WeAreTechnology, the technology arm of WeAreTheCity, hosted its first full-day WeAreTech: Women conference for female technologists at Barclays, One Churchill Place, Canary Wharf recently.
Over 200 women attended the event to broaden their technology horizons, learn new skills and build their technology networks.
Speakers included Kate Russell, BBC Click Presenter and Author, Jacqueline D’Rojas, Executive at Citrix and President of techUK, Anne Marie Imafidon, Founder of STEMettes, Michelle Moody, Engagement Director Insights and Data at Capgemini UK, Stephanie Daman, CEO of Cyber Security Challenge UK and Dr Sue Black, Author of Saving Bletchley Park and Government Digital Services Advisor.
Throughout the day attendees were invited to put their questions to speakers via the sli.do app or in person, during several Q&A sessions. Sli.do enables live Q&As to take part during an event. Attendees can pitch questions to the panel, via the host, and can keep their questions anonymous if they wish.
During the conference, the attendees also used sli.do to highlight ideas that they believe could improve diversity and gender balance within their organisations. Below is the full list complied by our attendees:
- Getting middle management to become aware of the un-conscious gender bias and understand the challenges women face
- More involvement with women on a 1:1 basis to understand the challenges we face (e.g. Focus groups)
- Mapping of career paths and giving us support to ensure we get there!
- Being more transparent about open roles and opportunities
- Empowering and enabling us to see opportunities through knowledge of the company’s detailed roadmap and internal opportunities
- When an employee asks for help, support by listening, not just hearing meaning 1. follow-up 2. provide solutions/first steps
- Be personal. Pay attention to individuals to retain their energy and loyalty
- Flexible working hours
- Training, support for maternity and return from maternity, facilitate working from home
- Have a more active women’s/employee networks
- Provide access to senior female and male mentors
- Actively make sure women returning to work after a break (e.g. maternity leave) are not left behind in their career progression. Provide on-going support.
- Enable managers to support lateral moves.
- Build in personal development time to learn new skills
- Hire managers who are inspiring and who are bought in to our development – their managers to check on their progress in terms of their teams on-going development
- Provide open and honest feedback during performance reviews. Be transparent and constructive
- Create initiatives that support our careers and our on-going learning
- Provide us with opportunities to be in the right rooms and meet the right people
- Let us reverse mentor
- Monitor firms progress by looking at promotion stats year on year
- Greater visibility of accessible sponsors and role models
- flexible working
- Confidence building training
- Mentoring and good sponsorship from males and females
- Give longer paternity leave to allow fathers more involvement in parenting
- Better access to sponsors and mentors
