Part 1: Expert Predictions On How The Tech Industry Can Better Support Women

For International Women’s Day, we collected industry expert predictions on how the tech industry can better support women.

 
As of 2022, women make up 28% of the tech industry workforce. Despite Tech being a lucrative and ambitious career, women continue to be underrepresented. Even more so if they are women of colour.

Diversity in the tech sector not only benefits women, but also allows employers to tap into a larger talent pool. However, to continue drawing talented women into the tech sector, we need to work together to ensure they are being supported by the industry as a whole. 

We asked a panel of women who work in tech to tell us how they think women can be better supported by the tech industry.

For more predictions, see part 2 here.
 

 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Lauren St. Amand, Managing Director & Head of Marketing at StarCompliance

 

 
“In recent years, the tech industry has made strides when it comes to creating job opportunities for women. However, companies can still struggle to retain the talent they’ve found if they don’t have career advancement tactics in place. Career advancement in tech is challenging; gender bias, gap in salaries, not giving women the opportunity to exhibit leadership qualities, or overlooking them for projects that could give them the visibility they need to succeed, can all be contributing factors.

“As a woman in technology for 3 decades, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact it can have when a woman is given a platform to grow and flourish. Companies who succeed at this foster an inclusive culture and initiate it from the top. It’s a mindset. They establish mentor programs, with both men and women sponsors to provide guidance and support.

“They hold all business leaders accountable and encourage their teams to consciously work together to quickly identify the gaps where standards need to be raised and then develop career growth plans for the female employees who do want the opportunity to climb the proverbial corporate ladder that has traditionally been reserved for their male counterparts.”
 

Daniela Morein Bar, Founder and CEO at Inspired Marketing

 

 
“The tech industry has progressed in promoting diversity and inclusion, but improvements can be made to support women and men with personal responsibilities. The industry can assist by facilitating flexible work arrangements – flexi hours, remote work options, and job-sharing opportunities. This gives employees a better work/life balance, without being penalized for prioritising family.

“Companies can offer mentorship programs for women. By pairing them with experienced mentors in the industry, they gain valuable guidance and support in advancing their careers, which is beneficial for women that face unique challenges.
Companies should recognize and address any biases that exist in their hiring and promotion processes. They should provide equal pay and promotions for men and women in similar positions, and offer opportunities for leadership and professional development programs that support the advancement of women.

“The tech industry plays a pivotal role in encouraging more women to pursue careers in technology and science by connecting with the community, i.e., volunteering at schools, hosting workshops or hackathons, and sponsoring scholarship programs for young women. By engaging with and inspiring young women at an early age, the industry encourages confidence and interest in tech and science, ultimately creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce.”
 

Rachael Greaves, Co-Founder and CEO at Castlepoint Systems

 

 
“As a female founder of a majority-female Artificial Intelligence company, I have first-hand experience of what supporting women can look like. For our part, it starts with values. We set our values of ethics, integrity, and diligence early on, and they became part of our recruitment philosophy, and are built-in to the way we operate.

“We hire men and women who demonstrate our values. Having a check against values, not just years of experience and certifications on a resume, has meant we have kept our culture strong and supportive. We don’t hire people who will treat others poorly. We hire the best people for the job, without ever damaging our workplace harmony.

“We also hire for the value of diligence – ‘hard work’. This means, when we are working, we are working hard. We have a sense of urgency and very high standards. And we balance this with full flexibility – all our staff choose when and where they work. Men and women both are supported to balance caring responsibilities with work and leisure. We are a feminist company, and a key part of that is supporting men to have an active role at home.

“Supporting women at work means supporting men outside of work. Until we have equity in men’s share of caregiving, volunteering, housekeeping, and managing the mental load, women will never have equity in the workplace. A strong culture with consistent values is the way to keep our eye always on this goal, and keep sense checking all our company decisions against it.”
 

Hayley McCarthy, Co-Founder at Skiller Whale

 

 
“Improvements to interview practices have done their bit in increasing the diversity of workforces in tech, bringing more women into a historically male industry. However, where we’ve fallen down is on inclusivity – enabling those folks to thrive and grow to the most senior roles. A large part of that is around learning.

“Software engineering has historically been an industry of hobbyists, who are more than happy to learn in their spare time, for which they’re rewarded at work. The unfortunate reality is that women are far more likely than men to have caregiving responsibilities out of work, so the opportunities for learning and career growth must happen within the work day if we really want to create a level playing field and stop being part of the problem.

