'Organisations don't understand the benefits of a diverse workforce'

Jenna Griffin, policy and programme manager at BCS, reflects on the issues raised at the inaugural Women in Tech Festival UK

Women supporting women, men supporting women and companies supporting women is one of the key aims of the British Computer Society (BCS), the Chartered Institute for IT, and something we'd all like to see in the technology industry.

Women in IT remains a diversity dilemma for organisations and it was inspirational to attend the Women in Tech Festival at The Brewery in London, where women in the industry are celebrated and recognised as leaders of this fourth industrial revolution. From panels on networking to the barriers women face - and even sessions on yoga and nutrition - the event has given me and those who attended it, knowledge, insight, and empowerment to develop as a woman in tech.

Currently just 17 per cent of the UK's tech workforce are women, with an even lower headcount in the upcoming talent pools. As a member of BCS, the body that supports professionals in the digital industries, and as a young woman myself, I feel a desire for women to know and understand their potential in this sector. The Women in Tech Festival hosted a brilliant panel around millennials and how four women landed their roles.

The two big themes of this panel were the importance of apprenticeships and having the confidence to believe you are as good as a man in the same role. BCS, as an organisation, has recognised the importance of apprenticeships for several years now and is an End Point Assessment Organisation.

Confidence, on the other hand, is something we all need, and we can learn from, and be inspired by, influential tech women. Zaynah Din, a digital marketing apprentice at Facebook really stood out for me on this panel. As Facebook's youngest employee she was a breath of fresh air, encouraging young women from every background to explore their career choices and know that tech is just as important as any other profession. Inspiring young girls at school to take up tech and follow paths such as a Digital Apprenticeship or KS4 computer science is so important in generating that future female talent pool.

A question posed prior to the festival was: if the lack of women in IT is so widely acknowledged, why aren't more girls lining up to fill this big gap? The festival highlighted some key areas that companies and women, in general, need to work on to increase the number of women in these roles.

Firstly, job descriptions - there is often unconscious bias in the advertisement of such roles which often prevents women applying. During a roundtable session around team diversity, the issue of language used in job descriptions was raised as a significant factor in deterring women from applying. Secondly, it's a matter of confidence - many women lack the confidence to apply for the job and hold the mistaken belief that they are not good enough for the role when they compare themselves with men.

I think organisations are yet to understand and capitalise on the benefits of creating and growing a diverse workforce. Variety in gender, age, race, and background bring unique experiences to the table, which in turn feeds innovation and eventually firms will profit from these new ideas.

Fiona Macaulay, a BCSWomen committee member and head of global delivery at Mars, made an interesting point on a panel around diversity. She said that organisations must provide a safe environment for women in order to promote career development. This was important for women at all stages of their career, from the early days through to being a returner. In turn, companies will benefit as they will attract a diverse network of people, who want to work for a company that achieves inclusivity. BCS has recently published an Insights report which looks at the true state of the diversity landscape within the tech industry.

BCS believes it's important for all staff to benchmark skills against standards and to ensure organisations are aware of what we do and what we can achieve. Standards such as RITTECH and SFIAplus allow all staff to show that they can do their jobs to the highest standards. Their skills are assessed and recognised, which can help them take the next step on their career ladder. It's great for companies too as it can be used as a tool to increase diversity and inclusivity.

The most prominent message for me was from the head of an organisation that inspires girls and young women to get into STEM careers. Stemettes CEO Dr Anne Marie Imafidon MBE simply said: "Find a comfortable way for you to always be visible." As women in the tech industry, it is so important for us to always have a presence in person, and on social media, to demonstrate collectively or as an individual that we will be successful in the jobs we apply for, and are achieving so much in the jobs we currently occupy.

Jenna Griffin, is policy and programme manager at BCS

This article first appeared on LinkedIn.