Women in tech have long faced numerous barriers to success, particularly when it comes to balancing family life with career aspirations. The tech industry has traditionally been male-dominated, making it difficult for women to advance. However, a recent project by Joanne John, a Council Member at WomenTech Network, an experienced professional with over 15 years of expertise, and a Post Graduate Diploma student at University College Dublin, has identified an opportunity for managers to support high-achieving women in tech to succeed while balancing family life. Using the Design Thinking methodology in collaboration with WomenTech Network, Joanne is exploring ways to empower women in tech to attain C-level positions while maintaining a balanced family life.
Qualitative Research Findings
Joanne's project involved conducting qualitative research with 15 women and 8 men from C-level to individual contributor positions, with the goal of understanding their experiences and identifying any recurring themes related to the challenges of balancing family life and career in tech. Through the interviews, a clear and recurring theme emerged: managers need more guidance and support to effectively support women with families. This finding highlights the importance of providing managers with tools and resources to help them create a more supportive and inclusive work culture that caters to the needs of female employees with families.
Key Insight: "Managers Need a Toolkit to Help High Achieving Women in Tech Succeed Balancing Family Life"
One of the key findings of the research was the need for "Manager/Company Changes" to support high-achieving women in tech to balance family life with their career ambitions. This finding emphasizes the importance of managers having a toolkit to support their female employees, which could include flexible working arrangements, mentorship opportunities, and networking events. The toolkit could also include resources to help managers create a supportive work culture, such as training on unconscious bias, diversity and inclusion, and work-life balance.
Importance of Company Policies and Legislation
The project also highlighted the importance of company policies and legislation in supporting women in tech to balance family life with their career ambitions. This may involve advocating for policies that support flexible working arrangements, parental leave, and other benefits that are important to women in tech.
Collaboration with WomenTech Network
WomenTech Network is proud to collaborate with Joanne John on this important initiative, which has the potential to make a significant impact in the tech industry. The collaboration aims to empower women in tech to attain C-level positions while maintaining a balanced family life. WomenTech Network is also providing valuable feedback as the toolkit is developed to ensure that it meets the needs of women in tech.
Provide Feedback & Contribute to the Manager Toolkit
To support this initiative, we invite you to contribute and provide feedback on the toolkit that is being developed.
Please use this form to share your insights and suggestions.
Your feedback will help ensure that the toolkit meets the needs of women in tech and their managers.
To stay connected and learn more about Joanne's progress, please follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1joannejohn.
In conclusion, the project by Joanne John in collaboration with WomenTech Network highlights the importance of creating a supportive work culture that caters to the needs of women in tech. By providing managers with the tools and resources they need to support their female employees, companies can help ensure that women in tech are able to balance family life with their career ambitions and succeed in the industry. The collaboration between Joanne John and WomenTech Network has the potential to make a significant impact in the tech industry, and we look forward to your contributions and feedback. Thank you for supporting this significant initiative!
About Joanne John:
Joanne John is an experienced professional with over 15 years of expertise in Global Partner Success at Scale, Partner Operations, and Team Excellence. As a Council Member at WomenTech Network, Joanne is a strategic partner, a trusted subject matter expert, and a passionate team development leader with a strong interest in STEM and community outreach. Joanne is currently pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma at University College Dublin, where she is using the Design Thinking methodology in collaboration with WomenTech Network to identify ways to help high-achieving women in tech succeed while balancing family life.
