “balancing my career and my family is not always easy. I wake up at 5am on a daily basis to get my training done before my boys get up for school and I head to work.  My husband, being a fine athlete himself, supports me fully with this and we help each other with keeping motivated.  I have taken part in several races, from 5Ks to full marathons, where I have placed in several of them. The full marathon distance being my favourite.  This year will be an interesting one, as I will be competing in the Half Marathon Des Sables.  This is a self-sufficient race in the desert where you will need to bring and carry your own personal food and equipment for four days, where I will cover 120kms.” Catherine adds: “People ask why I run – I run to feel complete, to feel alive, to feel happy and to feel free!” 

Reflecting on how International Women’s Day factors into this, the Head of HR describes the day as a celebration of the importance of gender equality. So much so, she notes, that “for me it’s just like any other day, hard work betrays none!”  

As for what women in senior positions in business can do to encourage more women to consider leading careers, Catherine believes that honesty and communication are key. “By being open about our own struggles, we encourage others to overcome their own hurdles and hopefully inspire motivation,” she asserts, concluding with some sage advice: “the best advice I was given was to work hard, be loyal and stay humble, and the advice I can give is to have faith in your abilities, keep marching on and never ever give up!” 

‘Do not be afraid and believe in yourself and your capabilities’

Next up is Engineer Rachel Micallef, Head of Supply Chain Management, who boasts over 20 years’ experience in the manufacturing industry.  

“Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to lead various prestigious local and foreign projects. Eight years ago, I joined Halmann Vella as a costing engineer. Following significant growth of the company and a greater appreciation for the industry, my role developed to Head of Supply Chain Management,” Rachel says, revealing that more recently, along with the day-to-day tasks of managing the supply chain, she has also been appointed as Project Manager for the implementation of a new ERP system for the Group.  

For Rachel, regardless of gender, there will always be obstacles and challenges. “I think the best way to overcome any adverse situation is to be positive, driven and to always take the high road. Never compromise your values. Typically, this will never be the path of least resistance, but it is what makes the reward more gratifying,” she confides. 

When it comes to STEM careers, Rachel believes that women do face greater obstacles simply based on the sheer proportion of men versus women in these fields. “Science, technology, engineering, and maths are traditionally considered to be predominantly male fields. Working in environments where these stereotypes exist make it more challenging for women to advance,” she laments, but is pleased to note that through education and awareness, girls are being encouraged to explore these fields and look to female role models.  

Describing International Women’s Day as “a day of solidarity and appreciation for women of all ages from all walks of life”, Rachel believes that this day should serve to highlight what should constantly be done all year round where women encourage and support each other to be better and pave the way for future generations.    

Moreover, she continues, “women in senior positions should be motivated to support other women in their professional and personal growth. Knowing you have genuine support and encouragement is crucial for anyone considering taking on more responsibility. It is most satisfying to witness women supporting each other and consequently growing and achieving great things.” 

Divulging the most important piece of career advice she’s been given, Rachel states, “to continue to strive to do your best in the face of adversity, don’t give up, stay assertive and always ask questions.” As for her own advice to young women, she maintains: “do not be afraid and believe in yourself and your capabilities. Learn to strike a balance between being strong and confident but not arrogant. Speak up for yourself.” 

‘We should raise awareness against gender biases and stereotyping’

As Assistant Sales Manager, Therese Grech assists in the day-to-day running of the marble and ceramics showroom. Apart from servicing clients, she coaches and provides guidance to the sales team whilst ensuring that the showroom is always well maintained. She also helps in maintaining and building a good working relationship with Halmann Vella’s key stakeholders. 

Having worked at Halmann Vella for 13 years, Therese says that the company has provided her with many opportunities to progress in her career since she joined at the age of 18. “I started off as a receptionist and shortly after was given the opportunity to be part of the sales team as a Sales Executive. Progressing further, I was promoted to Assistant Sales Manager.”  

