Possibilities for Gender Diversity in the Health Technology Industry
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science provides an opportunity for technology groups to reflect on their efforts to address gender disparities. Fortunately, the industry appears to be moving in the right direction. According to ONS data from last year, the number of women working in technology has continued to rise, with women now accounting for 31% of UK tech occupations. While the industry is not quite there, it is showing signs of improvement. With that in mind, a number of tech experts have expressed their perspectives on the need of encouraging young females to study STEM topics in school, as well as some of the industry misconceptions that need to be dispelled:
Diversity hiring is now required.
- SunGard AS's Edwina Murphy, Director of Public Cloud Management, believes that International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an opportunity for businesses to reflect on their commitment to inclusiveness. "Business should use International Day of Women and Girls in Science Day to evaluate whether they are on track to accomplish their diversity and inclusion goals," she said. Companies should consult their employees on a regular basis, asking them what they think needs to change to make the workplace more inclusive. Corporate executives must also eliminate unconscious prejudices, a widespread social issue that is not limited to the tech industry.
- This begins with the hiring process, which eliminates bias by putting a diverse set of interviewers in charge of decision-making.
- As a result, the technology industry may begin to address its gender disparities, and more women will be encouraged to pursue careers in the field."
- Dr. Lucy Mackillop, Chief Medical Officer at Sensing Health, agrees and believes that a diversified hiring approach is essential. She believes, "There is no doubt the life sciences industry is diversifying, but there is still potential for development.
- Sensing Health has great objectives to support more women in these professions; we have a significant role to play in diversifying the scientific and technology industry.
- I believe it starts with more diverse hiring, with firms focusing on hiring people with broad perspectives and experiences to ensure their work and workplaces are as inclusive as possible.
- We will be able to drive innovation across all spectrums of healthcare with a varied workforce, assisting in the discovery of solutions for illness and disease that affect a greater variety of people, regardless of their geographies, ethnicities, gender, or ages. As a result, we will be able to contribute to better patient care for all."
Early childhood education is critical.
- EJ Cay, Genesis' Vice President for the United Kingdom and Ireland, feels that young girls should be encouraged to participate in STEM disciplines as early as feasible. "International Day of Women and Girls in Science" is significant to me because it serves as a reminder that gender equality in these professions is critical to achieving a brighter future.
- Without more women and girls in STEM, the world will continue to be designed by and for males, leaving untapped the potential of girls and women.
- As a result, we must encourage women and girls to study these disciplines as well as enter the labor field.
- We must also establish environments for women where their careers are not hampered and where they may achieve a fulfilling work-life balance.
- This will open up a plethora of opportunities for other women to be motivated by technology in the same manner that I have."
- Karen Worst ell, Senior Cybersecurity Strategist at VMware, agrees, stating that educational institutions must make STEM courses available to all students.
- "As I was deciding what type of job I wanted to pursue, I was fortunate to have access to educational and extracurricular tools that allowed me to be at the forefront of a developing subject like cybersecurity," she says.
- To help future generations of women in STEM break through the glass ceiling, educational institutions must develop this type of support and access to young people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, regardless of gender, race, or region. Companies must also recognize that the pipeline of tech talent is now unstable, and that more has to be done to hire, retain, and develop people."
Shifting workers' perceptions of technology
According to Mairead O'Connor, Exec for Cloud Engineering, AND Digital, there is evidence of development and that the perception of technology professionals is gradually shifting. "The software business is still very much misunderstood: the age-old idea of the solo coder working in a basement is far from reality," she argues. Teamwork, communication, creativity, and pragmatic problem-solving are the most underrepresented abilities required. I'd like to see organizations better grasp what they need from their IT roles and work hard to fill them with the proper personnel. A computer science degree can be a terrific way to get into a tech industry, but it is not the only way. "I studied sciences in college, but some of the most perceptive technologists I know studied humanities or acquired their trade outside of college."
