We have just celebrated International Women’s Day, a day to recognise the achievements of women, mark progress towards gender equality goals and shine a light on areas requiring greater focus.
At Iress, we believe an important part of creating a culture that recognises and celebrates diversity is to listen - really listen - to as many different views as possible. And so this year we asked a few of our people what International Women’s Day and gender diversity means to them.
See below some of the perspectives of our people from across the world:
- Cindy Blay, Head of Projects, Australia
- Jennifer Rafferty, Head of Engineering, United Kingdom
- Niressa Kistan, Engineering Team Lead, South Africa
- Andy Ballinger, Information Security Architect, United Kingdom
What does this year’s theme for International Women’s Day - Each For Equal - mean to you?
Cindy: We all bring different life experiences and capabilities to an organisation and we know studies show teams with increased diversity are more successful. ‘Each for Equal’ for me means that we all work together to bring those capabilities and experiences to the forefront and respect each other regardless of our gender or beliefs.
Jennifer: To me this is wider than just women but something for everyone - for each person to be seen as equal regardless of gender, age, neuro, ethnicity. Everyone has the right to equality.
Niressa: I was excited to join Iress last year as a Delivery Team Lead. It’s honestly been an at-times tough and long journey for me to rise to a leadership position in technology. Over my 20 years in the industry, I've had very few female colleagues and many were passed over for promotions due to gender bias. What ‘Each for Equal’ means to me is that we need to be aware of the bias that exists in the world and try to actively improve.
Andy: For me it’s about recognising that we need to rebalance the way work and family responsibilities are managed so both men and women play equal roles in both.
To me this is wider than just women but something for everyone - for each person to be seen as equal regardless of gender, age, neuro, ethnicity. Everyone has the right to equality.
Head of Engineering, United Kingdom
What are the biggest improvements you’ve seen over your career when it comes to creating a more gender equal work environment?
Niressa: In recent years I have seen more engagement sessions and transparency regarding equality in the workplace. There is effort put into supporting women in technology with mentorship, leadership and training programs. This will empower more women to rise up into leadership roles.
Cindy: The discussions concerning diversity and inclusivity are much higher on the agenda now than when I started my career. We talk about how we feel and how we want to make change, but as a leader in change I know too well that making systemic and cultural change can be challenging and we need to make this more of a priority.
Jennifer: I identify with seeing more people like me (ie women) in senior positions. I see our policies being more inclusive of family life with policies to support significant moments in people’s lives such as pregnancy, adoption, children starting school or taking a career break.
Andy: I’ve been fortunate enough to work at Iress during a time where Shared Parental Leave has been introduced. This has given my wife and I more time to spend with our new baby daughter than we otherwise would have been able to. The scheme has meant we can better balance the financial needs of the family with spending time together during these early days, something I was worried about before we started the journey. I am ecstatic that I am able to spend three months with our baby split flexibly around work.
Women would take on leadership roles if there are more opportunities. They need encouragement and to build networks for support.
Engineering Team Lead, South Africa
Where do you think there’s still room for improvement?
Cindy: I think all companies should work hard to shine a light on unconscious biases - starting in the recruitment process, through to induction and across all aspects of working life. It’s so important to implement training at all levels and support people to call out inequality when they see it.
Jennifer: A wider view on diversity is needed. We need to be having the conversations and leaning into how we can be more inclusive.
Niressa: It's important to have an open door policy where we can have safe, honest conversations . Women would take on leadership roles if there are more opportunities.They need encouragement and to build networks for support.
Andy: As part of our apprenticeship recruitment program in 2019, 23 people applied and only two were women. Given the global shortfall of information security specialists, it would be great to see more women get involved in the field. Having as many diverse perspectives as possible gives us a great advantage in staying ahead of potential threats.
Having as many diverse perspectives as possible gives us a great advantage in staying ahead of potential threats.
Information Security Architect, United Kingdom
What do you think business leaders need to focus on over the next five years to keep improving and pushing for equality?
Andy: I believe we need to do more to make a career in technology, in particular information security, attractive to women. I’d love to see more women in our profession.
Jennifer: Education, discussion and challenging our own belief systems so we can do the same for other people with integrity. We need to keep the discussion alive so we don’t become complacent.
Cindy: Make diversity and inclusivity a real priority. Lead and drive the cultural change that is required and ask themselves in every situation: How would I like my wife, daughter, sister, mother or friend to be treated?
Niressa: Leaders can continue to make a positive impact by setting goals for gender equality in the workplace. I’d like to see more training programs for women to boost the number of women in technology. I also think it’s important for women to get recognition for their achievements and talents as this will inspire future leaders.
