Challenging Gender Bias in the Tech Industry
Women occupy only 26% of all tech roles across European companies. The tech industry has always had fewer women but this has been exasperated over recent years. Gender bias is a pervasive problem in the tech industry, and it can have a significant impact on the experiences of women and other underrepresented groups.
Challenging systemic bias can feel overwhelming and so it may be helpful to start small and think about what is within your circle of influence. Here are some simple things you can start doing today do to challenge gender bias in the tech industry.
It starts with awareness. The first step to challenging gender bias is educating yourself (and others) to understand what it is and how it shows up. Ask colleagues how they’ve been impacted, reach out to your Women’s Employee Resource Group, educate yourself with online resources.
Normalise talking about gender bias. The more people who are aware of the problem, the more likely we are to address it. When you see or experience gender bias, speak up: stay calm, be assertive but not aggressive and focus on the behaviour, not the person.
Be an ally. Lift women’s voices, support their ideas, notice whose voices are at the table (and whose are missing). If you see someone being discriminated against because of their gender, be an ally. Call out or call in the inappropriate behaviour - and if you feel safe and comfortable, you can use it as a teaching moment to let others know why what they said is unacceptable.
Give clear, actionable feedback. Research that shows that women tend to get inaccurate, unclear feedback. It often focuses on their personality or someone else's feelings and is 20% less actionable than the feedback men receive. This means women aren't receiving the same opportunities to grow and progress. Amy Kean, founder of Good Shout, provides a simple, powerful framework for giving feedback - more here.
Create more opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups to learn about and participate in STEM roles. This could include providing scholarships, mentoring programs, and internship opportunities. You could chat with your leader or an employee resource group to find out how you can support these opportunities.
Advocate for flexible working so mothers and carers are not penalised and address parental policies to provide more equal leave between men and women. If you’re a leader, normalise prioritising a work-life balance: “I won’t be available for that meeting as I’m spending time with my son” without apologising!
Review processes to ensure they are equitable. Hiring and promotion processes are a big area for bias to creep in, what do you currently do to ensure bias doesn’t impact these important decisions and what more could you do? Relying on best intentions allows room for bias so put processes in place. A good place to start is our Equitable Meeting Checklist - some simple ways to mitigate gender bias from meetings.
We all have the responsibility to create inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued, safe and respected. The more we keep the conversation going around gender inequality, the more likely we are to make a difference.
Squash run workshops using drama to spotlight the reality of unconscious bias in the workplace, to engage allies and help employees understand the role they play in creating inclusive cultures. Get in touch to find out more: hello@wearesquash.com.
