Engaging Women in IT
Winning the right to vote in 1920 was a step change for the rights of women, but nearly 100 years on and the battle for equality, particularly in the workplace, continues, says John Bancroft.
or another, yet encouraging more women into the profession could help. Not only with the numbers, but a more recent McKinsey study revealed that mixed teams improved innovation and were better able to deal with complex situations. It also found that businesses with more women on the board improved their performance.
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INEQUALITY COULD HARM IT OF THE FUTURE Lord Davies, who is currently carrying out a probe into boardroom bias in FTSE 100 company boardrooms, has held off making it compulsory for companies to employ a percentage of women on the board. He has however, strongly suggested that there should be at least 25% of women on boards by 2015. The McKinsey study found that companies with women on the board delivered a 42% higher return on sales, 66% on invested capital and 53% on return on equity. Surely then, it makes sense to hire and promote more women? However, the picture on the ground tells a different story. A survey by Women in Technology (WIT) found some startling facts, for example 61% of respondents had more than 10 years’ experience in the technology sector, yet only 26% have reached senior management or board level. Most remain at junior or mid- level management, but why is that? Many also felt that they are passed over for promotion in favour of male colleagues. So why, when studies show that companies with women at
board level outperform those without, are women still facing barriers to attaining the top level jobs and how can this change? Kirstin Duffield, managing director at Morning Data Ltd and
recent winner of Best Business Woman at Britain’s Best Business Awards 2012 says: “I don’t believe mandatory quotas are a good idea, as women could feel they have had a ‘free pass’ and the men will believe they got there through back door means. However, if companies continue to refute the benefits of women
Volume 22 – Issue 4 |December 2012 23
omen often have to work harder than male counterparts and achieve more to progress their careers, yet ultimately they’re likely to hit the glass ceiling. The IT industry is often quick to bemoan some skills shortage
studies show that companies with women at board level outperform those without, are women still facing barriers to attaining the top level jobs and how can this change?
Why, when
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