News and Insights.

In the UK, women make up approximately 50% of the workforce, however when you focus in on STEM industries, this number falls dramatically to 24%. According to Mckinsey & Company organisations that proactively increase gender diversity see an increase in financial performance by approximately 15%. But it is not just profits that you can benefit from, increasing diversity can create an atmosphere for problem solving, improves inclusivity and drives innovation. We looked into the role of women in tech and the advantages diversity and inclusion can bring to organisations.

Increases in innovation

Diversity fosters innovation and creativity through a greater variety of problem-solving approaches, perspectives, and ideas.

At leadership level, diversity breaks down insular biases through personal experience, making an organisation more likely to act inclusively, foster a communicative culture, and create an environment where workers are free to voice unorthodox views and suggest creative solutions.

When people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives collaborate, they bring a wealth of ideas to the table. This diversity of thought leads to more creative problem-solving, better products, and ground-breaking solutions.

In tech, innovation is paramount and diversity results in products and services that better cater to the needs and preferences of a broader audience. Female engineers might consider different design elements or user experiences that their male counterparts may not have thought of, ultimately leading to more inclusive and user-friendly technology.

Reflect User Diversity

Technology is created for people and its users can be incredibly diverse. Diversity helps companies react more effectively to market shifts and new customer needs.

Female representation in tech helps avoid the inadvertent biases that can creep into algorithms and AI systems, which can negatively impact women and underrepresented groups if not properly accounted for during development.

Whilst there have been great steps in minimising the disparity between representation of men and women within the STEM fields, there is still significant improvements which can be made between to further reduce the gap.

Social Responsibility

Promoting gender diversity in tech is not just a matter of business strategy; it's also a social and ethical responsibility. Encouraging women to pursue careers in technology helps break down gender barriers and fosters a more equitable society. It sends a powerful message that talent and potential are not bound by gender, and everyone should have equal opportunities to thrive in any field.

Attract top talent

Diversity in leadership can help a company secure access to more sources of talent, gain a competitive recruitment advantage, and improve its global relevance. It also increases employee satisfaction and fosters positive attitudes and behaviours in the workplace.

We live in a deeply connected and global world. It should come as no surprise that more diverse companies and institutions are achieving better performance. Businesses must do more to take full advantage of the opportunity that diverse leadership teams represent. Given the higher returns that diversity is expected to bring, now is the time to invest.

At SystemLabs, we have witnessed the impact that women can play within a successful tech company. At present we have a near 30% representation of women across our organisation, representing a variety of roles. It creates an atmosphere for more diverse problem solving, improves inclusivity and drives innovation.

As part of our recent growth, we have further increased our diversity representation and are actively seeking to increase this year on year.