Tech firms, are you scaling up diversity, authentically?
Unheard. Unseen. Unsafe. The power to stop minority workers from ever feeling the ‘three Us’ is in tech employers’ hands.
Encouraging authenticity in the workplace can be hard, and many of us find it difficult to be our true selves at work.
Some of us more than others.
According to a report by TapIn – Gen Z are most affected, and ‘code-switch.’ That’s the term for adapting or hiding parts of oneself to fit in.
Do you code-switch, hiding or tweaking your true self to blend in?
Embarrassingly, considering it’s 2024, 47%, 63% and 91% of Black, LGBTQ+ and transgender Gen Z individuals, respectively, hide their true selves in the workplace.
From what I’m seeing, it’s up to tech businesses to step in here and encourage true authenticity to create a more diverse workforce, writes Chris Adcock, managing director of Reed Technology.
How to do this — in practice, I’ll offer guidance on here, exclusively for Women In Tech. Do it well, and hopefully your tech firm can reduce the gender gap along the way, too.
The toxic cycle
The 2023 Women In Tech survey found that, despite efforts underway by companies, women still only account for 26% of people working in IT.
So forget career progression (not that this isn’t an issue affecting female technologists), it’s a case of underrepresentation.
The good news is that this 26% is a slight improvement from a few years ago, as in 2019, women accounted for just 19% of the tech workforce.
That said, ONS data shows that the proportion of women in tech fluctuates. For example, in Q3 2023, the ONS counted 523,000 women working in Information and Communication roles, compared with 473,000 in Q2 2024.
There's a need for a cultural shift
On top of this, there is a need for a cultural shift.
The issue with gender, and diversity as a whole, is an ongoing, toxic cycle.
We need more women and better diversity — especially in senior IT or tech leadership positions — to inform hiring decisions that are going to be conducive to an inclusive tech environment.
The entry-level challenge (is only half the battle)
But, of course, we need these people to join tech companies in the first place! Then we need them to progress up the career ladder, in the same way that their male colleagues do, with equal opportunities. Without more women in the tech workforce, our industry will struggle to catch up with other sectors which are more reflective of our society’s members.
So, how do we put a stop to this toxic cycle?
Well, first we need to ask another question which I’m not hearing being asked enough:
Why authenticity?
Encouraging authenticity in the workplace helps to cultivate diverse opinions and ideas. When individuals feel free to express their true selves, they are more likely to contribute original thoughts and solutions to problems.
That ‘code-switching,’ (referenced at the top), very much acts as an ‘innovation-blocker.’
So embracing authenticity nurtures creativity and facilitates organisational development.
Companies need the ‘real-you’ to show up in work environments
Don’t just take my word for it.
Research shows that when people are themselves at work, their performance can be positively impacted — by up to 85%.
The rub? Only 16% feel that they can bring the “real them” to the workplace!
The three Us techies should never feel: unheard, unseen, unsafe
Businesses can play a strong role in encouraging meaningful change.
When minority employees feel unheard, unseen and unsafe, it can result in defence mechanisms, such as hiding, denying and overcompensating.
All three of these behaviours are detrimental to employee wellbeing and productivity; they can lead to burnout and depression.
Be seen as an employer of choice by minority workers
Burnout and depression, in turn, lead to higher staff turnover. And talent exoduses can negatively impact the ‘bottom line,’ particularly as it may result in your tech company not being perceived as an ‘employer of choice’ — especially by minority employees.
This is why encouraging authenticity is so important to organisations and their prospects for a sustainable future.
Supporting authenticity
A Leadership Circle study reveals that females in leadership roles score significantly higher in their capability to “connect and relate to others”, as well as in exercising authenticity.
Sadly, nearly a third of women believe that their gender will be an obstacle to career advancement.
And that’s even though, comparatively, women excel in leadership positions.
To quote Leadership Circle president Cynthia Adams’s study:
“Not only are female leaders more effective at building relationships than their male counterparts, but these relationships are also typically more authentic and encompass the greater good beyond the leader’s immediate sphere of influence.”
Gender bias hits more than seven in 10 women in tech
So what steps can your tech company be taking on diversity and authenticity?
