Dozens of ESA staff and volunteers, from frontline firefighters and paramedics to administration staff and senior executives, will take part in a series of communication workshops run by Avril Henry, who has worked on gender matters with the Australian Defence Force, throughout February.

ESA Commissioner Dominic Lane said the initiative was part of a three-pronged strategy to draw more women to the agency, provide more opportunities for flexible work and promotion, and foster greater inclusion and acceptance of women.

The ACT's $160,000 Women in Emergency Services Strategy to attract more women to Canberra's emergency services was launched last year amid an investigation into bullying and sexism in the ACT Fire and Rescue Service.

Women make up 19 per cent of full-timers and 27 per cent of volunteers in the ESA, which takes in firefighters, paramedics and the State Emergency Services.

Ms Henry, who has advocated for greater numbers of women on boards and blind recruitment processes, said any organisational change around gender diversity and inclusion began with the senior leadership team.

"Women don't need fixing. Organisations need fixing. Policies need to be changed. Processes like recruitment and promotion need to be changed.

"What we need to do with women is create an environment where they are supported so they can put up their hands for jobs, for promotions and are comfortable speaking up when they are not treated appropriately.

"When we do that for women, we create a better workplace for men and women."

Commissioner Lane recognised the agency needed to maintain a diverse workforce to meet a slew of looming challenges posed by population growth, increased demand on services, an ageing population and climate change.

"It's important as we work together in emergencies, which we do very effectively, but as we look at our future strategic planning, and as we look at how we're going to recruit and retain more people, particularly women, that we've got the right sort of skills in people in place.

"And one of the key skills is communication."

"If we keep recruiting males and keep bringing them up through the system, then we won't actually change. Then how can I be adequately assured that we're in a position to protect the community in those extreme events?" he said.

Ms Henry said she'd received positive feedback from staff and volunteers from her first workshop, which focused on communication styles and active listening.

"What I want for these women is self-confidence, better use of language, better ways of dealing with conflict and higher levels of self-awareness."