Job satisfaction is something that looks different for absolutely everyone. No-one wants to dread going to work when the alarm goes off, but one person’s reason for getting out of bed in the morning may be quite different to another’s – writes Lyndsay Fielding, Business Operations Director, Everything Tech Group.
Working in tech, I’ve found that my motivation doesn’t come from what you might traditionally associate with a career in the field. For me, it’s not about millions of wires and stacks of hardware – even though roles involving these are just as open to women as they are to men! I love the challenging, fast paced environment and speed of innovation in a tech company. It’s exciting and rewarding with a level of collaboration I’ve rarely experienced in other industries. I want to encourage more women into the tech sector and assure them there are spaces for them in all kinds of roles.
Women are sadly in the STEM minority
Traditionally fewer women seek training and employment in STEM industries, with recent studies showing the percentage of women in the UK STEM workforce as 24%[1]. As employers we need to continue to address gender imbalance in tech, drive change and close the gap. From fair and equitable recruitment practices to truly diverse training and development programmes, we need to find ways of attracting exceptional teammates, regardless of gender.
For generations of women who have either just entered, or will soon be entering the workforce, tech has been part of their lives for as long as they can remember. A mobile phone that was unable to access the internet may still be in their memory banks. They can almost certainly remember a pre-tablet era.
An exciting career that prepares you for the future
This makes the wonderful world of technology a much less scarier place than it might have been for those who feared being able to keep pace with its change. We need to continue to attract both the new and existing workforce into joining tech teams. As more and more of them do, they’ll recognise the spaces that exist and recommend others who can make a real difference to their companies. Whether that’s joining in an established specialist role or embarking on an entry level tech career.
Everyone at Everything Tech Group, regardless of gender or role, receives training for the job they have and training for the job they want. A truly diverse workforce presents opportunity for change and growth and we embrace that. We help our team progress to achieve their goals, which are as individual as they are. This, along with our policies which help people deal with whatever life throws at them, are helping us #EmbraceEquity across our whole, diverse workforce.
We #EmbraceEquity every day and not just on International Women’s Day
In tech, we embrace a culture where we understand everyone joins us at different points of their career and professional capabilities. We need to recruit a truly diverse workforce in the first place and then drive an inclusive culture which gives everyone the opportunity to develop with their own personal plan. A one-size-fits-all mentality doesn’t make people feel as though they are really part of a business; our people policies foster a much greater sense of inclusion. With our ‘One Team’ approach, everybody contributes towards the success of the business, with everyone’s contribution being recognised as important as each other’s.
As with any business, there are many different types of roles within a tech company. Not all of them can be found on the front line. Business support and specialist roles are just as important to the business’s success. A one team approach and open collaboration provides opportunity for learning and inspiration from others with a pathway to try out those same roles too. Inspiration is coming from all corners, as the increasing number of women in senior managerial and leadership roles is testament to. My own progression since joining a diverse tech business isn’t unique; it’s a reflection of the exciting, equitable industry it is.
Tech is exciting – we want more women to join us!
[1] https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/233901/how-current-stem-gender-bias/
