In the course of last year, there were lots of conversations around diversity in workplaces as well as female inclusion in tech. Yes, we had our fair share, guilty as charged!
Interestingly, one report has it that though the majority of women want to become bigger risk-takers, however, they sometimes lack confidence, believing that they do not have enough credibility to move up into a leadership position. Is that true of African women in tech?
One fact is that, here in Africa as in other parts of the world, women are on the rise to take up the leadership mantle in their tech careers. However, this movement, fraught with challenges, isn’t as rapid or inclusive as should be. You may ask, how can I help increase female inclusion in the tech sector?
At this point, the discussion has progressed from mere talk to more decisive action. Check out some ways of deepening female inclusion in tech.
Embrace a change of mindset
While it’s not easy to overturn the strongly entrenched notion that one’s gender predisposes one to perform better or poorly at a given task or assignment, it can certainly be done. How so?
To illustrate, consider how last year brought changes that we never thought we would experience. Covid-19 struck and life as we knew it changed completely. Businesses had to adapt to new ways of working and embrace transformative changes or die.
Fast forward to roughly twelve months later, company leaders are seeing comparable, if not better, results from a majority-remote workforce. Though forced by the pandemic, people had to open their minds to learning novel ways of doing things as a matter of survival.
In the same way, if there’s to be true diversity in the tech industry, the idea of female leadership should be supported. To do this, players in the field need to look at their current mindset and behaviors and assess what changes must be made to help women get there.
Give them more role models
A recent survey reveals that women are more likely to feel empowered to pursue STEM careers if they know a woman holding a position in those industries. Female leaders in tech are looked upon as role models by other women, particularly the younger generation.
As such, a good number of African tech women who are already established in the ecosystem continue to mentor and support young girls as they embark on their career journey.
While this is a laudable effort, tech leaders and big players in the industry also have a part to play. Promoting capable women who have proved themselves to much-deserved leadership positions will be an encouragement to young females and existing professionals looking to break into the sector.
Expand their network
Although initiatives are put in place to promote female inclusion in tech, more companies, organizations need to step up their game by giving more to support women who are growing their careers.
By creating platforms to help expand their network through meaningful conversations, women in tech can interact with those they might not be able to meet on a daily basis.
Why the emphasis on promoting female inclusion in tech?
If anything, 2020 has taught us that technology can be both a catalyst and enabler of rapid, transformative change. As enablers of technology, tech leaders are at the forefront of the modern workforce with the responsibility to take the lead in promoting more female inclusion in the ecosystem.
Doing this will not only deepen gender equality and the growth of the industry, but the society as a whole will be impacted.
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