K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
The underrepresentation of women in the South African technology sector is a problem that has for years begged the attention of government and the industry itself.
According to the Women In Tech ZA initiative, only 23% of tech jobs in South Africa are held by women. The Covid-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on various sectors and the economy but has also been touted as the most effective catalyst for digital transformation, and the technology sector has reaped the rewards.
There is hope. According to Seugnet van den Berg, a founding partner at Bizmod, the technology sector is one of the sectors that can claim the least damage from the pressures of the last 18 months.
But there are several things that need to be done to close the gender gap in the industry.
Van den Berg says it starts with the recruiting process.
It is crucial that organisations recruit based on potential and performance, and not on gender. Therefore, selection practises should be designed to incorporate a portfolio or body of evidence.
Organisational policies also need to be reviewed, and reflect the change in the workforce demographic. Where necessary, policies need to be amended to attract more women.
The physical workplace and culture needs to be scrutinised to ensure that gender bias is removed and replaced with a gender-inclusive environment for all to thrive.
Continue reading: https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/entrepreneurs/companies-that-employ-women-are-45-more-likely-to-have-greater-profit-study-9192f6aa-984f-47bb-9641-9c1def4d658f
According to the Women In Tech ZA initiative, only 23% of tech jobs in South Africa are held by women. The Covid-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on various sectors and the economy but has also been touted as the most effective catalyst for digital transformation, and the technology sector has reaped the rewards.
There is hope. According to Seugnet van den Berg, a founding partner at Bizmod, the technology sector is one of the sectors that can claim the least damage from the pressures of the last 18 months.
But there are several things that need to be done to close the gender gap in the industry.
Van den Berg says it starts with the recruiting process.
It is crucial that organisations recruit based on potential and performance, and not on gender. Therefore, selection practises should be designed to incorporate a portfolio or body of evidence.
Organisational policies also need to be reviewed, and reflect the change in the workforce demographic. Where necessary, policies need to be amended to attract more women.
The physical workplace and culture needs to be scrutinised to ensure that gender bias is removed and replaced with a gender-inclusive environment for all to thrive.
Continue reading: https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/entrepreneurs/companies-that-employ-women-are-45-more-likely-to-have-greater-profit-study-9192f6aa-984f-47bb-9641-9c1def4d658f