“We need to stop ignoring the fact that nearly half of working-age women are providing an average of 45 hours of unpaid care every week, while 25% of men provide 17 hours.”
 

Grace He, People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com

 

 
“One way the tech industry can better support women is by actively creating and sustaining a culture based on respect. This includes fostering an environment where each individual’s unique perspective is valued, regardless of gender or otherwise.

“Additionally, the industry should invest in executive coaching programs that are designed to help those in leadership roles address unconscious bias issues. Furthermore, organizations should work toward setting tracking metrics for successes and failures related to finding, retaining and promoting women executives.

“Allowing women greater access to these opportunities will help drive meaningful change within the industry while simultaneously helping create a more diverse marketable talent pool.
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Alina Veselaya, Brand and Marketing Strategist For Start-Ups

 

 
“Over the last 5 years, I have been working in and advising early-stage tech start-ups. I can only count a couple of examples – or maximum, on the fingers of one hand – how many women out of 35+ projects in my practice have been on the founding team. The underrepresentation is massive, and at the early star-up stage, it feels even more dangerous.

“Without having an HR, not to mention D&I initiatives that only come when a business becomes more established, male founders often fail to recognise what’s wrong with how they communicate, recruit, plan remuneration, and build products.

“For example, they might include “a sports car test drive” as a perk when advertising a job for a Sales Executive. I am a woman and I like cars, but I can’t help feeling that I’m not exactly the candidate they are looking for.

“Or a four-man team could be asking my marketing advice on a dating app they’re developing. With the advice on the product, I suggested they should find a woman to join their team, too.

“This is the best thing that any tech start-up can do to support women – putting an effort into diversifying their team with women, early enough on their business and product journey. So that more women in tech can initially relate to how their businesses talk, operate and make decisions – and more women can then make an impact on the tech industry as a whole.

“How? An easy and obvious answer would be to start with self-work. Put time aside to raise awareness around the issue of underrepresentation and bias. Understand why the mention of a sports car test drive might be a sign of boyish culture, that will drive women as a wide proportion of prospective candidates away. And why, most importantly, founders might be losing on this opportunity big time.

“But fighting their own ignorance is also a difficult and unlikely choice for many, especially when product-market fit, fundraising and other pressing things are all they can think about. My therapist always says that responsibility lies with one who better knows the subject in question.

“So to all men, who have grown their business and audience, please leverage your social platform to appeal to early start-up founders. Wild stories of getting your first deal or shipping a product surrounded by pizza boxes are fun and inspiring. But can they also be useful?”
 

Nada Ali Redha, Founder at Plim

 

 
“Whilst I believe attitudes towards gender diversity in the tech industry have changed and its becoming easier, there is still a major factor which I believe needs to change and this is regarding investors. I believe it to be a harder sell for a woman to an investor. Unfortunately investors still fall into the stereotyping category and this can be one of the main challenges for women in tech start ups, I have found this speaking from my own personal experience.

“Whilst we are making slow and steady progress in the right direction in my opinion there are many changes needed within the industry. I would like to see more Chief Technology Officers in multinationals as I think this wound positively impact the industry and gender equality. There are a number of ways in which businesses can help close this gap, such as having a quota of female developers in tech teams within companies. Also to have female angles on tech products is a great start. Femtech is a great example of this and paving the way for change.

“We also need to have more incentives in job security and packages for women in tech. As a woman in the industry I admire other women that too are trailblazing in this male dominated industry as we can lead by example. The responsibility for gender equality lies with everyone and with improvements and changes I believe that it can eventually be achieved.”
 

Kate Usher, Menopause Coach And Gender Equity Consultant

 

 
“Let’s this IWD talk about Menopause…I know. Its being talked about a lot – but that is a good thing! We have a social perception that menopause occurs somewhere close to retirement, way down the track. Historically it has also been treated as purely a woman’s thing, spoken about in hushed tones, in the shadows. Certainly not in front of male colleagues. For those of us that leave, they take their experience, knowledge, and connectivity. The investment made in training and developing that individual is lost, as is the ability to mentor and support those joining or rising up through the ranks.

“So, how can we approach this differently? Raising awareness for yourself and your colleagues. Listening to what is said by colleagues, customers, and women themselves. This will reveal whether you truly have an inclusive culture.

