How to champion inclusivity across the tech industry and your organisation

The UK technology sector is booming. It ranks as Europe’s leading tech ecosystem and third worldwide, behind only the US and China, and has raised almost £100 billion (£97 billion) in investments over the past five years. There are 144 unicorns, 237 futurecorns, and over 85,000 start-ups and scale-ups in the country, and over three million people now work in UK tech. So, for such an important industry, it’s a little disappointing to learn that of those three million workers, just 26% are female.

It seems that even in 2023, women are still unable to access fair opportunities or representation, particularly in technology. 

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, two of our EMEA leaders – Solange Sobral, CI&T’s EVP Partner of Operations and Rebecca Crook, CI&T’s Chief Growth Officer – shared their insights into how organisations and leaders can help empower women in tech and instil company-wide inclusivity. 

Throughout March, we’ll also highlight various women from different CI&T teams, where they’ll talk about how they are approaching inclusivity in their areas, so stay tuned.

Invest in the pipeline of early talent

A study of UK A-Level and university students by PwC shows that the tech gender gap begins as early as school. Only 27% of female students say they would consider a career in tech, compared to 61% of males, and just 3% rank it as their number-one choice. 

Considering the tech sector’s trillion-dollar contribution to the UK economy, that’s a worryingly low figure. Not enough females recognise tech and engineering to be exciting, viable pathways. So, a lot of work needs to be done with career advisors, schools, colleges, and universities to highlight tech as a great opportunity for women. We need more successful women to become mentors and allies themselves, nurturing young people with trustworthy guidance and networking connections to help kickstart their careers. Simply, we must teach young people the ‘art of the possible’.  

Eliminate stereotyping and prejudice from the workplace

Sadly, women continue to face a swathe of biases, whether conscious or unconscious, that regularly impact their workplace standing. For instance, assertive males are often praised as gold dust in the industry and tipped as top leadership material. Females who are assertive, however, are considered ‘bossy’ and ‘abrasive’.

Similarly, women’s responsibilities as caregivers can sometimes block their career progression. 41% of UK women care for children, grandchildren, older people, or people with a disability, compared to just a quarter of men. Meanwhile, one in eight UK employers admit they are more reluctant to hire a woman who they think may go on to start a family. 

To boost female representation in tech, organisations must strive to remove their biases and attract working mothers into the industry. This can begin with ensuring female voices are properly heard, and tweaking workplace benefits to feature perks like flexible hours and childcare support, for both mothers and fathers. When employers crack their prejudices, we’ll see more women wanting to work and flourish in tech. 

Support women to grow across your organisation

When it comes to earning senior roles and promotions, women must be everything a man is in terms of competency and ability, and then some. In fact, multiple pieces of research show that women are consistently judged as having less leadership potential than their male counterparts. For instance, Kantar’s ‘Reykjavík Index for Leadership’ measures the extent to which men and women are viewed by the public as suitable for positions of authority. The organisation’s latest report scored the UK at 82, and the G7 average at 75—both far behind a rating of 100, which indicates full equality. 

As a result, females are severely underrepresented in leadership and senior positions, and this lack of role models is then impacting women who are looking to make the step up. Women want to feel inspired by similar females in a position of seniority. So, organisations in the tech sector must review their management teams to ensure strong female representation and encourage the next generation of talent to thrive.

What advice would you give to women looking to supercharge success? 

Simply, be true to yourself and believe in yourself. As a female starting out in any industry, not least the male-dominated tech world, you may be tempted to change or doubt your capabilities. Don't! Be confident, assured, and considered, and people will listen.

It's also important to take accountability for your career—in other words, ‘design your own destiny’. Carefully consider your choices and the companies you want to be a part of to ensure they align with your values.  This way, you’ll find your place in society and in your organisation: somewhere you own and have carved out for yourself, so that no one can push you out or tell you what to do. 

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