Women are leaving the IT industry in droves, according to a recent article in CIO.
The article goes on to describe six things women want in order to stay engaged in any job. Although the things they cite are important, they are not the full picture.
What are women looking for?
- Equal pay
- Flexible work schedule and paid leaves
- Female role models and mentors
- Recognition
- Opportunity for advancement
- Meaningful work that makes a difference beyond their job.
Although each of these items may be important, the discussion in this article, and in most conversations on this topic, ultimately revolved around women leaving to raise families, not being welcomed back after having children, or marginalized as they juggle both career and families. These are problems.
Yet, this perspective continues to perpetuate a stereotype of women not prioritizing work and career advancement as the cause of lower pay and career opportunities. However, a study at Harvard Business School of alumni showed that high powered and well trained women, with plenty of career drive, still earned less than their male colleagues, did not rise to as high of positions, and were often left out of critical business deals necessary for their success–even though 93% of them never left the workforce to raise children.
As Sheryl Sandberg noted in a recent interview, how many men are asked how they handle work and family? She is asked this all the time.
Women continue to be underrepresented at the top of organizations–large and small. We can continue to “fight” this, and probably should continue to make waves, until true equal rights have been achieved.
But more important than fighting this, we need to change the game. How do we do that?
Actively look for ways to promote and support other women. We represent 51% of the population. If we put our influence in numbers behind each other, we can do more good than demanding changes from the status quo. When Gandhi pushed the British out of India, he created force through numbers–rather than attempting to increase the power and influence of the Indian population within the status quo.
If women move their purchasing power, their investment money, and their own hiring practices to promoting women we could greatly shift the balance of power–within a much shorter time horizon than our current trajectory.
Look for women you can promote, mentor, buy from or invest in. They are all around you.
Your choices can make a difference.