Women are a minority in the workforce of tech. As a result of this, men, the majority in this field, play a very important part in paving the way to increase the numbers of women working in tech. Theres the obvious human side of things, making the industry more fair, pleasant, and inclusive,and making women happy.
But there's also the fact that when women succeed, the industry becomes more productive; more representative of the consumer market which allows companies to better understand and meet their customer's needs; and more diverse, which leads to increased innovation, an integral part of the tech field.
A 2015 study by McKinsey about women in technology found that organizations that have a diverse management team are more likely to have higher profits, "as much as 35 percent above their national industry median."
So, what are some ways that men do, and can pave the way for women in technology ?
Being Mentors
Being a mentor to qualified or talented female employee who shows promise.This will help her navigate a male dominated workplace, or a male dominated field (like tech) and in turn help her be a role model and mentor for other women, over time increasing the comfortableness of women, and thereby increasing numbers of women in the tech world. An Accenture study on women in the workplace found that women are equally as likely to feel comfortable, and benefit from female and male, advisors. Our previous post was the importance of role models in tech.
Making Women Feel Comfortable
The tech industry is seen as having a "men's club" atmosphere, according to a study done by Washington State University researcher Sapna Cheryan. This not only is uncomfortable and off-putting to many women, but it teaches men that women and their ideas and contributions are not valued in the workplace or classroom. This perpetuates a stereotype that is often intimidating or highly undesirable to women, in the workplace, and in classrooms.
Starting Young
Girls and boys, can be encouraged to pursue tech learning, education and hobbies. Technology and computer science are gender neutral.
Being Careful About Stereotyping
The classic problem for women in the workplace: Aggressiveness/assertiveness being perceived as bitchiness. Women need to contribute also, and will. Aggressive women in the workplace isn't a bad thing.
Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
A 2013 Accenture study on Women in Technology found that 25 percent of women believe that it was important for an organization to show and not tell, meaning it is important for an organization to follow through with their promises to include and welcome more women into the workplace.
Built by a team of female engineers, Vidcode is a New York based coding platform designed for teenage girls but used by all. We bring the social online experience and creative self-expression into coding, allowing girls from 10 and up to use their own videos to seamlessly incorporate coding and computer science learning into their existing hobbies, unlocking a world of future possibilities. Encourages STEAM learning in the over 125 countries where Vidcode is currently used.