International Women's Day: Embracing Equity in Recruitment & Tech

Happy International Women's Day from the team at Understanding Recruitment!

Today is a day to celebrate the amazing achievements of women all over the world and to recognize the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender parity.This year's global theme is #EmbraceEquity, highlighting the importance of valuing and seeking out diversity as a positive element of life.

The recruitment industry is among those that still have a long way to go. According to a study by the Westminster Management School,73% of women in recruitment reported having no female role models at work. APSCo’s Embrace also found that nearly a third of recruitment companies have less than 5% female leaders at the board level.

At Understanding Recruitment, we're proud to say that as of today 40% of our employees across the UK and the US are women, with the number of women increasing from 30 at the end of 2021 to 43 at the end of 2022. We prioritize equal opportunities for women and showcase our support through enhanced maternity pay, flexibility for working parents, and a diversity & inclusion committee.

We’re hugely proud of the talented women we’re lucky to have across Understanding Recruitment and Acceler8 Talent and the huge contributions they make across all our divisions. Today is a chance for us all to not only celebrate the positive difference women have made within UR and the wider recruitment sector, which for years has been so male-dominated, but also a reminder of our responsibility to continue to encourage even more progress as we look to the future.” Dale Swords Founding Director of Understanding Recruitment This year, we also implemented an internal Women in Recruitment group that meets regularly, creating a forum that offers support for our talented female colleagues. The group also provides a platform for them to share their views, ask questions and make change with guests and role models joining us at our headquarters in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, to share their stories and experiences. Over and above our own company’s diversity, we feel responsible for doing our bit to create a more inclusive and diverse tech community. As of 2022, women make up only 28% of the tech industry workforce, and according to the Women in Tech Network, it will take around 133 years to close the economic gender gap– a shocking stat that we are aiming to change.

Research with over 2,000 A-Level and university students undertaken by PwC UK shows that the gender gap in technology starts at school and carries on through every stage of girls' and women’s lives. Only 27% of female students said they would consider a career in technology, compared to 61% of males, and only 3% say it is their first choice. By sponsoring grassroots initiatives like Girls Into Coding, we are working with like-minded individuals and organisations to create a more inclusive and diverse tech community, by providing girls aged 10 to 14 with unique hands-on experience in physical computing, robotics and coding. These types of workshops are led by Tech & Engineering mentors and educators, including girls in the same age range as the attendees, and aim to get more girls to seriously think about pursuing a career in STEM.

Understanding Recruitment's Managing Java Recruitment Consultant, Charlotte Young, is optimistic about the future of women in tech, saying

“As a woman in tech, one of the biggest positives is the opportunity to regularly speak with successful female leaders who have made their mark in a male-dominated industry and empower other women to pursue and continue pursuing their careers in technology. By working with other like-minded individuals and organisations who value diversity & inclusion, we can create a more inclusive and diverse tech community that reflects the talents and perspectives of all its members."

International Women's Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts required to achieve gender equality. It is an opportunity to celebrate the progress made so far while highlighting the work that still needs to be done. Organisations like ours are leading the way, promoting diversity and inclusion and creating a more equitable workplace.