“Stop banter in its tracks. If you hear inappropriate comments being made about others and menopause, be an ally and make it clear that it’s neither acceptable or appropriate.

“What support could be offered – what gestures make it meaningful? Access to cold drinking water, free sanitary ware, consideration of flexible working conditions and help with prescription charges where applicable, can help women feel heard and listened to.

“If it’s you that’s menopausal think about the support, you need and how you talk about your menopause – learn to talk about it with confidence.

“It really is time to change the way we approach both menopause and those who are experiencing it. Women post menopause are a force to be reconned with. Our businesses and economy need the contribution we bring, it really is that simple.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Marie Manadise, Front End Team Lead at Studio 24

 

 
“It’s OK to code and be a mother (at least at Studio 24!)

“I never could find a research paper that demonstrates a causal link between carrying two X chromosomes and the inability to code. Yet according to the Stackoverflow 2020 developer survey fewer than 8% of professional developers are women.
You know the stereotype: the mother who arrives late and disheveled after the school run; needs to interrupt a day of work to pick up the little one who developed a temperature… how can she possibly compete?

“Well, I am that stereotype. I embody it. Proudly so! Studio 24 has been instrumental in developing my confidence as a working mother. They hired me when I was 4-months pregnant with my first child (and yes, I had told them). This, to me, set the tone: this is a place that is not scared of mothers.

“They allowed me to work part-time when transitioning back to work. I went on two 6-month long maternity leaves (the duration of which I decided – I could have taken more). Despite all the holiday requests, sudden rushes to the nursery, and other re-thinking of my working hours, I keep being put on important, demanding assignments. My career is progressing nicely. To all the girls out there. Coding is fun. Never let stereotypes keep you away from your fun.”
 

Amelie Arras, Marketing Director at Zumo

 

 
“There’s so much more the tech industry, and particularly the burgeoning fintech sector, can do to properly support ambitious women. Here are five points I would urge industry leaders to carefully consider.

“Promote thought leadership. Stop inviting women to talk about what can be done to better support women, and instead start inviting them to contribute more to thought leadership projects about their area of expertise.

Establish mentorship programmes. I have personally benefitted hugely from mentors in my career, both male and female. Having someone to bounce ideas and concerns off is very helpful.

“Have a fund dedicated to supporting career progression. Whether it’s at company level or industry level, having a dedicated pot of money set aside to fund coaching, courses and professional qualifications is crucial.

A genuine focus on work/life balance. Modern companies must have the right policies in place to ensure women can have children without harming their prospects of career progression. This includes an appropriate set-up to support single parents.

Call out bad behaviours. Whether in the office, online or at work events, we’re still seeing too much inappropriate behaviour directed at women. Companies, and leaders in particular, need to get better at addressing it.”
 

Azra Jivraj, School Director at Logiscool UK Online

 

 
“As we approach International Women’s Day I think it is vital that we look at how the world of tech and how women can be better supported. As the founder of an organisation that promotes digital literacy in kids I am passionate that all kids and young adults have the opportunities to learn and be part of the tech world, and this includes girls.

“From access to education, career advice and university courses, to clear career signposting, the tech world can offer so much to women across the board. Support with the interview process, CV advice, mentoring and coaching can all be part of that offering as well as policies around maternity leave and returner support. Women have so much to offer the tech space and the right talent can be nurtured if the correct support is in place.

“Educators & tech employers should discuss the advantages of working in tech or franchising in the edu-tech world as this will enable women to make an informed decision about their career paths; this will inspire change and play an important role in achieving equal representation in the sector.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Minna Chen, Head of Marketing at Duty Refunds

 

 
“It’s common in tech, especially in start-ups for the first hires to be male. My own experience was that I was the only woman present during manager meetings in my most recent roles. Hiring women into leadership positions ensures your business has a diverse foundation before you start to grow, which can bring out more varied business ideas and cultures.

“As a Chinese immigrant woman in tech leadership, I have a lot to offer in terms of culture and experiences and no doubt other start-ups could be missing out on a wealth of expertise by not bringing women into the senior team sooner. It’s also about being supportive and considering what diverse benefits you can offer. Most tech companies offer WFH, unlimited holiday and mental health benefits which are great starting points, but consider benefits that can support female employees such as maternity leave, or flexible hours to support childcare responsibilities.

