Microsoft’s Post

End of year celebration with the some of the wonderful women who bring Girls in Tech - Australia to life. Girls in tech is a volunteer led Not-For-Profit organisation with 18 events held this year across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra. 🌟 Whilst there is still a long way to go to close the gap, I wanted to end the year on a positive note with some promising statistics in this space (link to source in comments)  ✔ Companies that perform intersectional pay audits hire women at 1.3 times the rate of other companies.  ✔ Mid-size technology companies make up 53% of the industry's leading employers of women.  ✔ 64% of all new women-owned businesses have female founders of color.  ✔Companies that actively balance their male-to-female ratio of employees' pay rates and advancement opportunities employ women at significantly higher rates. This group of amazing women lead the way in creating a community, which is moving the needle to make positive change like above. We have some awesome workshops & events in the works for 2024, so if you haven’t had the chance to join this year, we hope to see you next year.  

I'm considering attending my first in-person conference since 2019...what's the best one to check out if I'm interested in the following topics? 1. Working parents 2. Recruitment 3. Women in tech 4. Business Development

As we roll into another International Women’s Day we’re going to see a barrage of companies highlighting their support of women.   However, if we look at their ranks – how many women represent their leadership and other key roles?   Trust me, the stats aren’t amazing.   So what can we do about it?   Here’s my take: If a female peer is struggling at work? 👉 Step in to help her level up. If a strong female peer joins your team? 👉 Resist the urge to feel threatened and look for ways to collaborate (it raises both of you up) If a female college grad needs advice on how to navigate the job market? 👉 Step in to share your experience and make introductions if possible. If a female entrepreneur is launching a new business? 👉 Help amplify her brand and make a referral to relevant peers. If a female friend wants to go back to school but is worried about childcare? 👉 Volunteer to watch their kids when you can and help them study. These seem like basic actions, and they are, but every single action can help elevate our friends and peers. And as Madeleine Albright eloquently put it… “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”   Which one are you gonna be? Just sayin… #internationalwomensday #tech #customersuccess #community #network #saas

Although only 40% of Product Drive speakers are women, 100% of top Product Drive speakers are women. This is consistent with the overall trend that women, although often a minority - outperform the majority. As Elena Verna wrote in her post a few weeks back, even though there are fewer women in executive positions, they tend to command higher salaries and outperform their peers. Why? Maybe because they had to fight so hard to get there? Because they have to juggle a lot more unpaid work at home on top, so they learned to be more effective? Because the conflicting expectations mean they have to work so much harder to achieve the same level of recognition? I feel like tech is light-years ahead in terms not discriminating women in the workplace (at least that's my impression after 7 years in tech), I know for a fact that with the scant (if any) maternity leave policies, and lack of affordable childcare, many women even in the most developed countries are facing the unfathomable choice between their careers and their families. Wanna show support to more women in tech? Sign up to these talks by amazing female thought leaders on Product Drive for free (links in the comments) - most of them are business owners, some of them are parents on top of it. #womenintech

Jeanne Lam, current start up advisor and former president at Wattpad, reflects on how her cultural upbringing shows up at her workspace, creating space for caregivers, and gives valuable insight into the traits that will help immigrant women in tech succeed. Hear more in our most recent blog post “How to Navigate a Male-Dominated Space”, link in the comments!

The work week is about to start, and we want you to be prepared. The weekly Collaboration of Minority Women Professionals goal-setting and accountability call will help you get your week started correctly. Our members are doing business with each other, making money together, building, and growing!! Members, take advantage of your membership and join the conversation. Haven't joined a #ManifestationMonday call yet? You're missing out! 🎯 Topic Question: How does a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences contribute to gaining a competitive advantage? Visit our website to join for only $125 a year or $15 a month. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eAptUD-t ➡️ Join live: bit.ly/CMWPMondays . . #manifestationmonday #cmwp #cmwpfoundation #collaborationofminoritywomenprofessionals #businesscoaching #supportblackwomen #supportminoritywomen

