We know there is a challenge when trying to ensure your data teams reflect society. In the UK, when considering the whole population of data engineers, we know there is an 86% / 14% split of men to women, with data architects having an 85% / 15% split of men to women. These figures alone will tell you it is going to prove really difficult to achieve a 50/50 gender split.
In better news, if you are looking for a data scientist, you will have a better shot at finding top female talent, with the gender split in the UK in this discipline being 61% men to 39% women.
It is a common feeling among senior leaders that careers in data should be encouraged from a younger age and we should be inspiring children at a younger school age, as opposed to college/university leavers. Something we were told time and time again during our week of International Women’s Day celebration.
However, it leaves the question, in the short and medium term, how will you ensure you attract 14% of the data engineers in our industry to join your organization?
To address this issue, we believe companies must take proactive steps to attract and retain top female talent. One effective approach is to actively promote the brilliant women already within the organization. By highlighting their accomplishments, skills, and experiences, companies can inspire and encourage other women to pursue careers in data, but not only does this provide inspiration but creates evidence that female-led work is valued and impactful; something we are regularly told is one of the leading reasons someone chooses to work in an organization, or not.
Another key consideration is job descriptions. Many job descriptions contain an exhaustive list of “must-haves,” which can deter qualified candidates from applying. This is something that has been widely reported on for the last 10 years or so, yet is still a huge challenge we see every day. Instead, we believe companies should focus on the essential skills and qualifications required for the role and ensure that the language used is inclusive and gender-neutral. There also needs to be an understanding that soft skills are just as important in many of today’s data roles, as technical skills. Orbition Group Founder and CEO, Kyle Winterbottom spoke of this earlier in the week, check out his article here.
The interview and hiring process should also be designed intentionally to attract and retain female talent. Ideally, women within the company should be present and active during the hiring process, providing insights and perspectives on what it’s like to work in the organization. Additionally, companies can implement blind hiring practices to reduce the impact of unconscious bias and ensure that candidates are evaluated based on their skills and qualifications rather than their gender.
Finally, companies can work with experts like those within Orbition Group to tailor their talent strategy to build a team for the future. This may involve conducting market research, developing programs and initiatives to encourage more women to pursue careers in data, providing training and development opportunities to support their growth and advancement, and creating a culture that is inclusive, supportive, and welcoming to all genders.
If this is something you’re struggling with, come and have a chat with Tahanee Twist who can use our internal insights to help you tailor your talent strategy to build a team for the future.
Tahanee Twist
Tahanee is an accomplished principal talent partner with us here at Orbition. With years of experience in the industry, she has developed a reputation as a skilled and trusted advisor to both clients and candidates.
In her role as principal talent partner, Tahanee is responsible for managing key client relationships and ensuring the delivery of high-quality talent solutions. Read more.
