Tech women require better job security. Top 10 ways to keep women in tech in the year 2023
The tech industry must put more effort into a variety of areas, from hiring and training to culture development for female tech workers, if they want to capitalise on the momentum of barrier breakers and the vigour of young women employees who are graduating with STEM degrees in record numbers.
The effect required to bring about long-lasting change for women in tech simply cannot be achieved by one or two well-intentioned initiatives. Here are 10 suggestions for how the tech sector and companies hiring IT talent may attract, retain, and develop more tech women so that you can start thinking and acting bigger.
1. Network Other Than Your Typical Candidates
In order to attract a varied pool of candidates, every company nowadays needs to expand its recruitment networks. Finding talent from the same set of colleges, talent boards, or neighbourhood associations is a common recruiting practise. But how many companies can claim that their tried-and-true methods of hiring produce excellent outcomes when it comes to supplying women candidates?
Investigate organisations, institutions, training facilities, and networking networks that emphasise women’s and BIPOC talent to diversify your sources. Ask staff members to offer occasions or resources that they believe could reach more women. Make sure the HR and recruitment staff are persistently inquisitive and adaptable while seeking out talent sources.
2. Motivate Business Decision-Makers And Leaders To Create More Diverse Networks
Recruitment is influenced by corporate executives who serve as the public face and spokesperson for your business. Candidates will be drawn to them because of the work they perform to raise the corporate profile through media appearances, publications, and speaking engagements. Your firm’s influencers can broaden and diversify the kind of applicants who learn about and seek out your company by supporting, adhering to, and joining groups and associations that promote women and other underrepresented talent pools.
3. Change Job Descriptions To Eliminate Gender Bias
You might be surprised to hear that job descriptions can be biased in their wording and organisation. Check to see if pronouns and job titles are gender-neutral. Even specifications found in job descriptions, such as majors, can convey bias. Find areas where extending the definitions of experience and education can allow the field to attract a more diversified talent pool.
4. Establish Mentoring And Training Programmes That Are Centred On Women
Women are underrepresented in the technological workforce, thus training and mentorship programmes that are tailored to their requirements may help to increase support for and appreciation of women’s career aspirations and capabilities. Encourage males to actively mentor or take on the role of a mentor for their female co-workers.
5. Look Out for Inadvertent Exclusion
Managers should be alerted if social or team-building events hosted by peer groups or teams exclude female or diverse employees. Since inviting a co-worker of the same gender can feel less complicated, this frequently occurs innocently and accidentally. But observe how things develop. Women and members of diverse teams lose out on the potential to interact if they aren’t included.
6. Amplify Communications Training
High levels of emotional intelligence or sophisticated soft skills in communication are not well known in the technology sector. A positive work environment can be achieved by providing all employees with effective communication training. This will lessen the possibility of harassment and misunderstandings while enhancing cooperation and understanding.
7. Give Each Participant a Chance to Speak
The truth is that not all managers are adept at seeing discrepancies in team interactions and collaboration, especially when deadlines are short and workloads are high. Attending meetings with other leaders can help them spot problems they otherwise might not. Are female co-workers interrupted more frequently than male ones? Are a select few individuals responding to all queries on behalf of the group? In meetings, do males tend to talk more and women tend to listen and take notes?
8. Champion Women’s Colleagues’ Achievements
Make sure the business and women are aware of the vital role they play in the success of the organisation. Showcase your appreciation for their efforts by recognising them with prizes and other forms of recognition that show the entire organisation how much you value women’s contributions.
9. Setting Measurable Goals for Women
The authors recommend businesses set quantifiable goals for increasing the diversity of their leadership team because it is obvious that having female role models in high positions is advantageous in a number of ways.
10. Supporting Both Parents to Be Parents
The maternity and paternity rules that an organisation has in place should be the first thing you check. The authors contend that in order for such policies to be successful, most parents must adopt them, with both men and women taking leave. Senior managers must set the bar high in order for this policy to be effective, just like with so many others.
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