HerNovation: How to Maximise Flexible Working Initiatives for Women in Tech

ByKevin Namunwa November 17, 2021

2 min read

In as much as a lot of women have gotten into big jobs in tech, the ratio of men to women in these firms could get better. The progress made is tremendous, but there's room for improvement

In as much as a lot of women have gotten into corporate jobs in tech, the ratio of men to women in these firms could get better. The progress made is tremendous, but more can still be done to improve on gender equality in these companies.

To improve on this and reverse the troubling trend, the workforce must begin with organizations redoubling their efforts to diversify their own workforce. One key strategy employers can use to do so is to expand access to flexible work.

Flexible work offerings can help employees struggling with domestic labor, regardless of gender. Broad access to these working arrangements can encourage households to more likely drop out of the workforce due to family obligations.

In Africa, most women have societal expectations that may hinder them from performing their work well. A working woman is also a mother and a wife; the African woman will be expected to deliver on both.

Recently, more people are embracing a working from home formula which makes it easier for employees to have a good work-life balance. Working from home is an option to make the workplace easier for women in the work place to rise up the ranks. It’s an opportunity for getting more women into tech leadership.

“At first, it was quite difficult for companies to fully plug into the work from home formula. The main challenges we were facing were power interruptions, lack of social interactions and blurred lines between work and home,” said Michelle Kuria – Marketing Manager, ESET East Africa during her presentation at HerNovation.

“Personally, at first I found it difficult to really differentiate between work and home because it was all the same. However, with time I established daily plans that drew the line between work tasks and home activities,” she added.

It is important for companies to make their working schedules flexible to allow women to work efficiently. This will not only increase the work output for them but will also help the company increase their fortunes. Furthermore, it is good PR.