“Finally, consider if you can offer tailored personal development. Men and women have different skill sets, getting the best out of both means tailoring training and offering a personal development budget.”
 

Leanne Holder, CEO at Giving To Services

 

 
“I believe that one of the best ways to better support women would be to further highlight the opportunities that are available to us women. I rarely see opportunities that are aimed at women despite heavy searches so tech companies should shout about these more.

“For example, if there are conferences that require speakers then get an open invitation out on Twitter and ask people to RT. Alternatively, sending event invitations via email to select women and asking them to pass the invite on is another example.

“Using women within the industry to support other women in the industry is an extremely efficient way to open opportunities along a network of enthusiastic opportunity sharers.

“Furthermore, increasing the funding for women-led businesses through access to grants or investment to ensure we are gaining the same opportunity as our male counterparts is a huge step in supporting women.

“Finally, ensuring gender equality within pay and role promotions is one of the largest things the industry can do to support women. Event invites are wonderful and can be so useful, but equal pay is what will make the difference in retaining women within the industry.”
 

Seema Kumar, Chief People Officer at Amperity

 

 
“It’s a fact that women are underrepresented in the tech industry. Many industry leaders recognise the problem and are making efforts to educate on unconscious bias, develop a support network for women, recruit women in leadership roles, amplify women’s achievements and sponsor women across the organisation. However, there is still a long way to go, and these efforts must continue and accelerate to make a change for future generations.

“Additionally, it’s now expected practice for companies to advocate and advance pay equity, standardising promotion processes for early tenure and providing flexibility in the workplace.

“Alongside these practices, to build a diverse talent pipeline, the tech sector will also need to have much more proactive engagement and outreach in the broader community, starting at the middle and high school level. Additionally, tech leaders will need to recruit across diverse sectors to encourage, build and grow young female/diverse talent.

“Lastly, a broad range of tech products often get pitched to decision-makers in the company, most of whom we know are male based on stats. The tech sector could play a major role in promoting diversity and inclusion by making a concerted effort to include female leadership, their perspectives and voices in the decision-making process to help tailor pitches that resonate with a diverse audience.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Olivia DeRamus, Founder and Creator at Communia

 

 
“I have lost count of how often I’ve heard, “We need more women in tech.” But there are already many talented women in tech, even if it’s still a male-dominated field. Unfortunately, a large fraction of those women experience harassment and discrimination on a regular basis.

“We need men in tech to take an active role in promoting gender equity and to be our allies. When hiring new staff, ask yourself whether women applicants are being assessed the same as men. If you see harassment in the workplace, say something. If you see women being left out of key conversations and opportunities, invite them into those discussions. Whatever role you play in the industry – whether you’re a developer, C-suite exec, or an investor – there are many ways you can help create an equitable work environment.

“Check your bias, pass the mic, and take seriously a woman’s point of view and experiences – even if you have a hard time understanding them. If you’re an investor, ask yourself why so few women are receiving funding, and whether your firm is doing anything to change that. Women only received 1.9% of venture capital this year – and to sum up a nuanced issue very briefly – mostly because we just aren’t taken as seriously as our male counterparts. Ultimately, gender discrimination is a loss for everyone in the tech industry.”
 

Catharina Eklof, CCO at IDEX Biometrics

 

 
“Currently, women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) roles. In order to grow these industries, we must ensure equal representation and diversity. Biometrics is just one example of a sector that can benefit from a more inclusive workforce.

“Biometrics is a field underpinned by a wide span of technologies including system engineering, custom ASIC, sensor development, and cryptology. The biometrics industry requires the creativity and collaborative power of every possible diverse mind and personality. Everyone has a unique background experience and perspective. Problems are solved faster and more elegantly when everyone approaches a problem in a different way. Attracting a diverse talent pool to the industry, therefore, will not only help strengthen it but also deliver future growth.

“As a woman in an executive role in a heavily male-dominated industry, I am in a privileged position to act as a bridge for women who are interested in biometrics but may feel that the industry is too specialised. At IDEX Biometrics, we are focused on connecting a very powerful technology with use cases that have real meaning and can make a true difference for millions of people – and that is a mission that needs strong collaboration.

