Using the power of networking to boost women in IT
Dec 17, 2013
On November 20, our director of Marketing, Therese Sinter won the Womentor prize in Sweden for her unstoppable drive to increase the number of women in leading positions in the IT industry. The Womentor award is given by the Swedish National sector organization IT&Telekomföretagen in collaboration with newspaper Computer Sweden. It is given to someone who consequently puts efforts into – and has clearly contributed to – an increased focus to get more women in leading positions. All with the purpose to create a sustainable competitiveness within the IT Industry. We’ve asked her to share her thoughts in a blog post:
“Still, in 2013, the number of women in the IT sector stays annoyingly small. Organizations not pushing a change can always list off a large number of reasons why that is. Personally, I believe in concrete actions and setting goals for any change you want to create. And I believe in starting small.
In 2010 I had an idea. I had a growing frustration around the existing women within our company: they were not making themselves visible enough and where therefore not approached for new roles and assignments. My idea: why not create a network for our female employees, also including the ‘IT women’ from our clients, partners, competitors as well as young women at universities on the verge of getting into the IT sector.
We started in one city in Sweden. In two days the location we had booked for the event was full. The network in itself and the overall theme, “Make yourself visible” and the clearly communicated goal to get more women in IT on all organizational levels and roles was obviously a hit. The network was to be a safe haven for IT women where they could get concrete tips on how to shine, share their expertise, inspire each other and train themselves in how to use networking to advance. All members can contribute by having their company be a host for one event, making their women visible and sharing great ideas and expertise.
Communicating internally and getting a lot of attention in media made the network expand to other cities. The strategy was not to force the network onto a pre-chosen group of women within our company but rather let the passionate people show themselves and say “I want to expand the network to my office”. Three years later, winIT (Women Inspiration Network IT) as the network is called, has -through our pragmatic approach- grown to be the largest IT network for women in Sweden with over 2500 members in 14 different cities. It has also been established in Denmark and more Sogeti countries are in the startup phase to copy the concept.
Having more women in traditionally male dominated sectors has so many benefits, one of the most important ones being increased profitability. Get inspired by the McKinsey “Women Matter” reports and if you want to step out of the” no can do” box around women in IT feel free to contact me and steal our winIT concept with pride. No one will be prouder than me if you do.”
Therese can be reached at Therese.Sinter@Sogeti.se