#BreakTheBias: Netcentric’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity and equality
At Netcentric, our commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and equality is a core part of our identity. However, we’re also aware that we operate in an industry where women continue to face challenges around equal rights and opportunities.
While advances have been made -- according to a benchmarking program by AnitaB.org, women now make up an estimated 28.8% of the tech workforce -- they are still vastly underrepresented across the tech industry as a whole.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), #BreakTheBias, addresses the bias, stereotypes, and discrimination that women face in both their personal and professional lives. As an organization, we stand behind this campaign and recognize our responsibility to be part of the solution.
Here, we take a look at some of the ways we continue to tackle workplace bias and support diversity and inclusion efforts on a daily basis -- not just one day of the year.
The reality of gender bias in the tech industry
For women in the tech industry, workplace environment and culture can often provide obstacles to their career progression. In fact, a survey by Ipsos exploring the career progression of women in the tech industry found that almost 40% of women believe that the lack of promotion opportunities available to them is their biggest barrier to career progression.
A study in the journal Labour Economics found that married women without kids were less likely to be hired for part-time roles than older, married women with older children because companies believe they might leave to start a family. Furthermore, a 2021 Women in Tech Report by TrustRadius saw that almost 80% of women reported feeling that they have to work harder than their male counterparts to prove their credibility.
How Netcentric is committed to tackling workplace bias
At Netcentric, not only are we committed to hiring the best talent irrespective of gender, we also believe in providing the support, empowerment, and training necessary to #BreakTheBias in the workplace.
As well as extensive training on managing unconscious bias, there are many other ways that everyone at Netcentric is supported throughout their careers.
Cristina Garcia, Director Consulting at Netcentric says, “We should remember that diversity is not only about gender or culture but about considering different mindsets and various ways of addressing problems. Netcentric provides an environment where everybody can apply their ideas with autonomy and be surrounded by brilliant minds. You can feel safe and also encouraged to try things out.”
Commenting on Netcentric’s commitment not only to tackling bias but to overall personal wellbeing, Georgiana Gheorghe Head of Operational Excellence at Netcentric says, “Netcentric allows and encourages me to achieve a healthy balance between my personal life and my career. Core values such as trust, flexibility, and respect are what make Netcentric an inclusive place to work. The trust, flexibility, and support from the entire company allow you to perform at your optimal level and thrive as an individual.”
We’re committed to elevating our employees in the workplace to be the best they can be -- not just on IWD, but every day. We strive to break down the barriers that people face and empower them to feel confident in advancing their careers.
Data dive: Gender diversity at Netcentric
Despite low levels of representation in the tech industry, at Netcentric we have made significant progress in recruiting women for tech roles.
When we open new roles, we value whole people profiles. Agnieszka Majszczyk, Program Manager at Netcentric says, “When I build my teams, I look for a diverse range of profiles, competencies, skills, and personality types. And with this process, we naturally end up having a well-balanced, complementary team. I strongly believe that in order to #BreakTheBias, we need to look at every person as a unique individual with their own diverse strengths.”
This sentiment is echoed by Gerhard Gerner, CEO of Netcentric, who said, “I believe in listening first, listening carefully, and speaking last. At the same time, I try never to put people into boxes. Everybody is different, with different perspectives and backgrounds and we all deserve to be treated correctly.”
We’re proud to see our data shows we’re above industry-average in terms of gender breakdown, but there’s still work to be done. Here’s how women are represented in project management, operational, consulting, and business function roles:
Fighting for a fairer, bias-free future
As part of the tech industry, we know that there is much more work to do. We also know that as an organization committed to gender equality, it’s our responsibility to help fight the stereotypes that still linger in the tech industry.
To achieve this, Gerhard Gerner believes not only in the power of challenging inequality when we see it, but of building on our own levels of self-awareness. “We need to encourage self-reflection, as well as being comfortable with challenging unconscious biases in others,” he says. “Giving feedback helps others, but it also allows us to open up to receiving feedback ourselves.”
On self-empowerment, Katharina Schweighart, Head of Delivery at Netcentric says, “being a woman in tech can sometimes be lonely. I can recall various meetings I've attended as the only woman in the room. Building a solid network of allies that support you, celebrate your successes, and help you see your real worth can build confidence in all aspects. This, for me, is true empowerment.”
We’re committed to breaking the bias and are focused on cultivating a work environment where diversity is celebrated and people are valued for who they are.
Learn more about Netcentric’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion here.