As we celebrate International Women's Day today, I've been reflecting on the various reactions I've seen towards companies sharing their initiatives and spotlighting their women employees. It's no secret that some of these posts can feel a bit off or even tone-deaf at times. But I also think that we don't know what every single company does behind the scenes. I come from a field that is considered female-dominated, yet I still found myself in a toxic work environment. In a situation where I was underpaid (and overworked!). In a career that is designed to limit growth opportunities unless I chose to leave the classroom. Now I’m part of a *very* male-dominated industry, but, at my company, I've experienced a notable shift. Here, there's genuine appreciation for contributions, ample growth opportunities, better compensation, improved work-life balance, and overall, better treatment. So, yeah, it’s easy to criticize companies for what some may view as “merely spotlighting” their women employees without considering their actions to close gender gaps. But we don’t know everything. And today, I’d rather celebrate those companies that are actively working towards gender equality, even if they don't explicitly list all their efforts. After all, I believe that no matter what a company posts, there will always be someone ready to criticize. Happy International Women's Day! I was proud to share a few of my thoughts in today's spotlight. #IWD2024 #supportingwomen #womeninbusiness

We’re honored to announce we'll be partnering with Fem Equity™ for the BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference in September! This one-day, free event is a jam-packed affair for Black women and other women of color who are early in their career, ready to scale in their career, and/or are changing careers. Programming for the event will include interactive workshops, expert panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Did you know that according to 2022 data, Black women typically make only 67 cents every dollar paid to white-nonHispanic men? The BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference was designed to directly address this disparity and will offer women of color valuable information on a range of relevant topics, including how to advocate for equal pay for themselves, how to scale and advance their careers, and innovating their way through a power career. We’re so excited to be able to partner with incredible organizations who are creating change in the ecosystem.This free event takes place on September 22, 2023 in Baltimore, MD at FastForwardU, Johns Hopkins University. Stay tuned to learn more! #genderequalityintech #techleaders #womenintechnology #genderequality #inclusivetech #inclusivity #computerscience #womeninstem #equityintech #entrepreneurship #womenintech #genderequity #GETcommunity #innovation #technology #leadership #investment #startups #community #accelerator #blackintech #racialequity #womenintech #indigenoustech #latinasintech #blackwomenintech #latinosintech #latinx #getcities #getcitieshubs

Despite progress made in recent years, women still make up less than 1/3 of roles in tech. At Sharethrough, we aim to inspire the next generation of women in ad tech through community building, skills development and mentorship. This is one of many reasons why we have launched our first Women & Allies employee resource group, led by a group of 7 Sharethrough employees! The Women & Allies ERG was kicked off last week with the first of a series of fireside chats, featuring SVP Sales, Laura Bromwich. Her words of wisdom included advice on a variety of topics, including: - Becoming a leader in a male dominant industry - Exploring Imposter syndrome & maintaining authenticity - The importance of defining your values The Women & Allies ERG's mission is to create an environment for women at Sharethrough to thrive and reach their ultimate potential. We aim to inspire the next generation of women in ad tech through community-building, skills development and mentorship. 👉 Learn more about Sharethrough's Women & Allies ERG: https://lnkd.in/ecAPT4J7 #ERG #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #womenandallies #employeeresourcegroup

 Career growth & motherhood generally don’t go hand in hand. 5 years ago when I returned to work after my first maternity leave, I knew that having a baby was financially crippling and derailing my career.   I remember speaking to my mum about it and she said "Well what can you do about it." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She was saying that the system is what it is and to get on with it. My reaction was - well that doesn't seem fair, I'm not having that. 2 years later I launched MotherBoard | Charter, Events & Community to help the tech industry be more inclusive of mums. I didn't anticipate how well received the MotherBoard Movement would be. Here's why it is so crucial:   👎Only 26% of women work in the tech industry, and that's lower in the most technical roles. 👶50% of women leave the tech industry by age 35. 📈The biggest spike in the gender pay gap is due to the motherhood penalty. 👭There aren't enough women in senior positions. Not even close. To be invited to be part of the City of London Corporation Women Pivoting in Digital Taskforce would have been unimaginable to me five years ago. I had no idea that the frustration of my own experience would allow me to be part of the change for other women too. The taskforce is made up of 100 businesses, government, third sector and industry groups to change the landscape of how we can close the gap of women working in tech through mid-career pivoting. Mid-career pivoting can help close the digital skills gap, but mid-career women are also more likely to have children. The vast majority of women become mothers during their lifetimes. Even some of the most progressive companies are failing to address the reality that motherhood often derails careers. It's time to end that. #womenpivoting #MotherBoardMovement #genderequality #womenintech