how to be a reference in the world

According to a recent McKinsey study, COVID-19 had a greater effect on women, given that the jobs they held during the pandemic were 1.8 times more vulnerable than those of men. For their part, the large multinationals of the technology sector – an industry whose recovery was considerably faster than average – experienced 2% growth. Although the technology sector lags behind in terms of gender diversity, it is important to recognize how well the women working in that sector are doing. It’s hard to be a woman in business, but it’s even harder to be in the technology industry.

We are in a time of reckoning, and technology is at the forefront. As we look to the future and lay the foundation for our new normal, we’ll need to turn to a more diverse of women leaders in the technology industry to actively engage with these issues, in the hope that we can benefit from the wisdom they have gained through their insights and experiences.

Eliminate, educate, elevate

As more and more young people enter the corporate world, the tech industry needs to prioritize its female staff in senior positions. This will serve to inspire and motivate younger women to make decisions that affect their professional future and that will change their lives. Recent studies show that girls tend to choose a career where women in leadership positions abound. This is because they feel that they have more possibilities to grow and progress within an organization with which they feel identified; And since technology is itself a largely male-dominated environment, people in leadership positions need to be more visible. This will be the key to inspiring the next generation and creating a more inclusive and diverse future.

The number of women in senior technology positions has been slowly but steadily increasing in recent years

Technology is the future: a future in which all the devices that are part of our daily lives are connected, smart and accessible. A future that allows us to entrust routine work to the algorithms of machines. There should be more women in the technology sector, because it is mandatory that we have a voice and a vote in future changes that will affect the whole of society. The number of jobs in the technology sector is estimated to increase another 24% in 2024; we have a large untapped pool of talent that we could tap into if we help them see a promising future in our industry. During this time, there will be more jobs than computer science graduates, creating a spectacular demand for talent, even greater than what we are seeing today. We have to go ahead and take the necessary steps now to be able to welcome the future generation on equal terms and pave their future.

The new challenges in technology

One of the biggest challenges that women have to face is to be assertive, not aggressive, and to ensure that our male colleagues do not see us as a threat, but rather as professionals who, under equal conditions, want to collaborate with them; in short, feel heard. A large majority of professionals in the technology sector are men, and they may be reluctant to change their perspective and the current status quo. The biggest difficulty is that being part of senior management means going to another level and having to deal with traditional executives well established, they are often conservative in their ways. That a woman aspires to make her opinion prevail and change things is not always well received. What these male executives fail to understand is that companies with more women in management positions are more profitable, more socially responsible and offer a higher quality customer experience. The presence of women in management positions is a value for companies; thats the reality. women work differently men, and we all think differently according to our circumstances, something that can be very beneficial for a company or industry, as it involves new ways of focusing and accelerating innovation.

Breaking molds in technology. breaking the glass ceiling

Gender equality remains a major challenge in the business world, and we still need to work on issues many women face, such as lack of upward mobility and pay inequality. The good news is that organizations are increasingly looking increase the hiring of women, because business leaders are now well aware that diversity drives revenue and helps their organizations develop higher-quality, safer products. And this is because women think differently. By nature, men and women see things differently, and bring unique ideas to the table, leading to improved problem solving and a higher level of performance.

As Ivanti’s Executive Vice President and General Manager for International Markets, I understand the importance of having a team with diverse backgrounds and experiences, and I am aware of the positive impact that this fact has on business and innovation. The number of women in senior technology positions has been slowly but steadily increasing in recent years; To move forward, its leaders must assess how women have approached the new “always on” way of working brought about by the pandemic. We have to be careful, as a recent study by Deloitte concludes that the pressures caused by the pandemic can lead to job rotation among women, or to leave the world of work altogether.

The reality is that the igender inequality is still a problem important in the corporate world and women remain significantly underrepresented in business. Although in recent years we have not seen as much progress as we would like, I remain optimistic. In the new world created by the pandemic, we are on a path of no return towards a different society. Appreciation of the importance of inclusion is growing, and technology must reflect this. We wouldn’t want to talk about this every year; and, sincerely, I think that if everyone does their part, it will not be necessary to do so in the coming years.

By Helen Masters. Executive Vice President and General Manager of International Sales at Ivanti