How Can Tech Companies Retain Female Leaders At Every Life Stage?

PR and comms is one of the handful of industries where female representation has always been fairly high. However, when it comes to senior leadership, particularly in my chosen fields of tech or fintech, leadership roles are still predominantly filled by men. According to the most recent stats I could find online, just 14% of global tech leaders are female. 

This lack of equality at the leadership level has a big impact on young women at the start of their careers. I remember when I started out in PR. I would sit in meetings dominated by senior men feeling hesitant to weigh in. It was also clear that there was a double standard at work. When men spoke up, people listened. When assertive women did the same they were often labelled “bossy.” 

These dynamics are deeply rooted, but they can be overcome. What’s needed is for women to be mindful of their strengths and for organizations to rethink what leadership can look like.

How can future female leaders find their voice?

No two professionals are the same and everyone brings their own style to leadership. That means women don’t need to change their personalities to lead. All that’s really needed is self awareness of where they can make the greatest impact.

We’ve all been there: sat in that meeting room or on a video conference afraid to speak out for fear of saying the wrong thing, or worse; being ignored entirely. 

What helped me break out of that cycle was positive mentoring from supportive female (and some male) coworkers. They gave me the tools to speak up with confidence and navigate dominant personalities. In my case, it was as simple as coming prepared to meetings with pre-formulated questions, or agreeing with my manager beforehand that I would take ownership of specific agenda items. 

My mentors also helped me identify stress triggers and come up with ways to overcome them. Over time, this built up my confidence and empowered me to speak up in nearly any pressure situation.

…women don’t need to change their personalities to lead.

How can female leaders navigate caregiver leave?

As a mother of two, I’m well aware of how stressful the so-called “fifth-trimester” can be – the period when a new mom returns to work. The temptation here for employees and employers alike is to turn the clock back to before the birth and pretend like nothing’s changed. Same role, same expectations, same schedule. 

That’s madness, and it will most likely end up pleasing nobody. 

For a start, having a newborn necessitates a new schedule. Long-haul travel for meetings on short notice poses many more complications. Even a day away from home now requires careful planning and childcare arrangements. 

Practicalities aside, becoming a mother (or caregiver in general) is a major change. You have new priorities, responsibilities, and ambitions. But changing your perspective slightly, when you return from leave you can give yourself a fresh start at building your career around these shifts. To help you get there, be straightforward with your employer about what you want from your position, and work with them to get the training and support you need to set a new strategic direction forward.

…being a successful professional can make you a better caregiver (and vice versa).

How can you apply your caregiver skills at work?

Becoming a mother/caregiver doesn’t mean abandoning your professional life. In fact, being a successful professional can make you a better caregiver (and vice versa). For example, I’m proud that my career allows me to model what a strong work ethic looks like for my children, something that will help them as they grow up and enter the workforce themselves. Additionally, the skills that I have learned in my professional career have helped me stay organized and navigate the busy schedules of my entire family. 

Conversely, you don’t need to abandon your identity as a caregiver when you sit at your desk each morning. There are many skills you pick up that can be applied in the office, particularly when it comes to managing teams with empathy. As a mother, I’ve learned new ways to listen actively and decipher the true meaning of what my children are saying, when at times it’s not immediately clear. That can help at work if team members are reluctant to say how they really feel about a subject. You begin to read body language, emotions and other signals early on before they are even communicated. 

caregivers are also experts at navigating high-emotion environments. This can come in handy in a busy PR agency when you have to manage the emotional ebb and flow of passionate people taking pride in their work.

Finally, there are the skills you learn around giving constructive feedback without discouraging another person. That doesn’t mean sugarcoating the bad news, it means being direct and focusing on a path forward. Translated to the office environment, it means being able to deliver professional guidance effectively and empathetically.

What must organizations do to retain female talent?

With all these skills to offer, businesses that fail to keep hold of their female leaders are doing themselves a disservice. So, what can they do differently? The starting point is offering structural support such as comprehensive maternity policies and caregiver leave, offering post-leave check-ins, and active female-to-female mentorship programs. But more than that, it requires creating a flexible culture and workplace that is adaptable and empathetic, one that enables women to grow within their leadership roles while balancing their work and family lives.

Female professionals shouldn’t need to choose between career ambition and family. Both can serve as a source of purpose and fulfillment. What’s more, women returning to work in leadership positions bring with them new skills and perspectives that ultimately benefit the business. Attracting and retaining top female talent in the tech industry post-leave should be seen as a clear way to scale and grow your business by promoting an inclusive and modern culture.  It’s a “no-brainer” and should be something we all work towards, regardless of our gender or family situation.