As a mark of celebration for International Women’s Day we interviewed 6 of Box UK’s outstanding women, who themselves are ‘Breaking The Bias’ towards women in technology. Here we talk to Hayley Macleod our Head of People Services.
Q. Why do you think it’s important for more women to join the tech industry?
We can’t underestimate the impact that having a diverse workforce and an accepting and inclusive culture has on our people, their levels of engagement and satisfaction, and their sense of belonging – things we care passionately about at Box UK. It’s no coincidence that diverse teams are the higher performing teams that people enjoy working in most – there are higher levels of creativity and innovation, faster problem solving and better decision making, which in turn also drives real competitive advantage.
In a sector recognised to be under-represented by women it’s important to redress the imbalance to encourage diversity of perspective in shaping the technology of the future, whilst also helping to close the talent shortage gap.
Q. What advice would you give yourself just starting out?
Grasp every opportunity that gets you out of your comfort zone – feel the fear and do it anyway! Even if things don’t always work out quite as planned, you’ll learn so much along the way.
Q. Do you think enough is done to help women get into the tech industry? If not, what would you recommend?
It’s great that the trend is heading in the right direction, but we’ve still got some way to go. Tackling the issue at grass roots level is crucial and education plays a key role in raising awareness of career opportunities and encouraging the take up of STEM subjects. Championing female role models, challenging negative stereotypes and ensuring that there are networking and mentoring opportunities for women as they start out in their careers are also important to encourage the take up of roles by women within the tech industry. As a mother of a daughter, I also feel a responsibility to make her aware of the varied career paths that are available.
As employers, having gender neutral recruitment processes and ensuring a truly inclusive environment that welcomes diversity, challenges discrimination and promotes equality of opportunity for all is also key to attract and retain women within our sector.
Q. What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?
Having previously worked across a number of sectors, I found the tech sector somewhat intriguing – it was a sector I’d read much about, but had no experience of working within. I was excited by the opportunity presented by Box UK to experience what it’s like to work in a digital transformation environment at the forefront of evolving technologies that drive real value and competitive advantage, and where the possibilities for innovation are infinite. The tech industry is exciting, fast paced and interesting to work in – it comes highly recommended by me!
