Women’s Equality Day: How to ensure women thrive in the workplace

Despite huge progress over recent years, there are still disparities when it comes to gender representation in the workplace, especially in the technology industry, and more must be done to empower women here. Women’s Equality Day, rooted in the celebration of the 19th Amendment giving US women the right to vote, is an opportunity to address some of the challenges faced by women and the ways we can champion women at work. 

Charis Thomas, Chief Product Officer at Aqilla, explains that “The gender pay gap persists in many industries, partly due to historical cultural norms and also because of factors like maternity leave. Not-for-profits such as Women in Tech, Girls Who Code, and Tech She Can do great work encouraging women to enter science and technology fields. Change is happening, driven by the increasing need for diverse roles in tech.”

With this in mind, Cyber Protection Magazine spoke to seven women in tech to hear about their experiences and the advice they would give to other women and to businesses to build a more inclusive culture. 

The Importance of Mentorship

Over time many positive changes have been made, however, women are still underrepresented across leadership positions in particular. It’s therefore vital that women who have achieved this goal encourage younger generations to push to progress within their careers. Increasing visibility of women in leadership positions can instill confidence in other women to feel capable of this progression themselves. One way to do this is through mentorship programmes. Mentors can dramatically improve career progression, encouraging women to rise through the ranks. Having a female mentor can help women starting out in their career navigate challenges and benefit from expert insight. 

“For organisations to support women effectively in this industry, fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates diverse perspectives and approaches is crucial,” emphasises Kaleena McHugo, Engineering Manager at Censys. “It’s essential to ensure women occupy roles at all levels, not just entry-level positions. This includes having women in leadership roles where they can influence and drive change. Moreover, advocates at the top must actively champion the growth and advancement of women, creating pathways for mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development.”

Oylum Tagmac, Senior Director of International Partner Management at Commvault, agrees that “Offering mentorship programs and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) is incredibly valuable. Supporting women’s networks within the company creates a sense of community and belonging. I often remind my daughter of the Pareto principle, explaining that 80% of the results often come from just 20% of the effort. It’s up to us to tap into that 20% and create a positive impact, inspiring and motivating other women along the way. And to the women themselves, my main advice is don’t be afraid of making mistakes—there are no failures, only opportunities to learn and grow. So, whatever you’re passionate about, dive in fully and make it happen!” 

Diversity Drives Business Success.  

Promoting gender equality in the workplace improves business performance. A diverse team compiled of people from all walks of life increases perspective, and this is reflected in the numbers too. Forbes revealed that decisions made by diverse teams deliver 60% better results and inclusive teams make better decisions in 87% of cases. 

However, despite this, a recent survey by Randstad UK found that 62% of employed respondents said women are less likely to get their ideas endorsed in a working environment than men. Without being given credit for their insights or work, women tend to be overlooked for promotions and opportunities. To counteract this, companies should focus on fostering an environment where women’s voices are heard, and they can contribute their ideas.  

According to Terrie Butcher, Director, Technical Support at Progress & Progress for Her Co-leader, “Diversity enriches company culture with varied viewpoints and creativity, which propels business success. It’s crucial to cultivate an equitable work environment where each person can excel, and women have the same prospects for leadership and innovation.” 

“As I reflect on the state of women’s equality,” considers Chen Webber-Kentor, Group Product Manager at Zerto, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, “I reaffirm my belief that gender parity provides diverse perspectives and introduces different problem-solving approaches that create more unique and innovative solutions. Companies aiming to create a work culture that supports gender equality must have their leadership commitment – to set goals for diversity and inclusion and track their progress, be fair to all, and teach their staff why diversity and inclusion are enablers to the organisation’s success.”

Taking Action in the Workplace  

Women in senior leadership positions are rejecting workplace cultures that don’t serve them, according to Lean In and McKinsey’s recent Women in the Workplace report. We’re witnessing a huge female leader exodus, and for ambitious firms focused on growth, preventing this is vital. Companies can do a lot more to help make the workplace better for women, and this is becoming increasingly necessary to retain talent. 

“I think a lot of tech businesses are making much more of an effort to encourage female applicants, and the industry has improved significantly for women,” acknowledges Sheyman Addas, Vice President of People at StorMagic; but she also reinforces that “there is much to be done to level the playing field. HR departments, for instance, can do company-wide analysis to determine if there are any gender imbalances in departments or candidate pools, and work towards addressing problems, if they exist. They can be transparent on pay and promotion policies within the company. They can increase the visibility of their female engineers via social media by creating female-employee testimonials, host online talks and workshops, make gender bias training mandatory, etc. These types of actions demonstrate that inclusion and representation matter to companies. It also encourages and inspires more women to join the tech industry and apply for roles.” 

Lisa Healey, Sales Director at Node4, concludes: “For this year’s Women’s Equality Day, I hope companies take the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for women. Diversity in the workplace is essential, as it brings a wide range of perspectives, opinions, and approaches to problem-solving. Women should feel empowered to engage fully, share their ideas on projects, and contribute meaningfully to their organisations.”