Six Ways Great Managers Support Women in Tech
Leaders must commit to managing for diversity. Managers bear the duty of creating inclusive environments where all employees can thrive. They set the example for others to follow and represent the culture of the organization.
When they see their managers treat inclusivity as a priority, employees are more likely to do the same.
Supporting Women in Tech Needs To Come From the Top Down
Studies show that management teams that emphasize inclusion attract higher-caliber talent. They also perform better — producing as much as 30% higher revenue per employee.
To achieve these results takes a conscious effort that’s not limited to just one team or department. For real support to take shape, it needs to be pervasive.
Building an inclusive environment means understanding what makes employees feel included and supported, then putting those recommendations into action. While every employee can lead by example, it’s up to high-level managers to implement those changes at a broad level and make them stick.
6 Ways Managers Can Make the Workplace More Supportive for Women in Tech
Whether in a tech consulting, execution, leadership role or down in the trenches in a server room, women continue to see disparities in the tech industry. They are more likely to be pushed to non-technical roles, such as product marketing, sales, human resources, and finance. These are seen as execution roles rather than creator roles, which can foster inequities, regardless of the gender balance on payroll.
Data shows that the top five tech positions for women are project manager, business analyst, “other” IT, QA tester, and technical recruiter. For men, the top tech positions are software engineer, systems admin, project manager, IT management, and applications developer. These imbalances perpetuate the stereotype that tech is a man’s industry where women aren’t likely to excel.
To create a tech industry more supportive for women you need two things. First, keep the women you already have to avoid costly turnover, and second, attract more women (in technical and non-technical roles) by creating an inclusive environment in which they feel safe, supported, and valued.
Managers can set a good example by becoming an ally for women in tech. Let’s explore some practical ways to do this.
1. Choose Female Spokespeople
When teams meet for a readout or follow-up, rotate the role of spokesperson. This ensures women have opportunities to speak as much as their male colleagues.
Research shows that when male executives speak frequently, they are assumed to be more competent. Females who gain more “talking time” have more opportunities to convey their ideas and ensure they’re properly attributed. (More on that in #3.) They also gain more exposure to senior leadership, which can support their quests for promotion.
2. Amplify Women’s Ideas
Many women report being interrupted or having their ideas repeated by male colleagues. These feelings of insignificance may discourage women from voicing their ideas or participating in discussions.
Managers can proactively find ways to vocalize ideas from women in tech. You’re not only giving them a voice, but you’re also ensuring that their voice is heard.
3. Properly Attribute Suggestions
Men are more likely than women to get proper credit for their ideas. They also frequently receive credit for the work of a team in which they play a single role.
Leaders can combat this imbalance by being better listeners and properly crediting an idea to the right person. Good listening skills can help ensure that leaders hear all ideas being shared — even when others are talking over them.
4. Include Multiple Women in Conversations and Decisions
For real gender equality to happen, women need to be able to contribute to discussions and decisions, not just take orders.
Having just one woman in the mix can create the illusion of diversity and inclusion. It disguises the greater priority of surface-level impressions without substance.
By contrast, having more than one woman in every meeting brings diverse opinions and perspectives to the conversation. In addition, it reduces the likelihood of women being interrupted by male counterparts or having them more heavily scrutinized because they stand out too much.
5. Standardize the Promotion Process
Lacking a standard set of requirements and processes for promotion can lead to unintentional bias. This is especially the case for women in tech, where women are significantly outnumbered by male colleagues.
McKinsey and Company shares one approach that a Fortune 100 tech company uses to provide more transparency in promotions. Employees are given a timeline for having conversations about promotions and objectives to be achieved. For employees who fall behind in this timeline, senior leaders follow up to see how they can remove potential barriers to success.
6. Offer Flexible Schedules
With women taking on more caregiving roles outside of work compared to men, one-size-fits-all scheduling can often leave women out of promotions or other opportunities.
Offering flexible schedules to employees who need it (both men and women) can allow them to perform better at work. This might include working from home on some days or working non-traditional hours so they can better meet the demands of their job.
Managing for Diversity With Prime 8 Consulting
Diversity and inclusion don’t happen on their own. Managers should proactively seek ways to create inclusive workplaces. Better support is one solution to the problem that women are leaving the tech industry 45% faster than men.
Another solution is managing for diversity in an intentional, impactful way. That’s where Prime 8 Consulting can help.
Our consultants are allies for women in tech as well as underrepresented populations in the workplace. As a company founded by women, we’re helping organizations transform their workplaces to offer better inclusivity and support where it counts.
We invite you to work with Prime 8. Contact us today!