Well, to support authenticity, a safe workplace environment is vital. A shocking 76% of women asked in the Women in Tech survey said that they’ve experienced gender bias or discrimination in the workplace — at least once.
This is a huge increase of 24% from the previous survey in 2019.
To create a safe environment, it’s crucial managers have ‘soft’ skills training, and are able to express empathy, be open-minded, and have strong interpersonal skills.
Only strong inclusion policies please; it’s 2024…
A part that plays a crucial role here is a strong inclusion policy that managers abide by.
Tech employers could also express their investment in the community by elevating voices of the women working within the organisation, externally.
How? It could be as simple as sharing what they are doing on LinkedIn, or using the business networking platform to engage in conversations in this area.
Don’t hoodwink on EDI&B but do make EDI&B policies plausible
Just a word of warning here. Employees and contractors alike know whether you’re being authentic or not — especially minority groups — and so being honest and sincere is important here.
There’s that need for ‘authenticity’ again!
So, if you’re a tech start-up or new firm with tech staff which is just beginning your EDI&B journey and strategy, it’s best to acknowledge it and express that to workers.
Next, if you state that you’re going to commit to an Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging policy (EDI&B), be sure to follow through with plausible actions.
How to champion diversity as a technology business
Tech firms should also be working towards creating a company culture and environment where diversity is championed, and inclusion is the norm. This means ‘opening up the floor’ to discussions around adversity and difficulties in the sector, for fellow women or other minority groups.
Such conversations may be difficult to hold at first, as employers may not be aware of what they don’t know. In such cases, consider partnering with organisations that can provide assistance or involve minority communities when deciding on the changes to implement.
Is your tech company offering ANY sort of mentoring to females?
Just an example to use as a reference point. Reed offers a free Women in Technology Mentoring Programme, where we can help businesses develop their female team members to support, and nurture the technology talent of the future.
This type of mentoring scheme can help guide the business and its female talent, yet it also encourages a sense of loyalty to your business as it aids employee retention.
To reiterate — it’s always better to be honest rather than pretend on EDI&B, as this can leave employees feeling disappointed, unheard and disrespected.
How to implement and create a stronger inclusion policy
As I hope to have convinced your tech firm by now, a key part of authenticity is creating and implementing a strong inclusion policy.
How? Well, it should involve including representatives from minority groups in both the initial draft and regular reviews.
You can also include representatives from any Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or networks. Or ‘inclusion ambassadors’ who work in line with HR.
Put in place processes for when women in tech feel…
There should also be a clear process (or processes) in place, so employees in your tech department are aware of who to approach and inform if they feel:
- Uncomfortable; or
- Have any changes in their lives that you (as the employer) or the workplace needs to accommodate.
To make it as strong as it can be, it’s also key to extend your inclusion policy to the technology recruitment process.
Consider name-blind CVs, and use inclusive words in tech job adverts
Recruitment (and not just of techies) is the first ‘voice’ your new talent will hear, so it must be an inclusive one.
You can do this by implementing small changes, alongside partnering with organisations that can support you.
Strongly consider having ‘name-blind’ CVs, and ensure there’s inclusive language in tech job descriptions; always.
My final EDI recommendations
Encouraging workplace authenticity through a strong EDI&B strategy is essential to ensure your entire tech team feels safe and comfortable in the work environment.
Things do seem to be improving — with one in six (17%) of HR directors and CEOs saying in January 2024 that their business has introduced or invested in an EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) strategy in the past year.
However, there’s still a way to go. Nearly 72% stated that employee demands for an EDI strategy are a “major concern” for their business.
Our take? To prevent the gender gap from worsening, and to ensure other minorities feel comfortable in the tech workplace, it’s time for tech businesses to practice authenticity and make better, stronger efforts to welcome more diverse talent.
Chris Adcock
Chris has been at Reed for over 20 years. In his current role, he is the managing director for Reed Technology, a specialist IT recruitment division of Reed, and he also sits on the board for Reed Specialist Recruitment.
Chris is passionate about developing people and creating a strong and dynamic workplace culture.
Outside of his role, he also works as a trustee on the board of a national children's charity, Kids Out, which supports disadvantaged children across the UK.
