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Reprogramming Power: Leadership and Management
As women in Wales advance in their digital technology careers, they face significant barriers that hinder their progression to senior management and leadership roles. While there has been some progress made in terms of participation and representation at the entry and mid-career levels, the number of women in leadership positions remains disproportionately low.
Women are often perceived as less technical, less assertive, or less suited to leadership compared to their male counterparts, regardless of their qualifications, experience, or leadership potential. These biases not only limit opportunities for promotion but also undermine women’s authority and visibility in leadership settings, perpetuating a male-dominated leadership culture.
One of the most pervasive barriers to women progressing into senior management and leadership roles in digital technology is the persistence of gendered stereotypes.
Work-Life Balance
The challenge of balancing work and personal life is heightened for women in senior leadership roles, where expectations around availability and commitment are often intense.
Download the full roadmapLeadership Barriers
80%
of women across industries feel that flexible working could benefit their career progression.
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The challenges are multifaceted, involving both institutional and societal factors that require concerted action from employers, the government, and individuals.
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Even though many employers now offer flexible working options, women in senior positions may still feel that taking advantage of these options could damage their credibility or hinder their ability to be taken seriously in leadership roles.
Leadership Barriers
5%
of leadership positions in the UK technology sector are held by women.
The challenges are multifaceted, involving both institutional and societal factors that require concerted action from employers, the government, and individuals.
Even though many employers now offer flexible working options, women in senior positions may still feel that taking advantage of these options could damage their credibility or hinder their ability to be taken seriously in leadership roles.
Barriers: A Few Examples
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Women in digital technology often have fewer opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship, particularly from senior leaders with the influence to open doors to promotions and high-profile projects, leaving many feeling isolated and excluded from the informal networks essential for career progression. Without visible mentors and sponsors advocating on their behalf, women’s contributions and potential can go unnoticed, limiting their access to leadership pathways.
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The digital technology sector has a demanding work culture, with long hours and expectations of constant connectivity. For women who are balancing caregiving responsibilities, whether for children, elderly parents, or others, this creates significant stress and can lead to burnout or the decision to step back from leadership roles.
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The ‘glass ceiling’ remains a persistent challenge in the digital technology sector, particularly as women approach the higher levels of leadership. McKinsey’s research shows that women face significant barriers in accessing top management and executive roles, even when they have the qualifications and experience to do so.
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Recommendations
Engage in Networks and STEM events: Research and connect with local networks and events such as Wales Women in STEM, Women in Cyber and Wales Tech Week to build connections, increase visibility, gain support, and learn from women in STEM positions.
Seek Mentorship and Role Models: Connect with female tech professionals and seek out mentoring opportunities, either through attendance at networking events or through LinkedIn.
Develop Leadership Skills: Pursue CPD courses that focus on leadership, strategic decision-making, and confidence-building. Welsh universities and colleges can provide tailored programmes.
Advocate for Yourself: Proactively seek high-profile projects, leadership opportunities, and additional responsibilities to gain visibility within your organisation.
Become a Mentor: Seek out opportunities to mentor girls and women pursuing education or career opportunities in tech.
Deliver Targeted Leadership Programmes for Women: Develop and promote leadership-focused CPD courses designed specifically for women in digital technology. Partner with Welsh industry leaders to offer mentorship schemes, guest lectures, and leadership workshops for women pursuing digital careers.
Showcase Role Models: Highlight successful Welsh women in digital technology leadership through speaker events, case studies, and alumni networks.
Offer Flexible Learning for Aspiring Leaders: Provide flexible CPD options, including online or modular leadership courses, to accommodate women balancing career progression with caregiving or other commitments.
Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Adopt anonymous recruitment practices to reduce unconscious bias, ensuring use of inclusive language in job descriptions and actively encourage women to apply. Provide gender bias training for hiring managers and implement diverse interview panels.
Promote Women in Leadership: Set measurable targets for improving gender diversity in leadership roles. Establish women’s leadership programmes that provide mentorship, sponsorship, and access to training. Showcase successful female leaders in your organisation to inspire others.Flexible and Family-Friendly Policies: Develop flexible working policies that are inclusive for all employees, not just women. Provide enhanced parental leave policies that support shared caregiving responsibilities to reduce the burden on women.
Mentoring and Support Schemes: Establish mentoring programmes that pair women with senior leaders for career guidance and development. Create dedicated support groups or Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to provide peer support and networking opportunities.
Inclusive Networking Opportunities: Collaborate with organisations like Wales Women in STEM, Women’s Academy Wales, and Women in Cyber to deliver inclusive networking events that welcome women. Ensure networking events are held in accessible, welcoming environments with balanced representation.
Establish Transparent Promotion Pathways: Develop clear, bias-free promotion criteria that identify and nurture female leadership talent. Implement structured leadership development programmes that provide women with the skills and confidence to progress into senior roles.
Celebrate and Showcase Female Leaders in Wales: Actively promote the achievements of female leaders within the organisation to inspire aspiring women leaders and normalise female representation in senior roles.
Improve Access to Affordable Childcare: Conduct a comprehensive review of childcare access and affordability in Wales, identifying gaps in provision, regional disparities, and barriers for parents in non-traditional work patterns. The findings should inform targeted reforms to expand access, improve affordability, and better support parents in sectors like digital technology.
Promote Flexible Working Policies: Encourage tech employers to adopt flexible working arrangements, such as remote working, hybrid models, and job-sharing for leadership roles.
Introduce Leadership Development Programmes: Fund dedicated leadership and management training and mentoring schemes for women in digital technology. Develop targeted programmes that support women returning to work after career breaks, with a focus on digital skills development and leadership pathways.
Embed Gender Equality into Industry Standards: Introduce sector-wide diversity and inclusion frameworks that set targets for female representation in leadership roles. Require tech companies bidding for public sector contracts in Wales to demonstrate robust gender diversity and inclusion policies.
Promote Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Develop toolkits for Welsh employers to support inclusive hiring practices, including anonymised CVs, gender-balanced interview panels, and unconscious bias training. Encourage organisations to publish transparent salary bands to address pay inequalities that may hinder women's progression.
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Wales Tech Week
Celebrating innovation and technology
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Wales Women in STEM
Connecting women across STEM
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Cyber First Wales
Encouraging cybersecurity careers
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Download the full roadmap
This roadmap is about dismantling the structural barriers that have held women back and building a system where every girl in Wales sees technology not just as something she can use, but as something she can shape. This is not just a women’s issue, it’s a Wales opportunity and one we cannot afford to miss.
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