In the fast-paced world of technology, women continue to face unique challenges that can hinder industry advancement and retention. Recently, two of Imarc’s female leaders, Katie Desmond and Maribeth Fitzpatrick, had the opportunity to attend an MTLC workshop: Strategies to Retain Women in Tech Roles to learn valuable approaches.
The interactive session kicked off with keynote speaker, Addie Swartz of reacHIRE who shed light on the challenges women in tech face and offered key solutions for addressing them. From tackling isolation to combating unconscious bias, Swartz's insights provided a great launching point for our session. Together we brainstormed ways that we can all encourage inclusivity and empower women in tech. In our recap, we'll review highlights of her keynote and the key takeaways for building a more supportive and diverse tech community.
Identifying the challenges
The session began by discussing three primary challenges women face in the tech industry: isolation, unconscious bias, and a lack of role models.
Shockingly, we learned that more than half of women in tech leave the industry by age 35 due to these barriers. Furthermore, research from PEW indicates that 50% of women have experienced discrimination based on their gender. Additionally, the absence of visible role models further amplifies the problem. As Swartz emphasized, "You can't be it if you can't see it."
The importance of diversity and inclusion
Referencing the McKinsey Lean In Report, it emphasized the critical need for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We discussed the concept of the "broken rung" at the bottom of the career ladder, blocking women's progress and perpetuating gender disparities. Other statistics shared during the session were that inclusive teams are 35% more productive and diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time.
Key solutions: Empathy and design thinking
The workshop proposed key solutions to these challenges centered around support, skill development, and a holistic approach. The session embraced design thinking, which starts with understanding the needs of individuals through personas. By focusing on human needs, teams can generate better ideas and solutions. It stressed the importance of diverse perspectives, noting that sometimes the best way to learn is through making mistakes.
Design thinking session
One of the key strategies noted was the importance of retaining female talent through empathy and understanding. Attendees focused on the significance of creating a work-life rhythm that accommodates the needs of women at different stages of their careers. It was stressed the importance of recognizing and addressing these needs through empathetic leadership and support.
"When I started at Imarc, I was the only female developer but to be honest I never noticed. All of the other developers were always kind and willing to help me when needed. I was hired fresh out of college where I was also the only female in my class for computer science, so I was exposed to it there as well. When I joined Imarc, I immediately felt like a part of the team and I was excited to learn, contribute to the company, and advance my career.
When it comes to choosing a job, as long as you're surrounded by people who are willing to treat you as a human, regardless of your gender, and are willing to support you no matter what, you'll thrive. That's what Imarc was and is for me." – Kerri Cranwell, Lead Web Engineer
To implement these concepts, attendees engaged in a design thinking exercise, dividing into teams to create personas representing different career stages and backgrounds. By conducting a SWOT analysis, teams identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, gaining valuable insights into the diverse needs and challenges women are up against in tech.
The session provided awareness of the challenges women face in tech and allowed us to work together to craft solutions based on our own experiences as women in tech that will help us be successful. Organizations like Imarc must embrace empathy, diversity, and design thinking to create a more supportive and equitable tech community as we continue to navigate these obstacles. By doing so, we can retain female talent and drive innovation and success in the industry.
