What’s Now and Next for Women in Leadership: Insights from a Panel Discussion on Innovation, Diversity, and Inclusive Business Practices

As we pause today to reflect on Ada Lovelace Day, an annual event celebrating and raising awareness for the contributions of women in STEM fields, I want to share some key insights from our recent Women in Technology panel at IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich. The panel discussed important topics related to the theme of IGEL DISRUPT – “What’s Now and Next,” and how these topics impact our businesses, families, culture, and day-to-day work as women.

The growing influence of women leaders

Throughout their careers, each of our panelists has often found themselves as the “only woman in the room” in various situations. This includes being the only female on senior leadership teams, and over time, this has become a topic very close to their hearts. Each reported great progress within their organizations in terms of improvements being made in terms of gender diversity.

Each of the panelists observed that within their organizations, more women are taking on leadership roles – a positive change has led to a stronger sense of community and belonging for women overall. Additionally, over the last several years, they have seen their companies as each offering a more supportive environment for women, with a focus on mentorship. All of this points to great progress being made in terms of diversity and inclusion within the technology sector.

The impact of AI on work cultures

We are amid changing work cultures as we move from hybrid setups to more remote or less hybrid arrangements and various combinations. With this in mind, we asked the panelists if a surprising moment or trend in the recent past has caught their attention.

Our panelists highlighted the co-pilot as a game-changer, especially with support roles within companies decreasing. This is due to its ability to summarize meetings and prepare notes for distribution. They also see its potential to enhance creativity. There was also some discussion around the rapid advancement of chat GPT, including the significant improvement in coherence and accuracy, and reduced errors in a short period. This rapid evolution suggests that while its future capabilities might seem daunting, embracing, understanding, and responsibly managing this technology for beneficial outcomes is essential.

The evolving nature of work

With the shift to remote work due to COVID-19, many employees have experienced the ability to work from home. Curious to know the current situation in the panelists’ organizations, I asked them whether people are returning to the office or choosing to work from home and how their company is handling this hybrid work model.

Our panelists believe that the hybrid work model holds significant value, especially for those living close to the office who can work there for two or three days a week. They discussed how the hybrid approach can enhance human connection and collaboration, turning the office into a hub for collaboration. This approach can be advantageous for those early in their careers, as being physically present in the office allows for unplanned learning opportunities from colleagues.

The panelists also pointed out that the hybrid model can address the feelings of isolation experienced during COVID-19 while also promoting teamwork. Additionally, it provides flexibility, particularly benefiting women, as it can create more equality in household and childcare responsibilities among partners. This flexibility has also led to increased innovation and productivity, as it gives both men and women space to focus both on their work and their families.

The hybrid work model is not without its challenges, however. Panelists noted the emergence of proximity bias, where those working in the office may have advantages in career opportunities due to more face-to-face interactions with executives. This is why leadership training that equips managers with the skills to effectively lead diverse and remote teams in this new hybrid working environment is so important.

AI, gender diversity, and inclusion

One other area we addressed with our panelists is whether leaders are ensuring that policies and checks are in place to minimize biases when adopting AI practices and technologies.

Panelists highlighted AI’s role in HR by enhancing diversity through neutral job descriptions and anonymizing CVs for unbiased hiring. AI also assists in analyzing and addressing the gender pay gap, offering valuable tools for improving recruitment practices. Also emphasized during the discussion was the importance of refining AI algorithms to prevent perpetuating biases. They advocated for using diverse and ethical data. They highlighted the benefits of diversity for companies and society and stressed the need for a collective effort to champion these values and leverage AI for social good. Furthermore, they encouraged women to lead by example in using AI ethically and effectively.

The often overlooked but critical role women play in organizations, particularly in administrative capacities, was also addressed. Panelists talked about how women have skills beyond basic tasks and that using AI to take over routine duties could let them apply their skills and leverage their strengths, like empathy and organization, more effectively, leading to significant organizational improvements.

Our panelists also pointed out the need to support young talent, particularly advocating for more diversity, especially among females, in university degrees through sponsorships and internships. This would enable businesses to bring fresh perspectives into their fold. Changing the input is crucial; what we invest in determines the output. Therefore, investing in a diverse future talent pool through internships and sponsorships is essential for fostering innovation and inclusivity in our workplaces.

Concluding thoughts

We are grateful to our panelists, Jane Ashworth, Worldwide Strategic Partnerships for Lenovo; Maryam Alexandrian-Adams, Global Sales Leader for EUC at Nutanix; and Sarah Swatman, Senior Director, Solution Engineering – Digital Workspace, EMEA for Omnissa, for highlighting the evolving role of women in leadership within the tech sector. Thank you also to Patrizia Fioretti, Vice President of Strategic Alliances, EMEA at IGEL, and Divya Saggar, Director for IGEL Ready, for moderating the panel.

Reflecting on Ada Lovelace Day 2024, the path to gender equality in tech is ongoing but filled with optimism inspired by the achievements of leading women in the field. The insights call for continued advocacy, mentorship, and leadership development to overcome barriers for women in STEM, stressing a collective effort to foster a diverse, inclusive, and innovative tech industry.