Stop the Bias on International Women’s Day
Today, March 8, the world recognizes International Women’s Day (IWD) to celebrate the achievements of all women and to highlight the need to accelerate women’s equality in the workplace.
This International Women’s Day is extremely special for me. I find myself working for an outstanding company with a great boss… both the company and my boss live and breathe the diversity values they described during the interview process.
I’m a new arrival to Aryaka, and during my short three months my boss has hired three women into crucial Channel roles. During this time the company has also hired a female Chief Product Officer, AND a female Chief Customer Officer. I know what you are thinking…they are probably the only two females on the executive team…but that’s not true. Of the nine executives listed on our corporate page, four of them are females! Four! That is just at the C-Level; there are plenty of other women in leadership roles within the organization.
Aryaka’s commitment to helping advance women in the workplace extends beyond its internal organization. Aryaka is actively involved in the Girls Who Code initiative and with to Catalyst, a global nonprofit working with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women.
Improving workplace diversity should not be limited to a one-day social media blitz. It needs to be engrained in the DNA of every person within your organization.
Are you and those within your company helping close the diversity gap? Does your employer have a mentorship program? Do you have an advocate program? What about an employee resource group dedicated to assisting and empowering women? Have you outlined your diversity goals, and published them so all within your company can see?
I’m so thrilled that for the first time on IWD I can brag about my company’s commitment to diversity…and we actually have the stats to show it. I look forward to the day when most software companies will be able to brag the same way. Until that day comes, I will continue to help females navigate the corporate ladder.
#breakthebias
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