Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

Throughout history, military organizations have been a male-dominated workplace. The Swedish Armed Forces claims that as a result of more enlisted females and a gender equal organization, its operational capability and efficiency increases. Furthermore, the UN Resolution 1325 also highlights the positive effects of women in both national and international operations.

The Swedish Armed Forces has yet to reach its desired end-state regarding women in the organization which is the issue from which the dissertation is based. The aim of this thesis has been to study the positive factors that makes women stay in the organization rather than to focus on the negative factors that make them retract. This focus is chosen to reach a deeper understanding of how an organization can develop into a more attractive workplace for women as a minority. 

The result of the thematic analysis, based on interviews of female seamen in the Swedish Armed Forces, shows that factors such as career opportunities, personal growth and education give the momentarily motivation to continue in the forces. Female colleagues and female mentorship along with the possibility to combine a career with the family life as a woman significantly affects and simplifies a woman’s working environment in a military organization.