Boosting the hiring of women in technology

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It is well known that the pandemic has disproportionately affected women in the workforce. With the increase in care necessitated by lockdowns, women, who still fill the majority of these roles, have been forced out of the workforce at an alarming rate.

More than two years since the start of the pandemic, there are still 808,000 fewer women in the labor force compared to February 2020. By comparison, male workers have regained all the jobs they lost in cause of the pandemic in January of this year. year. Today, there are 693,000 more men in the labor force than in February 2020.

This situation has only exacerbated a problem that technology has been facing for some time now, namely the lack of women in our ranks, and which demands change.

One of our mandates as HR managers is to create teams where everyone can thrive, regardless of their background, origin or any other differentiating factor. Exposure to diversity has been proven to enhance innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills – attributes that every tech company values ​​for their ability to influence bottom line. In fact, companies with a diverse workforce are 35% more likely to achieve superior financial returns than their undiversified counterparts.

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In other words, it is high time to increase the presence of women in our ranks.

Hiring and retention are major challenges for organizations today, as the demand for hard and soft skills faces the great quit. An organizational culture that generates a sense of belonging in the workplace is a key asset in this environment.

An inclusive culture helps its members feel connected, valued and vital to the company, allowing them to have a positive impact on their organization. This sense of belonging is strongly correlated to business success: Employees who feel like they belong are comfortable being themselves, which helps foster psychological safety and positive employee engagement. Ultimately, this contributes to significantly higher performance (high membership is linked to a 56% increase in job performance) and, in the long run, better retention.

This is where the heart of empowerment and hiring lies. By creating a culture of inclusivity, employers can lay the foundation for women to be heard, valued and set up to succeed in the workplace and, in doing so, cultivate an environment of respect and trust in which candidates will be attracted.

In an ideal workplace, everyone works together as one team toward clear, common goals. Companies that fully recognize the value of teamwork understand the critical importance of fostering a culture where everyone has a voice and can have an impact, regardless of their demographic. It all starts with the process of hiring a company.

My company employs people in over 80 offices in over 28 different countries, which gives us the opportunity to experience multiple cultures. It is important for us to go beyond this baseline...