Today on International Women’s Day (IWD), we’re looking at a few key points from Jisc’s IWD panel session. On Tuesday 4 March, Jisc’s CEO Heidi Fraser-Krauss and executive director for transformation, Joy Palmer, alongside external speakers Andrea Quantrill, Director of Quality and High Performance, Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, and Alex Vujcich, Interim Director of IT Services at Uni of Northampton discussed gender equality, breaking barriers, challenging bias and reinforcing commitment.
The theme this year is #AccelerateAction. Concentrating efforts on swift, decisive action to achieve gender equality creates a sense of increased momentum and urgency. This helps address the systemic barriers and biases women face, both in the workplace and out.
Supporting women in tech from the start of their careers – Heidi Fraser-Krauss
When asked what initiatives throughout her career have had the most impact on promoting gender equality within an organisation, Jisc’s CEO, Heidi Fraser-Krauss, discussed a “grow-your-own” approach. She explained that companies struggling to find female candidates in a profession can start by recruiting for junior roles. Providing the right environment and training from the start, helps these individuals progress into higher-paid and leadership positions.
Not only does this build loyalty, but also creates the next generation of leaders for a business. It’s a grass-roots approach to a wider issue. Highlighting the organisation’s investment into women from the beginning, not only empowers individuals, but also looks attractive to prospective employees/ future talent.
We can’t be what we can’t see.
Establishing the presence of women in senior roles within the education and technology industry helps inspire more into these sectors and contributes towards achieving gender pay equity.
Breaking barriers by questioning – Joy Palmer
Joy Palmer was asked about the most significant barriers she’s encountered in a male-dominated industry. She proposed that better communication is key to breaking down barriers. The overuse of technical and complex information can be intimidating and sometimes used to exclude women from important business conversations. Complex language can be used to silence women in the workplace, by subtly discouraging them from questioning what they hear.
It’s important to ask questions and make conversations clear for all. It is often seen as self-deprecating to clarify or ask questions, but we need to encourage a culture of – there are no ‘stupid questions’. Joy explained that by asking for something technically complex to be explained in way that a customer or a vice chancellor would understand can be helpful in overcoming these barriers.
Work life balance perception – Andrea Quantrill
Andrea discussed supporting a work life balance as a woman in the technology space and how the perception of women’s roles in the home carry more than the traditional male role, even when both parents are considered equal caregivers. Changes need to come from wider society, not just the workplace or sector. There are additional considerations for women with children who typically act as project managers in the home environment, on top of their careers.
The career breaks women take to start families should not be viewed as a pause in their careers while others advance, as Andrea herself experienced. There should be protection of roles during this period for women having children, and assumptions made about capability during these periods should be avoided.
Andrea emphasised that while organisations can accommodate school pickups and appointments, it’s crucial to understand the cultural perception of women as caregivers. Achieving equality requires change from all angles, in both society and the workplace.
Challenging bias by championing values – Alex Vujcich
Behaviour was Alex’s focus when asked about key approaches to addressing and challenging unconscious bias within teams and broader organisations. This doesn’t just include misogyny, it includes how the organisation reacts to that, how HR departments approach grievances and how respect is given to women in the workplace who are brave and come forward with these issues. Speaking out needs to be encouraged and talking about these issues needs to be championed within organisations.
Alex went on to say that organisations should have values that put importance on inclusion, commit to those values and be explicit with the work force on what behaviours are unacceptable. One way Alex saw this working is with “value champions” who are prepared to have difficult conversations when behaviour does not meet with company values.
If workplaces took sexism and microaggressions more seriously, workplaces would attract more women by displaying a strong ethos that they resonate with.
Closing thoughts on the “echo-chamber challenge” from a mid-level woman in tech – Joanne Romaniuk
I became involved in the Women at Jisc network following experiencing some of the above things myself, and what worries me the most is how little others care about this. Equality is often seen as the woman’s battle with men as the antagonists, but noticing the handful of men who joined the IWD panel gave me hope, and ideas.
These men who are joining the conversations are already doing their best, being champions for women in tech. The people who are open to conversations are not the ones who need to listen.
The echo-chamber of diversity and equality is a complex issue, and as a gay neurodivergent (ND) woman myself, I see this problem repeated in queer and ND spaces. We can discuss these points as much as possible, but the type people in the room need to change. We all agree on the problems, but until we approach the causes of the problems, I fear we’re just talking to the mirror.
Safe spaces like the Women at Jisc network provide a good space for us to champion each other and collaborate. However, we still need to feel empowered to have difficult conversations and challenge those people who do not understand how to create a comfortable environment for women.
In moving to the future, we need to remember our past and remember the working world, particularly the corporate and tech world, were designed for men. Women are working against a system not designed for them, so changes may be difficult to incorporate into the DNA of the workplace, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change it.
The “echo chamber challenge” might be a tricky one to overcome, but those 4 or 5 men who joined this panel will turn into 10. Then, before we know it, the room will be full to the brim with those who want to listen and want to change.