- Lori Mac Vitier, Principal Technical Evangelist at the Office of the CTO, F5, concurs and asserts that STEM has a fundamental brand problem. "There is a stereotype of women who work in these [STEM] positions.
- We may associate introverts with those who dress all black and no heels, but this is not the case! It makes no difference what kind of woman you are, what you wear, or what personality you have.
- There is a place for you. And this is the message I'm attempting to spread among my peers."
- "As a self-taught female coder, I totally sympathies with the 'ale, male, and stale' stereotype that has long harmed the IT business," says Roisin Wherry, Data & Technology Expert, Grayce.
- With this in mind, I urge others to make room in the IT and data sectors for a diverse range of people. This can be achieved through peer-to-peer support or by assisting people new to the industry to develop more confidently.
- At my current position, I organize regular coffee dates, social activities, study groups, coding clubs, and Slack chats.
- This fosters a community of support in which analysts of all levels assist one another with client interviews, technical guidance, and settling in, and even deliver technical training.”
Be brave and make your voice heard.
Caroline Grey, Chief Customer Officer, Ui Path, concludes the overall mood by expressing her advice for International Women and Girls in Science Day is, "Girls, take a chance, raise your hand up in class and ask your question if anything is not obvious and be open to providing and receiving feedback. When you're older, apply for that job you've always wanted but aren't sure you're qualified for. Let us all take advantage of the opportunities that come with being a woman in technology. We have earned our spot. The authority gap exists, but progress towards closing it is being made. Be proud of your multifaceted personality. We require your assistance!"
Representation in the Healthcare Industry
Gender diversity in the healthcare profession is still weak, particularly in IT leadership roles. While the sector has been reluctant to adapt to innovation and technology (due primarily to legislative restraints in place to protect patient data), this does not mean that the industry has not made progress in terms of representation. In fact, according to a recent survey, women make up 65 percent of the healthcare workforce in the United States.
- What is the issue? About 25-30% of female executives work in healthcare, and just 13% are CEOs.
- Health tech firms should assure continuing growth for their female employees and give them with leadership chances in order to move the industry towards a more equal representation and bring in more female perspectives.
- Including gender diversity in a company's purpose is an excellent way to begin bringing fresh ideas to the decision-making table.
- This could involve developing mentorship programmes or shadowing opportunities for women interested in pursuing a career in leadership.
Using Social Platforms
When it comes to social media, both genders2 use it as a networking tool. Yet, according to the same data, 73% of female physicians were more likely to use social media to create a professional network, whilst their male counterparts predominantly utilized social media for research.
- These findings indicate that women in healthcare are turning to technology for relationships and future career opportunities.
- Businesses that want to boost the number of female candidates should use social media to reach out to competent women.
- Similarly, female executives in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries must be mindful of their own professional networks when opportunities for growth occur.
- If we continue to employ a blended workforce, virtual support via social media will become increasingly important.
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Promote Diversity in Health Technology
There are several crucial elements that health/pharma tech leaders should consider immediately when tackling gender diversity. Businesses should think about whether they have strategies in place to encourage women to pursue careers in healthcare technology.
- A smart place to begin is to ensure that there are programmes and opportunities in place that provide women with the necessary exposure to working with executive leadership teams.
- This not only gives female employees direct access to women in leadership roles, but it also assists them in identifying and honing the talents required to go up the success ladder.
- According to sources, women working in medicine have greater work and home difficulties than men.
- Organizations committed to boosting women's representation in leadership positions must support and mentor them once they reach such positions.
- Some of these concerns can be effectively addressed by developing programmes to assist leaders with childcare issues or by forming a support group for parents to discuss information and best practices.
- There is no doubt that we are making progress towards creating a more level playing field in the health/pharma tech market.
- To maintain the momentum, we must consider all of the individuals that comprise the healthcare business and provide them with equal access to the tools they require to flourish.
- As we approach 2022, health/pharma tech executives must make gender diversity a high goal for the coming year.
