The fact that Susan Wojcicki leaving YouTube was a newsworthy event is bittersweet. After several years, it’s common for a CEO to move on, but women in top executive positions in technology companies are rare enough that any departure becomes significant. It was a notable loss of representation for all women in tech.
It was a tough environment for women like Susan, Ginni Rometty or Sheryl Sandberg when they started working in technology. Women were few and far between at tech companies, and they had to blaze a trail for themselves. They were fighting inertia and prejudices while being intelligent and good at their job. The phrase “dancing backward in high heels” comes to mind.
The good news is that there is less friction today for women in technology than when Susan or Sheryl entered the workforce. Women are starting to build momentum. Businesses know that diversity is crucial in growing their products, understanding customers, building a stable workforce and, ultimately, increasing profitability. Companies with a more diverse leadership team outperform companies with a less diverse leadership structure. As noted in the Women in the Workplace report, women in executive ranks have increased from ~25% in 2017 to ~30% in 2022.
Still, there’s work to be done – and who better to help advance the effort than our own women in technology! In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we asked several of our team members to share their thoughts on how we can all help to champion women in technology.
Join the trailblazers
“Equity happens when we individually champion the change.”
Elisabeth Embry, Lead Practitioner, Crosslake
How does a company increase momentum? By shifting from conceptual equality (the right to have a job) to equity (the ability to succeed, starting with equal footing). Tools such as bias training for recruiters and hiring managers, situational management training for managers or developing a coaching or mentoring program go a long way to creating an equitable workplace. But this change doesn’t have to come from the top and certainly doesn’t have to be a human resources initiative. Equity happens when we individually champion the change.
There are several ways to be a trailblazer of today. Get involved with organizations like Girls for Technology or STEM for Women. Offer to be a mentor or coach in your company. Provide insight and ideas to your company leadership team to balance the scales. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Embrace our differences
“We’re all better able to reach our full potential when treated as individuals.”
Jade O’Neil, Delivery Manager, Intechnica
Women aren’t a homogenous group, and we each face our own challenges. It’s all well and good to provide equal opportunities – but we need to recognize that everyone reaches those opportunities from a different position.
We’re all better able to reach our full potential when treated as individuals. Real champions for equity must help team members tackle their individual challenges and reach their professional goals through mentoring schemes, tailored personal development training, regular check-ins and great work-life balance.
In addition to gender discrimination, many women and non-binary people also experience prejudice because of their other identities. In order to truly embrace equity for women and non-binary people in technology, we also need to address these intersections and make sure that we’re working all year round to eliminate biases based on age, disability, gender identity, sexuality, race, religion, class, maternity and marital status.
“We must start exploring how we can shape our workplaces to accommodate and empower all women.”
Amy Dewar, Consultant, Intechnica
For me, championing equity for women in technology is about firstly recognizing the differences among women as a wider group. It is crucial to consider how those differences may lead to varying levels of access to technology whilst growing up – and later, access to jobs within the industry.
For example, many socioeconomically disadvantaged schools struggle to provide technology-enabled learning to their pupils due to under-funding. Young girls at these schools not only face the oft-cited barrier of technology being a traditionally male-dominated space, but the lack of access to technology also means they are not acquiring the relevant skills to later enter the industry. They may not even have basic awareness of technology as a viable career option. To address this digital divide, we could be working with schools to educate young people about the technology careers on offer and support initiatives and charities that help provide technology access to disadvantaged schools.
Socioeconomic background is just one example, however. We must acknowledge the many intersecting ways women are being excluded from the tech industry – be it on the grounds of race, sexuality, disability or gender identification – and start exploring how we can shape our workplaces to accommodate and empower all women.
Amplify our voices
“Make sure everyone in a meeting feels comfortable, has the space to speak, and understands that their opinion is valuable, even if they aren’t the loudest person in the room.”
Fiona Fairbairn, Consultant, Intechnica
As women in technology, we are in the unique position of having our own stories and experiences that we can use to help and encourage others at different stages of their careers.
There are lots of ways we can do this, such as the simple act of passing on skills to our colleagues, mentoring other women or attending and speaking at events. If our work environment is to be equitable, everyone should have the chance to speak and be heard. Sometimes this can be more difficult for women, even in a remote setting. So, one thing we can do in our everyday work lives is make sure everyone in a meeting feels comfortable, has the space to speak, and understands that their opinion is valuable, even if they aren’t the loudest person in the room.
Pave a path
“Having more women in senior roles within a tech business promotes a culture of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusivity.”
Stephanie Saphier, Consultant, Intechnica
We can support the advancement of women in technology by providing them with opportunities to build a wide array of skills, along with structured guidance on their professional development.
The most important thing for us to do is to insist on transparency and flexibility, from equal pay for equal work to flexible hours and childcare options. By doing so, women will have greater opportunities for professional development, whether they are mothers, career switchers or career starters.
A potential area for companies to explore is having in-house champions, a group of women in the business who actively discuss and promote potential development and training opportunities for women. Having more women in senior roles within a tech business promotes a culture of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusivity.
“Encourage women of all ages to be bold and ambitious in their careers and help pave the path for them to move up.”
Jenny Mills, Director, Client Relations, Crosslake
Women can sometimes disproportionately be asked to take on administrative tasks. This could be in the form of note taking, organizing events, or handling communications. Be mindful of assigning non-promotable tasks that are not aligned with a woman’s role. If these tasks fall outside of someone’s role, yet need to be done, equally disperse the responsibilities among men and women within the organization.
When assessing performance, determining bonuses and/or promotions – be cognizant of gender biases that may impact career advancement. Ensure fair and equal compensation among women and men – and if someone went above and beyond, reward that too!
Encourage women of all ages to be bold and ambitious in their careers and help pave the path for them to move up! The best ideas are born from diverse communities. “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” ― Serena Williams
Be a force for change
“A force for change begins with you. You can take small but critical steps to bring about change, exerting your personal power and influence on a day-to-day basis.”
Kiana Mohseni, Practitioner, Crosslake
For change to happen, we need sustained forces on a number of different levels. We need powerful influencers, we need inspirational change-makers, we need visionary law makers, and we need critical mass. A force for change begins with you. You can take small but critical steps to bring about change, exerting your personal power and influence on a day-to-day basis. I have three practical suggestions for you to consider:
- Call it out: If you ever witness discrimination, however seemingly trivial and small, call it out. Don’t witness in silence. Comment on your observation. Nothing may change at the time, but your voice will be heard.
- Build alliances: Build alliances to support you, and don’t get caught in isolation. Invest time and energy in creating a network of people around you, of colleagues, friends and family, who can give you support and advice. Seek out communities of like-minded people you can join. You are not on this journey alone.
- Ask for what you want: Do you want to work on that cool, interesting project at work? Do you want a raise? Ask for it! Make a case for why it is a fair ask. Engage in a conversation about how and when you can get what you are looking for, if not now.
These are steps along the path. Engage in them and if nothing else, you will feel more empowered. And that is a change in the making!
Remove barriers to success
“The only barrier to anyone working in tech should be their own aspirations.”
Dawn Sherwood, Chief Operating Officer, Intechnica
No one should be afraid to ask for help — whether it’s recognition for their role, flexible working options or help with their well-being. Regardless of gender, we need to work together to ensure that we are doing the best for everyone who works with us.
Understanding that we are all different and have individual needs is important, and ensuring that we provide the right working environment for everyone to feel safe and encouraged is key. The only barrier to anyone working in tech should be their own aspirations. If we as employers are making it difficult, then we need to recognize this and do something about it. We need to start the conversation so we can understand from our colleagues what issues they’re facing, and then work together to resolve them.
