The month of March arrives as a powerful reminder of the importance of celebrating the journey of women and reflecting on the challenges that still persist – especially in the technology sector, where female representation has been, historically, limited. Despite significant growth – according to data from the General Register of Employed and Unemployed (CAGED), female participation in technology grew by 60% between 2015 and 2022 – women still represent only 12,3% of professionals, while men make up about 83,3% of the market. In light of this context, aBeyondsoft, global IT consulting, and theSenac-RJ, in the voice of your Human Resources and IT leaders, emphasize and discuss the female presence in the technology market
According toAlexandra Visconti, HR Manager for Brazil and Costa RicaofBeyondsoft, the numbers highlight not only the path taken so far, but also the distance that still needs to be covered for real equality of opportunities to be achieved. The manager guarantees that, regardless of gender, benefits and salaries are equal rights for all company employees. "Gender is not an issue for action in the IT field and over the years", I had the opportunity to hire equally capable men and women. More and more women are interested in this profession, what guarantees a fabulous diversity for the company. In Costa Rica, we also hire many women with a technical profile. The more candidates appear, greater the opportunity for us to hire. Everyone wins.”
Among the challenges faced by women in the IT market, the absence of female leaders is a significant obstacle. According to the Women in Technology research, from the consultancy Michael Page (2021), throughout Latin America, less than 30% of leadership positions in this sector are held by women. Betsy Ferreira, Head of Technology at Senac-RJand a professional with 40 years of experience in the sector, ponder this question through your own career. "After six years of a rapidly evolving story at the software company where I started working", already holding a senior position in the technical area, I went in search of a new professional chapter in a large company. Nela, I was able to overcome what may have been the greatest challenge of my professional history: to achieve the position of executive manager in a company that until then had never had women in this type of position. I had the privilege of being the first, but, for that, I had to go through a process that none of the other executive managers had gone through. I was an interim for almost two years and, only after a thorough assessment, I was finally confirmed in the position
In contrast to the challenges imposed, the expansion of female leadership has proven to be a competitive advantage: according to the reportDiversity Matters Even More, released by McKinsey at the end of 2023, companies with greater female representation in their executive teams are 39% more likely to perform better financially than their less diverse competitors. Technology is a field that values adaptability and problem-solving, and when women are included and valued in the sector, they bring with them a variety of skills and knowledge that enrich the work environment and drive technological progress. That is why diversity in teams is such a positive differentiator, affirms Alexandra
For Betsy, the old profile of the authoritarian hierarchical leader has been widely subverted by facilitative leadership that inspires, develop and take care of their teams – a new profile that women, when facing and overcoming significant challenges in the professional field, they can develop with precision. The presence of women in management positions brings more human and engaging practices to the corporate environment. Such practices tend to accelerate the pace of innovation in the environment in which they are embedded. Women naturally work collaboratively and are able to build bonds and connections that enhance the creative power and productivity of their teams, comment to the specialist
Among the celebrations and reflections raised by International Women's Day, both professionals extend an invitation to women who would like to work in technology, but they do not know the performance in the area or encounter barriers to access it. Alexandra reinforces the existence of many programs to encourage the training and inclusion of women in the IT market, where volunteers and experienced professionals work offering mentoring and workshops. Betsy already advises women of all ages to seek connections and support, invest in their training and move forward without fear of challenges. With the diversification of the technology market, everyone wins, and this is a statement that should not be limited to the month of March.
