How Your Organization Will Benefit from More Women in IT Leadership
Posted May 10th, 2017
The number of women working in technology positions continues to remain low when compared to the number of women actively in the workforce. Their presence in IT leadership positions is even more disproportionate, suggesting a potential disconnect between leadership and female employees as well as businesses and their customers.
Having a diverse leadership team has been shown to improve productivity and yield financial improvements, but many companies have failed to make a move to increase the number of women in leadership-based technology roles.
To help you see the value of more gender diversity at the top rungs of your corporate ladder, here are some areas where companies benefit when more women join their leadership teams.
Greater Retention of Female Tech Employees
As businesses continue to struggle when it comes to hiring and retaining top IT talent, failing to have women in IT leadership roles can actually undermine efforts directed toward finding and keeping the best and brightest on staff. Often, if female workers don’t find suitable role models or mentors, they are more likely to leave the organization. And it is important to note that women in management positions in other departments aren’t going to fill that perceived lack.
It is easier for employees to look up to leaders they feel remind them of themselves or reflect who they feel they could become. Without women role models in tech leadership, your female workers won’t have that connection.
Improved Performance
Companies with greater gender diversity in top positions often outperform their competitors and experience greater stability, even during times of financial crisis. Additionally, studies suggest greater financial returns are also experienced by businesses with female leaders, including higher levels of return on equity and even stock growth.
Having female leaders brings new perspectives into the business which can help target new customer bases and improve market share. This can improve profits by bringing in more sales and connecting with buyers who may otherwise be overlooked.
Higher Productivity
Gender-balanced teams are shown to be more innovative, open to sharing knowledge, and even more effective at completing tasks while adhering to a schedule. The larger knowledge base and collective intelligence of the group thanks to their diverse experiences may play a significant role in the team’s performance, while women often outperform men in issues that require social sensitivity.
By increasing gender diversity in leadership, the entire organization can benefit from a wider range of experience, allowing better decisions to be made thanks to the expanded perspective.
However, attracting more female tech professionals, including leaders, to your company requires the creation of a culture that feels welcoming. The most talented women aren’t going to be interested in a workplace that makes them feel excluded by design, so breaking down these barriers is critical.
If you are interested in finding skill IT workers to further your goals, Bayside Solutions offers customized hiring solutions based on your needs. Contact us to speak with a recruitment professional today.
