The Imperative of Recruiting More Women
Discover why HR professionals need courage, boldness, and curiosity when it comes to recruiting more women!
In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, the demand for skilled professionals is skyrocketing. According to Agoria, the federation of the technological industry, Belgium alone will need an additional 584,000 STEM professionals by 2030 to meet market demands. Today, 315,000 people work in the sector. Yet, current graduation rates indicate a significant shortfall, with only 25,000 STEM graduates each year, leading to a projected gap of 400,000 professionals. Addressing this gap requires more than just increasing the number of graduates; it necessitates a strategic focus on underrepresented talent pools, particularly women.
The Importance of Women in Tech
While many recruiters claim to prioritize the best candidate regardless of gender, the statistics paint a stark picture. As of 2022, only 70,000 women were employed in tech roles in Belgium. To meet future demands, we need to increase the number of women in tech from 19% in 2024 to 30% by 2030, which translates to 260,000 women. This is not just about meeting quotas; it's about tapping into a vast, underutilized talent pool that can drive innovation and growth. The urgency is clear: in total, 70,000 students graduate in Belgium each year, and 60% of them are women. If tech companies and large IT departments do not yet have a plan in place to attract these talents, you might run out of time soon.
Challenges and Opportunities
The current hiring landscape is fraught with challenges. Many companies still rely heavily on traditional recruitment channels, which often fail to reach diverse candidates. Furthermore, unconscious bias remains a significant barrier. However, these challenges present opportunities for recruiters and HR professionals to innovate and lead the charge toward a more inclusive tech industry.
Strategies for Recruiters and HR Professionals
Bias Awareness Training: Equip your team with the tools to recognize and counteract unconscious biases. This is crucial for creating a fair recruitment process.
Diverse Recruitment Channels: Leverage platforms and networks that specifically target women in tech, such as Clusity, Women Who Code, and BeCode. Given that 50-70% of jobs are filled through networking, expanding your recruitment channels is essential for finding untapped talent.
Transparent Career Paths: Clearly outline career progression opportunities and provide robust support systems, such as mentoring and coaching programs tailored for women. Visibility of women in leadership roles within your organization can inspire and attract new talent.
Set Gender Diversity Goals: Establish concrete diversity targets and monitor your progress. Just as sales and marketing teams work toward specific goals, so too should HR departments.
Supportive Networks: Create internal networks and support groups for women in tech to foster a sense of community and provide mentoring opportunities.
Long-term Partnerships: Forge partnerships with educational institutions and programs that encourage women and girls to pursue STEM fields. By supporting initiatives like Clusity, BeCode, or CoderDojo and fundraising actions of e.g. Flanders Technology (better known as the non-profit organization behind Technopolis), companies can help build a robust pipeline of future female tech talent.
The HR Dilemma: You are the gatekeeper
HR can open the doors for candidates to their organizations or close them. However, you find yourself navigating a complex web of relationships.
You must balance the needs of the candidates, who seek purpose, income, and recognition, while ensuring team leads are satisfied with the quality of work and services of the new potential colleague. At the same time, you have to align with the CEO's focus on financial results and secure your own job and bonuses. A lot of stakeholder management!
To succeed, HR professionals need the courage to address difficult issues, the boldness to give diverse talents a chance, and the curiosity to approach HR innovatively. So why not seek a strong partner who supports your efforts with experience, customer cases, and proven track records?
At Clusity, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with diversifying the tech workforce. We specialize in connecting recruiters with the right channels, networks, and expertise to successfully recruit women in tech.
Ready to make a difference?
Partner with us to access a diverse talent pool and take actionable steps toward building a more inclusive tech industry. Together, we can bridge the gap of 260,000 women and drive innovation through diversity.
Contact us today to learn how Clusity can help you unlock the full potential of your recruitment strategy and create a more balanced, dynamic, and successful tech workforce.