How can we improve workplace diversity?

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Previously, we shed some light on the importance of having diversity in the tech community. If you browse through the internet, there are countless articles affirming the need to welcome more women and minorities into the tech space. However, why are numbers still largely disheartening? Women fill just a quarter of tech jobs at top US tech firms. Closer to home in the Southeast Asian city-state, merely five percent of tech startups are headed by women.

Acknowledging the problem is just the first step to solving it. Instead of just talking a big game, here are some actions we could take.

Catch them young

The underrepresentation of women in tech is a global problem. This can be traced back all the way to their school years, where family, society, culture and education influences all come into play. With many reports highlighting the benefits of women in tech, it is clear that they are an important asset and can bring added value to the table. It’s crucial that we nurture and grow this pool of talent from an early age, with the objective of diversifying the talent pipeline.

It starts from the top

Leaders are viewed as role models. Leaders set the agenda. Leaders define and drive culture. Their authority is what gives them the potential to make a difference. Moving beyond lip service, diversity efforts can achieve greater success when they’re driven by the leaders in highly visible ways. Personally endorsing diversity events the way you do for other important business endeavors could be a way to start!

Refine your language

It’s all about having a solid hiring policy that is age, race, gender and minority neutral. Analyze job descriptions and review words that may be uninviting to women and minorities. Instead of using masculine-themed words such as “dominant” or “manage”, consider gender inclusive words like “community” or “lead”. Ultimately, hiring decisions should still be based on finding the candidate best suited for the job.

Look at numbers

Google, Apple, Facebook, and eBay are among the companies who publish diversity data in their corporate annual reports – mainly to show that they are making progress (or not). As the old adage goes, “What gets measured is what gets done.”. What’s the percentage of women in the top management? How are performance evaluated? A hard look at these data can help identify milestones and objectives, and offer a point of reference as we continually plan forward to review measures for improvements. Looking to take baby steps towards a diversified workforce? This might be the one.

Create an inclusive workplace culture

When it comes to retaining employees, it can sometimes be a more arduous task than recruitment. Implementing flexible work-life policies and progressive programs can only go so far. We need to ensure that the day-to-day employee experience enables individuals from all backgrounds to thrive. Additional resources may be deployed to assist their adjustment into the new environment as well as the company’s culture. For a start, appoint someone to organise regular team lunches or social activities to foster inclusion and build long term relationships!

Food for thought

Endorsing diversity is not as easy as pie. Companies repeatedly face multiple issues that serve as barriers to embracing balanced diversity. But with global tech powerhouses pledging to take a stand, we’re definitely moving closer to the light at the end of the tunnel!

Do you think more can be done? How can the tech community play a part? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Woman in tech or developer, we’d love to meet you!

As part of Tech in Asia’s continued efforts to encourage diversity in the tech startup community, we would like to extend a warm invitation to all women in tech to attend Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016 for free. If you’re a female entrepreneur, or working for a startup, we would love for you to join us! Just sign up here for a Women Entrepreneur pass and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Developers are the unsung heroes, and we’ve also set aside complimentary passes for those in the tech scene. If you’re a developer looking for an avenue to meet the rest of the tech community, click here to apply for your free pass to Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016.

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