The tech industry provides massive employment opportunities. However, it lags in gender equality. The industry needs to work more toward developing more women leaders. Lisa Sanders-Nakahara, head of global operations & people at Calyptia, discusses the steps the industry can take to develop women leaders.
Growing up in Northern California, I was surrounded by technology and its continual focus on creating new and innovative products. That dynamic atmosphere inspired me to pursue a career that improves the world and encourages others to pioneer their path.
I’m proud of my achievements in the tech industry, but a rewarding career seldom follows a straight path. And while women, in particular, have seen a lot of progress, it hasn’t been enough, nor has it come fast enough.
The tech industry is a global leader in providing work and employment opportunities but still lags behind gender equality. Women are still underrepresented and underpaid compared to their male colleagues. Today, according to BCG, women makeup 47% of the workforce in the United States but still hold less than 30%Opens a new window of leadership positions within the tech industry.
It is our job, as tech leaders, to continue to accelerate women in leadership positions, support each other, and bring more young women with us. There are no quick fixes to the industry, but there are steps we can take to expand the roster of female leaders within the industry, regain lost ground, and shrink the gender gap. But here are five places to begin.
Assess Your Organization and Make Changes
It is one thing to talk about gender diversity as a goal to work toward. Putting in the work as part of the corporate world is another. Look within your business and startup and see how diverse your teams are. If you need improvement, seek more female talent to join your company.Â
I’ve worked in people and operations for more than two decades in the tech sector. During that time, I learned that for organizations to realize their full potential, they need to elevate and magnify the talents of a diverse workforce. To do so requires commitment, resources, a bias toward action, and human-centered exponential leadership through empathy, humility, servant leadership, collaboration, a growth mindset, high EQ, and a heart for people. I have also learned to foster a culture that emphasizes inclusion and diversity — involving your team in creating such a culture builds space to discuss perspectives on diversity and stereotypical opinions they can avoid. So how does the culture in your business stack up? Are there concerns you need to address?Â
See More: How COVID-19 Is Impacting Women in Tech: Q&A With Nancy Wang, AWS
Familiarize Yourself With the Inequities Associated With a Mixed Economy
The pandemic dramatically accelerated the trend of companies permitting flexible work arrangements, and women have benefitted from this shift. Today, companies continue to incorporate flexible work arrangements, and fortunately, women enjoy those advantages. A survey conducted by FlexJobsOpens a new window found that 68% of women prefer to work remotely, and 80% of the respondents said they considered working a job perk remotely.
Historically, we have been forced to choose between advancing our careers or caregiving and tending to household responsibilities. This became more prominent during the pandemic. Fortunately, as businesses discovered that remote employees are just as productive as in-person employees, women were at the forefront of embracing the change.
Unfortunately, being amenable to flexible schedules is not enough to make women in the tech world successful. Between the two years from February 2020 to January 2022 (when flexible schedules were common), there were nearly 2 million fewer women in the labor force, according to the National Women’s Law Center reportOpens a new window .
The move can make the inequities worse if handled poorly. For example, in-person employees may be more visible to the management, getting more sponsorship opportunities. Leaders have to be intentional about enriching company culture for everyone. This could mean adjusting the workplace culture to ensure that women and remote workers are not underprivileged regarding job security, upward mobility, and pay. It could also mean companies emphasizing the continuing challenges of child care and parental leave to retain working women and help support their advancement.
Provide Opportunities to Upskill
The nature of the tech landscape is constant change. There are always innovations, concepts, and techniques. In an ever-changing sector, how can women be heard? The solution lies in becoming excellent at what they do.
As a leader within the sector, it is your job to be inclusive. You are responsible for connecting team members and colleagues wherever they are and creating opportunities for them to grow. Professional development has been notably lacking for women in tech. A survey by SkillsoftOpens a new window found that 32% of women within the industry do not have opportunities to develop, which is one of the significant challenges to pursuing a career in tech.
Fortunately, the hybrid economy provides a way out of this problem. In a remote-first world, women can take online courses and become certified, and they can upskill and accelerate or change their careers to access higher-paying and higher-level jobs.
See More: The Need for Reskilling and Upskilling in the Era of the Pandemic
Work to Bridge the Confidence Gap
It is not news that the tech industry is male-dominated. In such a world, women are more likely to experience imposter syndrome. Stereotypes and gender bias within tech are a real challenge. Women who will do well in the industry must learn confidence in their experiences, skills, and unique perspectives.
The National Bureau of Economic ResearchOpens a new window found that women underestimate their performance and abilities more than men. They are more likely to disqualify themselves for positions if they fall short of the full criteria. To break this cycle, we must embrace the fact that learning capacity is a strength — you may not have the skill, but you can learn it.
Allow For and Encourage Mentorship
Three out of four executives say mentoring has been critical to their career development. Few things are as empowering for the beginning professional in tech as having access to a professional network of tech workers. Such a network is necessary for the next generation of innovators. Mentorship allows women to gain visibility, social connection, and work opportunities. The idea is to prepare women for senior roles like you would prepare another talent within the organization.Â
Remember that mentorship is more than just having a formal set time to meet or a lunch every month. It is about having someone inspirational close to you who willingly invests in and collaborates with you.
Research has well established the benefits of diverse leadership. For example, recent research by McKinseyOpens a new window shows that having more diverse teams improves financial performance in teams and creates stronger teams over time. Yet the tech world is yet to embrace diversity fully. There is a glaring gender gap, and women are underrepresented at all levels in the corporate pipeline. As company leaders, we can begin driving lasting change and commit to advancing gender equality. We can embrace the fact that when we lift others, we all rise.
In addition to the company-wide and bottom-line benefits of having women in tech, when you help others, your life gains more purpose and meaning. You get absolute joy. You feel abundant when you give your heart in love and kindness and when you are generous with others. Your life feels rich with possibility.Â
Remember that leadership inspires others to believe in themselves, in the impossible, and improve. When your leadership serves others, you become someone of value. Everyone wins.
What steps have you taken to develop more women leaders in your organization? Share with us on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .
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