The Women In Tech Series: WomenWhoCode.

Welcome to Work In Startups X Women In Tech series! For the tech industry in particular, the equal representation of women and men may still have decade’s worth of work left to go. With the tech workforce being made up of just 19% women, it bodes the question…what can we do to encourage more women […]

The Women In Tech Series: WomenWhoCode.

Welcome to Work In Startups X Women In Tech series! For the tech industry in particular, the equal representation of women and men may still have decade’s worth of work left to go. With the tech workforce being made up of just 19% women, it bodes the question…what can we do to encourage more women to enter the tech industry, but additionally, what can be done to also attract women in to more senior and leadership positions. In the second part of this series, we speak Joey Rosenburg from Women Who Code, a platform that provides services for women pursuing technology careers and a job board for companies seeking coding professionals.

Hello! I am Joey Rosenberg, Chief Leadership Officer at Women Who Code, the world’s largest community inspiring diverse women to excel in tech careers. We are working hard to create a world where women are better represented as technologists and tech leaders.

Is there one piece of advice you wish somebody gave you at the beginning of your career?

Go for it! Whatever your dream is, follow it fiercely. You will very likely be surprised by all of the opportunities that unfold if you dare to walk down the path. Also, value the small steps – they add up to greatness!

What’s your opinion on the state of the FemTech Sector currently?

FemTech is all about solving problems that matter for women. It’s a daring industry that isn’t afraid to tackle topics that have been seen as taboo. For far too long, these problems have been overlooked because decisions about which problems are deemed worthy of solving are often made by people with power, influence, and access to capital, frequently leaving women out of the conversation. Today, FemTech is on the rise. Women are boldly stepping up and speaking out about the change they want to see, and finding ways to make it happen.

What’s your opinion on the state of gender diversity within the tech industry?

The reality is that women are being left behind. Women of color are being left behind at even higher rates. When these voices are missing from the table, it’s less likely that their needs will be at the forefront of decisions made about products that shape our world. Rather than turn away from these challenges, we should be investing in every aspect of the talent pipeline to ensure that diverse women are supported to consider careers in tech, thrive while in industry, return to the industry after breaks, and excel into leadership.

Looking at the rise in Femtech companies and the importance of having women within this sector, do you think it will help accelerate a change from a male dominated tech industry?

Femtech has the potential to help women see that tech can be used to solve problems that are highly relevant to their needs, which may generate greater interest in the field. The real influencers will be those with access to resources. This is a huge market, but we are just in the early stages of seeing it’s potential. Hopefully, investors will recognize that women are uniquely positioned to drive this sector of the industry forward, and demonstrate this understanding by increasing the portion of their investment portfolios going to women-led startups in the field.

What do you think we should be doing more of to encourage more women to consider a career in tech?

We need to make tech tangible and accessible. From a young age, we should assume that anyone can be an engineer. We should be showing girls what it’s like to work in technology, giving them role models they can relate to, and sharing resources to help them develop their skills. This should be echoed from early education all the way up through to professional career services.

How have you found it best to promote and nurture women in the workplace?

Be intentional. Inclusion doesn’t happen by desire, it happens by design. Companies should be reviewing their policies and practices to ensure that bias is acknowledged and reduced at every step from hiring to career advancement. Team leaders should consider how projects are determined and allocated, ensuring that diverse teams have the opportunity to elevate the most pressing challenges that they want to solve. Finally, address bias and discrimination head on. Companies should be actively listening to and believing their employees when they say that they face discrimination, and taking tangible and visible steps to address it.

What is your advice for female entrepreneurs entering the industry?

Know your worth and believe in yourself. Your viewpoint might not be immediately amplified because it might not fit the status quo. The world needs those voices more than ever. Find a community, like Women Who Code where you can build a supportive network, keep your skills fresh, and find a sense of belonging in tech. This goes a long way to creating the staying power and resiliency you’ll need to excel in this industry.

Weekly Brief: The tech companies championing LGBTQ+ equality!

Diversity and inclusion in the tech sector has received much attention over recent years. What’s clear to see is that the need for equality, diversity and inclusion is more important than ever. In celebration of Pride month, we’ve highlighted just a few companies who are championing LGBTQ+ equality and how they are doing it. Gousto, […]

Weekly Brief: The tech companies championing LGBTQ+ equality!

Diversity and inclusion in the tech sector has received much attention over recent years. What’s clear to see is that the need for equality, diversity and inclusion is more important than ever.

In celebration of Pride month, we’ve highlighted just a few companies who are championing LGBTQ+ equality and how they are doing it.

Gousto, the British meal kit retailer, prioritises the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace. Acknowledging that more men than women study technology subjects at higher education, Gousto prioritises recruitment training upskilling to ensure a fair selection and screening process with no bias with hope to close the gender pay gap.

Charlie HR, the complete People platform for small companies, aims to create more inclusive workspaces through a series of professional networking and mentoring events, panels and workshops.

Queer Code London is a community of programmers in London who provide support for queer people working in software development whilst engaging regular workshops and networking events for thousands of likeminded people. Popularity for Queer Code has been steadily increasing and its niche corner of the internet is attracting people all over the UK.

Lyft, the purpose-driven ride sharing service is committed to creating a community in which riders and drivers feel as though they are included and belong. The company is also partnering with major pride festivals in six cities across the nation to support its colourful community.

Regardless of who you are, finding a community that will support your career endeavours can be a welcome source of empowerment, especially in an industry that isn’t always welcoming. Here are a number of organisations committed to bringing equality to the tech industry.

Technation has released a Diversity Toolkit too to help founders build diverse and inclusive companies.

Here are 4 tips to ensure a more inclusive work environment:

Update Policies And Ensure Inclusive Benefits

Employers should make it a priority to revisit and update their policies to be more inclusive to their LGBTQ+ employees. Celebrating employee differences by implementing diversity or pride days are a great way to ensure their colleagues are supported. Active conversations need to be had often regarding updated policies to stress that discrimiation and harassment will not be tolerated.

Train On Inclusivity In Language

To ensure there is no exclusion of candidates, evaluate the current language used in job descriptions and replace any gender-coded terms with neutral language. LinkedIn is taking an inclusive step by introducing the option to display pronouns on individuals profiles, helping others be respectful of their identity. They’ve also added a name pronunciation tool and the option to add a cover story video to introduce yourself in a more personal way.

Hear what your employees have to say

Understanding how your company can be more inclusive is often determined by the employees so by conducting anonymous company-wide surveys, you can gain a better understanding on whether or not LGBTQ+ employees feel a sense of belonging. This is a great way to encourage staff to openly share their experiences too so businesses can learn from mistakes.

Support LGBTQ+ organisations.

Majority of companies have a ‘house charity’ who they support but additionally businesses could coordinate a group for your local pride march, donate to a relevant nonprofit or volunteer with a local charity. It’s an encouraging way to get people involved in fundraising whilst also educating your employees.

This is not a conclusive list, but it is a start to creating a more inclusive LGBTQ workplace. We would love to hear what your employers are doing to create an inclusive work environment.

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