“IDEX Biometric is a firm believer in the importance of promoting inclusion. This means offering financial education and developing solutions that foster an inclusive environment for those of diverse backgrounds or for those who would otherwise be financially excluded. Biometric payment cards and offline wallets (digital wallets that is stored on a platform not linked to the cloud or internet) are concrete solutions to supporting financial inclusion around the globe by providing simple and secure authentication to all.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Jo Bertram, Managing Director of Business and Wholesale, Virgin Media O2

 

 
“It is estimated that it will take another 132 years for the global gender gap to close. As a mother of two girls and a woman in leadership, this figure motivates me to effect change. For the brilliant women I work with. For my daughters. And for the future generations of women to come.

“This International Women’s Day should serve as a reminder for businesses to set goals and drive real progress to #EmbraceEquity. From increasing representation for women in leadership and decision-making roles to investing in mentorship and support resources, businesses and individuals alike have an important role to play in helping to close the gender divide. We need to tackle intersectional issues to identify and eliminate barriers so that we can ensure inclusivity for women from all backgrounds and circumstances. When we #EmbraceEquity, we ensure all women are accounted for when we create policies and push for change.

“So, I ask that women and allies alike come together to engage in conversations and enact action throughout the year. We can’t wait 132 years for gender equity. Let’s accelerate the pace of change and create an inclusive environment where everyone can be their authentic selves – today and every day.
 

Laura Valerio, Principle Consultant EMEA at Highspot

 

 
“As women, we sometimes think we have to prove our value and with this, we often limit ourselves instead of publicly setting aspirational goals. We rarely discuss our career journeys or how we got to where we are, and without this openness, we’re all in the dark. We should be vocalising what held us back, the challenges, but also what motivated us to continue to grow and become the person we are today. We can now amplify awareness through technology and give guidance to many more people in similar situations.

“In my career, I‘ve been mentoring and I also have mentors myself that I learn a lot from. Technology helps me to connect to the right mentor at the right time, all over the world: anytime I need support, advice or just an ally for a boost in confidence. Technology can be a talent accelerator.

“As women, we need to remove the glass ceiling we sometimes put on top of our heads and think “Why can’t I have both a rewarding career and a fulfilling personal life?” I had both. I was pregnant, I had my daughter, and when she was three months old, I was offered an opportunity and I took it!

“Is it easy? No. But I think it’s important to follow your aspirations regardless because a happy mum is better than a very unhappy person.”
 

Janine Subgang, MD at ThursDAO

 

 
“Actively mentor women. I see so many men randomly picking up their protégés at a networking event. One too many beers in, and somehow you’ve found a liking to this guy. And now you’re helping him with way more free advice than you should. I don’t judge it, but if you want to change something in this industry, actively look for women too. As a woman, I wish so many times I’d be invited to these casual after-hours.

“But oftentimes, I’m not even on anyone’s mind. It’s not that they actively want to exclude us, it’s just that they don’t think of including us. Subconscious bias at its best.

“Give speaking rooms to women. Some networking event, some business dinner, it doesn’t really matter, it normally works the same: I’m perfectly able to hold an engaging and active conversation, as long as it’s one-to-one. The moment there is a male-to-male conversation, everyone seems to forget women exist. It’s getting hard to get a word in.

“Even if I have the audacity to interrupt, people will speak above me, ignore it, or simply move back. A male colleague was having none of this and set an example by making room for my voice with phrases like “I want to go back to what her point was” and “Sorry, I interrupted you, what were you saying?” They really make a difference. They include women AND they lead by example to other men.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Evoléna de Wilde d’Estmael, Co-Founder & CEO at Faircado

 

 
“What the tech industry can do to better support women? First, paying women equally as their male colleagues for the same work, to bridge the gender pay gap. Second, being flexible and providing opportunities for career advancement, mentorship programs, and reduced work arrangements that can accommodate the needs of working mothers (and fathers as well, to make sure they get a chance to be equally involved).

“Last but not least, hiring more women! And not only in marketing or HR, but also in technical and leadership positions. Diversity at all levels is a key success factor for a striving society.”
 

Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Chief Strategy Officer at Antavo

 

 
“Hire more women into leadership positions! I am a technology founder with a marketing technology software and I spend a lot of time in senior level meetings. These calls can often have up to 15 people, and usually, I’m the only woman.

“I can’t understand how this is still the case in 2023! I’ve heard the argument that men may be more qualified at this level, but I could not disagree more. Antavo’s most successful salesperson is now our Chief Sales Officer and a woman. In fact, our Customer Success, Marketing, and Partnership leads are all women and they are the hungriest, ambitious and most qualified people that I know.

