It is sadly a commonly acknowledged fact that women are underrepresented in the IT sector. According to an article by CIO “Women also face more barriers to promotion and career growth” where they reference a 2022 report by McKinsey finding that “only 86 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men across every industry, but when isolated for tech, that number drops to 52 women for every 100 men”. So, what can organisations do to try & implement strategies to empower women in their workforce & to create a more inclusive environment?
Address gender pay gaps
A very clear way of empowering women in tech is to close gender pay gaps. Organisations could take several steps in a genuine way to address this. Firstly, with transparency and accountability. This could be done by looking at the organisation’s figures and producing & making accessible to all an annual report on your organisations gender pay gap and then taking the necessary steps to eradicate this issue.
Equivalent benefits
Equal benefits are also something that organisations could review regarding inclusivity in organisations. For example, currently women tend to receive longer periods of time off work for maternity leave than their male colleagues do for paternity leave. This could possibly lead to organisations choosing to hire a male candidate over a female candidate, as they would be away from work for a shorter time should they become parents. Whereas, if male colleagues also received longer time off if they became parents this would not be a possible factor.
Have representation at all levels
It's quite simple our realities are often based on what we can see or what we know to be true. If women are represented across all sectors of IT at all levels it ceases to become an ideal or something to strive towards in the industry. It is just a fact, showing other women that it is possible, and thus paving the way for them to be able to follow.
Creating mentorship programmes
This can be very helpful in many organisations, particularly in sectors with underrepresentation. This can be a very clear way to show support and recognition for women in the tech industry. Particularly if there are not only female mentors involved in the programme.
Champion achievements
As described in Forbes “Tech leaders should not be shy about communicating to their colleagues throughout the company that reducing the gender gap is an important and shared business goal”. A part of this is to champion the achievements of all staff, including women, to make sure that they also get the recognition that is deserved, and receive the same opportunities, creating a more inclusive organisation.
Be aware of subconscious bias & exclusions
This can relate to a lot of things, such as the wording in job posts, or for example, social activities where only male colleagues are invited. Many times, this is done innocently, with no purposeful intention to exclude. However, whether intentional or unintentional, the consequences can be the same. Therefore, we all need to be more aware of any subconscious bias.
Empowering women in tech is not just a responsibility but a critical step towards a more innovative and inclusive industry. We all have a part to play in this transformation. Let’s create environments where women can thrive and lead. Join us in making a difference—share this post, start conversations, and implement these strategies in your organization. Together, we can close the gender gap and build a future where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed.
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