Tech Leaders Talk: How Equity And Diversity Can Be Achieved In Technology – Forbes

The pandemic of the past two years has hit women and particularly diverse women disproportionately hard economically. In the technology industry, which benefited from a faster than average recovery, weve actually seen a 2% increase in representation at large global tech firms. However, that doesnt take into account smaller companies, of which less than half have established company-wide diversity hiring and retention goals.

It also ignores the burnout being felt by women in tech, with work/life satisfaction falling by 38 points, and more than half of racially and ethnically diverse women in the industry rating their work/life balance as extremely poor, resulting in 38% of women planning to leave their jobs in tech in the next two years.

We are in a time of transition and technology stands at the forefront. As we contemplate the future and begin to set the foundations of the new normal, we look to a diverse set of leaders in the tech industry who are actively engaging with these issues, in hopes that we can benefit from the wisdom they have gained through their personal perspectives and experiences.

New Work Paradigms and Challenges

Sipra Laddha, MD - Co-founder, LunaJoy Health

The silver lining of the past two years is that we have gained tremendous flexibility and insight around our previously narrow definition of work schedules, location, and environment. I am hopeful this expanded mindset will be beneficial to tech leaders rising according to their talent base and skills, rather than immediate life circumstances. Sipra Laddha, MD - Co-founder, LunaJoy Health.

The transformation of work has allowed employers and employees to find new and flexible ways to continue working, and studies have shown that 57% of technology professionals feel that the move to remote work has made them more productive.

However, many women have mixed feelings about whether this shift has been beneficial to them. Working from home provides flexibility, but it can also blur the lines between career and home care, especially for women of whom 42% took on more household work during the pandemic compared to 11% of men in tech.

I hope to see more DEI with people moving up the ranks while being well supported by the industry to be physically and emotionally well, said Sipra Laddha. Our current paradigm, especially for women, is quite binary and is a narrative of the sacrifice of either family or work, wellness or promotion. I hope the needs of all technologists are placed adjacent to their success rather than in spite of or at the cost of.

Michael Ellison, Founder and CEO of CodePath.org

We also have to be cognizant of supporting DEI at the other end of the spectrum. According to Michael Ellison, Founder and CEO of CodePath.org, CodePath's investigation into the question why do so few Black computer science graduates get hired as software engineers? all pointed towards a massive opportunity to plug into the way the existing system works, which is hiring through internship programs. This shows that even at the entry point into tech we are seeing new paradigms.

Understanding and Communication

Rachel Williams, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, The Motley Fool

"The past two years have been humbling, enlightening, and empathy-building. I hope that companies bring these elements forward as we start to re-imagine our new way of working, our new workspaces, and the new products we will build. Our work, our environments, and products should include all and serve all, " said Rachel Williams, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at The Motley Fool.

While major tech companies continue to invest billions in DEI initiatives, these efforts are ineffective when conducted in a vacuum. The only way to achieve results is to engage with the community, reach out to diverse employees, interact with social groups designed to support them, and ensure that there is an easy system for feedback, especially anonymous feedback.

Jasmine James, Senior Engineering Manager - Developer Experience, Twitter

As companies focus on introducing more diversity, inclusion should be top of mind. As companies seek to instill a sense of belonging for underrepresented groups, they are presented with challenges, especially in remote work environments. Companies should invest in facilitating belonging, solicit continuous feedback, and act based on needs relentlessly, added Jasmine James, Senior Engineering Manager - Developer Experience at Twitter.

Nia Darville, DE&I Program Manager, Greenhouse Software

If the past two years have taught companies anything, its that an intentional diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy is one of the most essential weapons in the battle for talent. Setting measurable goals and actively tracking their progress not only increases equity for individuals from historically marginalized groups but also creates a culture where every person can thrive, included Nia Darville, DE&I Program Manager, Greenhouse Software.

Cryptocurrency and Equality in Emerging Technologies

Amy Matsushima, Founder - Women of Crypto

The revolutionary significance of cryptocurrency encourages and precipitates the paradigmatic shift necessary to ensure the equal opportunity of women in the global marketplace. I am optimistic that dedication, collective effort, education, empowerment, and representation - including more women-led projects and female crypto influencers - will allow us to see the inclusive network and sense of community that is the very foundation of crypto, said Amy Matsushima, Founder - Women of Crypto.

Cryptocurrency has enormous potential to provide paths to professional and financial freedom for women and people of color in technology. The low barriers to entry, lack of restrictions, and ability to directly connect with investors are creating a space where historically excluded tech professionals can find success.

Leadership is vital to the future of equity in the technology industry. People running teams and companies need to be intentional about communicating with and listening to the people they employ and design for inclusion as they build and implement practices and policies during this time of great change. Most importantly, they have to be willing and break down biases and barriers to empower talented diverse individuals to be and become leaders in their own right.

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Tech Leaders Talk: How Equity And Diversity Can Be Achieved In Technology - Forbes