Breaking Barriers : Women in Technology
Tech industry has been witnessing a paradigm shift with many women breaking barriers & marching towards their aspirations. Despite many programs, initiatives that are rolled out & the progress that is being made we, the women still face challenges that are based on gender bias, stereotyping, under-representation, unequal pay, inclusivity, favoritism etc.
As per the study conducted by a reputed organization, Women are still under-represented in technology space making up only 1/3rd of the global workforce in tech-related fields. This is one of the many reasons that encouraging women’s careers in technology is vital. This helps in creating better work environments when everyone in the ecosystem is considered and supported, the diverse perspectives lead to building innovative and effective solutions.
Stereotypes and Gender Bias:
Historically, women have been excluded from decision making, participating & recognition. The battle between stereotypes & gender bias has continued from ages. Thanks to the trailblazing women and strong allies who are set to make the change. In today’s era. we see women in all the ranks, fields & domains which essentially means that women is set to create new records, spot their mark and create legacy.
Under-representation:
Women representation in technical roles, executive roles & board room has been extremely low till date. Women tend to doubt their own abilities, fall off after certain point in their career & leave behind a very few women in higher roles. D&I initiatives contribute to establishing more equitable work environment by emphasizing and celebrating women’s achievements. Thus, inspiring the next generation women leaders. The visibility of women role models in tech space is important to all of us in challenging stereotypes and encouraging more women to pave their ways.
While we talk about under-representation, let me call out a few situations which I have encountered in my career:
* There were instances in recent past when I had some important meetings & we were only a few women leaders in the room. Hardly a few! Let’s ask ourselves why? and what are we doing to bring the change?
* I see a lot of women asking for platforms to build career, seek career advice but only 50% or less come forward to reap the benefit of it. This isnt fair, right?
* I see only few aggressive women leaders who set records, others compromise with the flexibility they have. why under playing?
These patterns need to be changed. It’s extremely important to have equal participation everywhere for our betterment & company’s too.
Fostering Diversity Initiatives:
Thanks to the organizations for diversity & inclusion initiatives fostering innovation, creativity & more equitable work environment. Amount of work that is happening in STEM space, organizations that run programs like hackathons/coding challenges, tech conferences, mentoring platforms & much more is commendable. Initiatives particularly designed to support women in technology are making strides in breaking down the barriers and enabling a more inclusive landscape.
Important advice for women who are passionate about building their career:
1) Continuous learning: This is the only way forward. Embrace diverse range of learning opportunities & focus on emerging tech to make your space.
2) Communication skill: It is an extremely important skill, do not overlook it.
3) Mentoring: Make use of mentoring platforms to seek career advice, share your values and have experience navigating challenges as a woman in tech. Remember — mentoring is fruitful when is it two-way. Put your energy into it.
4) Network: Having your own professional network is a must, create your network, participate / volunteer in tech events & maintain your contacts
5) Build your brand — curate a portfolio that showcases a wide range of projects, technical skills, analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and innovation. Be the person you want to be known as!
6) Be ready — equip yourself with right skills & be ready to take a leap when the opportunity knocks. Invest your energy in right things, in a right way.
Some of the success stories of the women I know of, who broke the barriers & built their career:
Let me begin with my own short story — there was a phase in my life when I got blessed with twins & I had to balance between life & career. Lot of people gave me their advice to take a break till kids grow up, but I wasn’t ready for that. For me, my career, my identity was also important. I stepped up being mentally strong to embrace both sides of the coin — life & career. Yes, after my twins happened, I resumed my work right after 4 months of delivery and there is no looking back since then. My career has been rewarding & of course challenges do exist. Who doesn’t have challenges? Its all about paving the way forward & build your own way. Agree?
Let me talk about another girl — Riya who is smart & brainy, graduated from the university with flying colors. She was supported by another woman (Diya) in the same family (not blood bonded though). Soon after her graduation, her family urged her with marriage proposals but both Riya & Diya were not happy with that. They went against the odds & stood by their decision to pursue Ph.D which was initially not welcomed by the family. But today it feels so good to share that Riya completed her Ph.D journey with many accolades in-terms of journal publishing, paper selection at international conferences, speaker opportunities etc. Riya over came the odds, broke the barriers & emerged as a strong person today.
Let me share about Shraddha now. Shraddha was an engineering manager who very diligently managed her team. She was working on a major project & that’s when she entered a phase where she was expecting a baby. With this fact known, she was wrapped with unconscious bias & stereotype by her male manager saying that you can’t deliver the project, your focus will be divided, it will be a stretch for you etc. Shraddha stood tall to the situations as she had committed to deliver & excel. She never gave up! She ran the race with laser focus & commitment despite the bias. Sensitization is extremely important for everyone in the ecosystem to value each other.
Conclusion:
Breaking barriers in the technological industry is a journey that requires resilience, persistence, and support. Through continuous learning, networking, mentorship, ally ship and advocacy we can build a better ecosystem that is supportive & safe.
We, women at Lean In Network WiTI pledge to create safe space for women & enable them to create their brand with the right help & support.