“I’d ask male founders and leaders. Get out of your comfort zone, bring in and nurture more women into your leadership teams.”
 

Emanuela Zaccone, Senior Product Manager at Sysdig

 

 
“Tech has no gender. Anyone can learn programming, product management or communication.

“But try asking anyone how they imagine people in the tech industry and chances are, you’ll get the description of a male developer. The numbers demonstrate that less than 30% of women make up the tech industry workforce. What can we all do to change this?

“Tell, authentically: being a former tech startup co-founder and now a Senior Product Manager, I frequently encounter men who are surprised by my roles. We need to continue to highlight women in tech so we can change the perception. Real life is way more powerful than theories about how it should be.

“Be open: I know of women who are unequally paid. Women should be transparent with eachother and pull eachother up!
Representation is different from concession: quotas are an alibi. I want to be on a stage or a panel because what I tell matters, not to flag someone’s checklist. Pick women for the topics they talk about, for the different points of view we bring, not for quotas.

“Variety is cool: tech is not just software development. Like men, women might cover different areas, from product management to design, analytics, data science and more. Let’s show how many possible paths are there in the industry.

“We are all owners of this task.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Deepa Kuppuswamy, Information Security Architect at ManageEngine

 

 
“To the women out there, I would say self-assurance, a tenacious attitude, and continuous upskilling can help you reach the top positions. As a society, we have gained ground and women have more opportunities now than ever before. One particular challenge we are facing is the mid-level block. There is a significant representation of women in lower-level positions, but at mid-level, recruiting and retaining talent becomes tough.

“This translates into a lack of representation at a senior level, with women seeing limited opportunities to rise the ranks. Family responsibilities remain a challenge for many women, with social expectations and unconscious gender bias making the transition even more difficult. When it comes to how the tech industry can better support women, adopting a flexible working policy, encouraging women to voice their opinions as equals and creating a network of mentors of all genders will improve personal development and increase representation at a senior level.

“When the work culture provides this flexibility and employee welfare, through workplace safety and support, childcare facilities, and equal recognition of good work, it goes a long way in enabling women to flourish in their careers. I’m excited to see how the industry evolves and continues to support women in the future.”
 

Sarah Friswell, CEO at Red Ant

 

 
“Motivating women to join and stay in the tech industry is proving too big a challenge for many leaders of STEM organisations; perhaps holding their businesses – and innovation – back as a result.

“We need all students to understand what science and technology careers really involve to change outdated perceptions and motivate more girls to join us. At the end of the day, science and technology is problem solving and it’s fun, that’s why 59% of Red Ant’s team is female and how we know that women love working in tech.

“As a female CEO and a founding member of UK Chief, the private membership network for women executive leaders, I believe that we can only claim real progress is being made in this area when:

“More women in STEM careers share their experiences to show what’s possible More businesses connect with their local schools, offering workshops to inspire students and more leaders design working experiences that work for women, which means true flexibility and progression.

“Businesses that connect at a grass roots, school level as well as driving inclusion and diversity programmes right from c-suite level will be the gamechangers.”
 

Aysun Ahi, Chief People Officer at OpenPayd

 

 
“Tech is about progress. It’s an industry that disrupts, that insists on not only new ways of doing, but new ways of thinking. Yet when it comes to diversity and inclusion, tech is still in the past. Women are underrepresented across the workforce and just 5% of tech leadership positions are held by women.

“Tech leaders often say that they’d like to increase diversity, but they don’t receive nearly as many female applicants. If we value what diversity can offer, we must break this loop. Leadership can be the biggest drivers of positive change here. Recently OpenPayd ran a poll with our female employees to find out what helped them most in their careers. The top factor was sponsorship from senior leaders. 35% of my colleagues said that was the key factor making an impact on their career – the largest by far.

“Clearly, senior leaders should be investing in female talent as early as possible through training and mentorship to make sure they have every opportunity to advance their careers. Over time, more and more women will fill senior ranks, empowering more women to follow and putting to rest any notion that there aren’t enough women to take on senior roles.”
 

For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.