Speaking of challenges faced throughout her career, specifically ones that relate directly to gender, Therese confides, “by default many associate the construction industry with men, thus sometimes I feel that my knowledge and opinions don’t carry the same weight as those of my male colleagues. However, such challenges motivate and challenge me to work harder towards achieving my goals, both personally and within a team.” 

Therese believes that gender biases and stereotyping continue to be common in the workplace, and these might affect females to get the well-deserved respect and opportunities to advance in their careers. “I believe that women have to work harder to prove themselves being capable in a male dominated sector,” she says. 

“I believe that women are strong and make extra efforts to achieve their daily targets. There’s no denying that working mums are masters at multi-tasking. I have to balance work, cooking, cleaning and a being mother of a seven-year-old daughter on a daily basis, other than keeping up with my personal commitments,” she continues, affirming that International Women’s Day should be celebrated by all to praise and appreciate the hard work women do. “I feel grateful that Halmann Vella offered me work flexibility and has supported me throughout these years.” 

COVID-19 has dramatically affected working mothers. The challenges over the past year have grown and the ‘double shift’ burden has increased.  

Commenting on what women in senior positions in business can do to encourage more women to consider leading careers, Therese suggests companies would do well to build more flexible and empathetic workplaces which nurture a culture of equal opportunities for working mothers to achieve their potential. 

“Throughout my career I have been given lots of advice by many individuals which led me to where I am today. I always keep in mind that whatever feedback I receive it can help me grow to become a better person,” she notes, going on to give her own advice to young women.  

“Cultivate perseverance – it is important to continue to persevere and develop so that you can reach your career goals. Be fully present and focused as if it was your own company. This will be noticed and it will be rewarded. Always remember to never give up!” 

‘Studies show that women-led companies are more prosperous than those led by men’

Architect Stefania Buhagiar’s journey with Halmann Vella started in July 2015 as a full-time architect and project manager on a design and build project of a privately owned, high-end office block project. Since then, her work has transitioned from working hand in hand with the Project Architect to design, detail and coordinate works to bringing their ideas to fruition and building them to great standards.  

The projects she has worked on are diverse, of great historical context and of monumental importance in Malta and Gozo, and have included the Auditorium for the Museum of Dun Gorg in Blata il-Bajda, high-end hotels such as Iniala Harbour House and Rosselli in Valletta and the recently commemorated Caravaggio Centre at the Co-Cathedral of St John. 

Working in a male dominated environment, Stefania admits that new sites can be quite challenging, especially when you are new to a client, the project, and its site personnel, so higher expectations from everyone involved tends to be a given. “In such circumstances more than others, women must show that they are assertive, capable of leading and taking decisions. Taking on a project with a sense of pride, giving your absolute best, staying humble and relating well to everyone around you is the key,” she maintains. 

Weighing in on whether women tend to face greater obstacles to reach top positions at work, Stefania admits, “unfortunately there is still this misconception in some workplaces that women shun top positions because they are emotional, or they can do without the stress and the inconveniences a top position brings along with it due to their family and social commitments.” 

“It is essential to balance a hectic workday with a nice run or a hike in the countryside. This helps keep the mind sane and the body agile. Since I joined the company I have managed to hike up to Everest Base camp, complete a ‘tough mudder’ race and run a few half marathons,” she adds. 

Stefania continues, “women can be just as assertive as men, take risks, run a company or head a team while juggling a million other things and be just as successful or even better than a male associate.”  

Affirming that such myths have to be dispelled, the architect reflects, “sure, there could be differences in the way men and women think, lead and take decisions, but such differences actually enrich the workplace. Women-led companies can be as prosperous as those led by men, and employees tend to perform better when led by females.” 

For Stefania, International Women’s Day is “a celebration of everything about being a woman. It is an appreciation towards all women who think with their hearts, listen with their minds, and speak volumes with their actions.” 

Divulging the most important piece of career advice she has received, Stefania shares, “you have made it on your own, you have already achieved much, keep believing in yourself, never stop learning and you can soar even higher.” 

As for her own advice to young women who may be struggling to progress in their career, she concludes: “Always believe in your abilities; obstacles are there to be overcome.”