By Guest Author China Gorman, CEO of Great Place to Work®
A long way to gender equality, but we are making progress
Gender inequality in Silicon Valley is no secret, as the tech scene is often criticized for its gender gap in pay. But the inequality extends beyond salary – women are also relatively underrepresented in Silicon Valley leadership positions, which may be surprising to some given that Silicon Valley is such pioneer in so many ways. However, the region is no trail blazer when it comes to welcoming women into the tech scene.
Companies like salesforce.com, Zynga and LinkedIn all have female directors, but we aren’t seeing that enough. Traits that are stereotypically viewed as masculine, such as strength, assertiveness and confidence, are often the same traits that many employers look for in leadership.
However, what seems to be a well-kept secret is that women have these attributes too! We have found that companies with a focus on diversity have stronger organizational cultures – they have happier and more productive employees, and are more socially ethical than other organizations.
In addition, organizations with a focus on diversity perform better financially than organizations that do not invest energy in diversity programs. Looking at Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list, for which Great Place to Work is the research behind, we see that the proof is in the pudding.
One-third of the IT population of companies on the list is female, which is higher than the overall average for the IT industry. Moreover, at the 100 Best IT companies, 95% of employees report that people are treated fairly regardless of their gender.
Companies on the 2015 100 Best IT list have recently made huge strides in gender equality. salesforce.com has made a concerted effort by networking at diversity recruiting events to attract candidates from less-represented demographic groups. This year, they specifically aimed to recruit more women, networking with organizations such as Women in Technology International. As a result of their efforts, nearly 57% of salesforce.com’s supervisors and managers are women.
Even though we still have a long way to go, we should recognize the organizations that are leading the way in achieving gender equality in IT. These companies should serve as role models to those that are also trying to bring balance to the industry. With every new generation, we see young women being encouraged to lead in a host of different industries. Embracing diversity is an asset for all companies, and a necessary component for being a great place to work.
Embracing diversity is an asset for all companies, and a necessary component for being a great place to work.
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When Doing It All Won't Do: A Self-Coaching Guide for Career Women--Workbook Edition--Paperback
Every now and then a person runs across a great book that really helps improve the quality of life. This is such a book! Written by top coaches of executive women, Barb McEwen and John Agno, the goal of When Doing It All Won’t Do is to develop solutions and strategies to help women’s lives be easier, richer, happier, and saner. It’s based on the premise that doing it all won’t do. If you are a woman who is weary and stressed and taking on too much and struggling to juggle it all, this book is dedicated to helping you find the enjoyment and satisfaction you expected with your success. Well-organized with real solutions and a helpful workbook section, this book focuses on developing your signature talents to do what you do best, developing a formula for success, and prioritizing your values and goals. A great read!
Women, Know Thyself: The most important knowledge is self-knowledge.
Everyone you meet these days is overworked and out of time.