 

Clare Stephens, VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at NTT DATA UK&I

 

 
“There are many ways for the tech industry to better support women, at all levels. Role modelling, for starters, is a fantastic way to encourage younger generations of women to step out of gender restraints that ‘tell’ them what they can or can’t do. The opportunity to see women happy and successful in professional positions proves that they too can be successful in those positions. People need to see someone who represents them in front of them and next to them to feel inspired, motivated and supported.

“Tech companies don’t have to wait to start supporting women in tech once they actually join the industry, they can start supporting much earlier such as in primary schools. By funding STEM programs, introducing internships and volunteer positions, and other opportunities for exposure to tech, they are already helping younger generations of women see that tech and women go together, instilling confidence early on.

“Taking advantage of opportunities to amplify women internally and externally is another way to encourage the participation of women across the tech industry. This could mean spotlighting female employees on social media, putting them forward for media opportunities or extending invitations to company and industry-wide conversations, especially in an industry where women’s voices have traditionally been quieter.

“It’s important to remember that it isn’t the sole responsibility of women to take action in supporting their female counterparts and propelling them forward – it is on co-workers and companies to play their part too. Implementing initiatives and programs to encourage women on their professional journeys not only creates a better working environment for all, but will also increase revenue.”
 

Navi Sharma, Data Engineer at WOLF

 

 
“The tech industry has the potential to be a great place for women to build exciting careers and make a real impact. By taking steps to better support women, companies can help to create a more diverse and inclusive industry that benefits everyone.

“This industry is an exciting field that highly values creativity and problem-solving skills, and where talented individuals can make a real impact. As with any other industry, it’s important to ensure that the tech industry is inclusive and welcoming to everyone, including women.

“To better support women in tech, companies can take several steps. First and foremost, they can provide excellent training opportunities that help women develop the skills they need to thrive in the industry. This includes both technical skills and soft skills like leadership and communication.

“Organisations can also promote transparency in their decision-making processes, making sure that everyone has a voice and that women’s contributions are valued. This can help to address unconscious biases and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

“Another important step is to create a supportive culture that encourages women to succeed. This can include flexible work arrangements, mentorship and networking opportunities, and support for work-life balance. By fostering a culture that values and supports women, companies can help to attract and retain top talent and promote diversity in the industry.”
 

Laura Kankaala, Threat Intelligence Lead at F-Secure

 

 
“The tech industry has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to better diversity and supporting women is a huge part of that. I believe the change needs to happen in multiple fronts. We need to change how people perceive working in IT – it’s not about sitting alone, quietly typing away at your computer. Neither is it an industry that is overtly masculine. The first developers and programmers were women.

“It’s so important to support women with their careers in IT and encourage them to consider this industry. To do that, we must eradicate the discrimination that women may face when it comes to salaries and career growth in tech. We must stand up for female colleagues who experience discrimination or harassment of any sort and show that it is not acceptable.

“The IT industry is a fascinating sector to be part of. It has many fields within it that offer exciting career pathways and we must actively encourage the pool of female talent that the world has to offer, to come and be part of it. I personally work in cyber security, which is just a small section of IT industry as a whole, and I absolutely love it!”

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Natalie Cramp, CEO at Profusion

 

 
“The first step is to start really listening to women in the industry. There’s plenty of talk about diversity, but in many instances the conversation is dominated by men. I know more often than not their intentions are good, but change will only happen if they stop talking for a moment and listen to what women who actually experience the industry say needs to happen.

“There’s a huge amount of gatekeeping in the tech industry. Many hiring decisions are biased towards particular technical qualifications, backgrounds or coding languages. Tech founders should hire for transferable skills and teach the tech or data knowledge required. We’ve taken this approach at Profusion and now women make up the majority of our senior team – something that is very rare in the data industry.

“Also, offer part-time roles, women do the majority of the childcare statistically and often don’t move roles because they worry they can’t secure part-time or job share arrangements elsewhere – offer this from the start and it will set you apart from competitors.

“Ultimately the tech industry can play a much bigger role in tackling one of the root causes of underrepresentation – the lack of women studying STEM. The stats haven’t changed enough in the past few years, so it’s clear more must be done. Research shows gender stereotypes are formed as young as seven, the net result seems to be that when young girls get to secondary school many are locked into a path that precludes a huge number of career choices.

“The tech industry can and should help break this cycle by educating young people, teachers and parents on all the possibilities and benefits of STEM careers, addressing stereotypes and providing work inspiration and experience opportunities.”
 

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