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Flexibility can bring such gains for so little effort
23 Oct 2008
by Sion Barry, Western Mail
The BCS have launched a role for women in IT initiative. Helen Nutton of Micross Recruitment assesses the gender imbalance.
IT has traditionally been a male-dominated profession. Statistics show women in IT are still being paid 20% less than their male counterparts. But our research shows this is not because women are paid less for doing the same job, but because there are more men in the niche positions, which command higher salaries.
The industry appears to be recognising this, and making steps to improve it. The British Computer Society set up its Women in IT Award which is now in its third year, alongside other female-centred campaigns such as its Women's Forum.
The aim is not to fill quotas, but to highlight the benefits of having women in the IT workplace, and the additional skills, knowledge, and ability to problem-solve that they can bring. The IT industry is becoming more diverse, with roles becoming hybrid and skills needed in a number of different areas. Women bring these additional skills to a team.
So, it looks like everyone is agreed that a multi-gender workforce is good for business but how realistic is this for business-owners to implement? We often hear of circumstances where women feel they have been discriminated against or had their paths for progression blocked due to pregnancy or family commitments. While this is overtly illegal, there are cases which are not so clear-cut, and where the events discussed are more intangible.
The Equal Opportunities Commission claims 45% of women have experienced some form of discrimination while pregnant.
Being realistic, the challenges of incorporating women within IT can be demanding. For example, in support-based roles there is often an on-call requirement, and in development and testing positions where there may be a need to work late to meet a deadline or project with little or no warning. The ability to arrange childcare at short notice is a luxury not available to most mothers.
So what can be done? Well, we have seen an overall shift in work-life balance over the past 10 years, with employers offering more than just financial remuneration to recruit and retain staff, but considering lifestyle-enhancing benefits such as flexi-time, healthcare and gym membership, and this is not gender-specific.
It may be a large change in mindset to accommodate childcare into this, but maybe not so large a jump in practical terms.
For example, implementing crèche facilities on site may only require an extra room in the business unit and a part-time registered child-minder, or maybe offering a flexible benefits package where employees can choose either extra holiday days, or a financial contribution to child care. More care managing on-call rotas to ensure staff has notice of the business requirements. Especially within the IT sector, investments in technology mean remote working is more feasible, offering flexibility for the employer as well as the employee.
The key is not to positively discriminate, but to review the variety of lifestyle choices staff may look for, and balance that with business needs. Men as well as women now take an active role in the upbringing of their children, and with many women choosing to pursue demanding careers; it might not necessarily be the females in an organisation who would like to work flexibly.
A little bit of creative thinking may ensure the workforce remains diverse and loyal, which benefits all in the long term.
