Creating Equal Opportunity for Women in Technology

By Mike Boyle, Global Head and GM of Large Format category at HP

If there’s one thing the tech sector prides itself on above all others, it’s the ability to solve problems. For all the desire and effort put forth to bring more women into the field, however, progress has been remarkably slow. That lack of progress stems in large part from the tech sector’s inability to generate an extensive pipeline of candidates: In every region of the globe, men greatly outnumber women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs.

Women represent just 3% of students in information and communication technology courses globally, 5% in math/statistics education, and 8% in engineering/construction, according to World Economic Forum research. I believe one of the biggest reasons for this disparity is that many women can’t see themselves in a tech role, either because it doesn’t seem like an appealing career or the limited number of role models in the field make it difficult to envision a place for them.

As a tech leader and a father of twin daughters, I feel strongly that the industry needs to expand its efforts to improve gender diversity. Here’s how.

Driving real change

There are many reasons for this lack of representation in the tech sector. The predominance of men in the field means there are fewer women mentors and role models in STEM fields. Perceptions of work-life balance remain poor. Women also continue to face discrimination and difficult — or outright hostile — work environments in too many organizations.

HP is committed to helping move toward a more inclusive and representative industry. To that end, we have set ambitious and specific goals. Today, more than 30% of HP’s leaders are women. We plan to reach full parity by 2030. HP is also committed to having women occupy more than 30% of our technical and engineering roles by 2030. To support those efforts, we have been working with organizations such as Girl Rising to highlight the importance of education for girls worldwide, provide equal access to STEM content, and enable digital connectivity for all.

Communicating the value of technology careers

Just increasing access to STEM education isn’t enough. Across the tech industry, we need to do a better job of communicating the value proposition that STEM careers offer women. This is a crucial part of creating green shoots for a more diverse workforce of the future.

We need to show the next generation that technology encompasses a much broader territory than they may think. Organizations require good people for a wide variety of roles — as researchers, engineers, communicators, operations professionals, marketers, salespeople, and production experts. We need to highlight the range of opportunities available.

We also must show young people that technology offers them a gateway to participating in just about any area of interest, whether that’s advancing medicine, sustainability, transportation infrastructure, society, or the many other areas in which importance of technology continues to grow.

Showcasing role models

As an industry, we also need to make sure we are supporting and showcasing the women who are succeeding in tech careers today. We need to celebrate the contributions they make. To increase their visibility, the technology sector and organizations within it should ensure women have ample opportunities as spokespeople in print, broadcast, and online media. We need to demonstrate to girls and young women that STEM is a realistic and attractive career path where women can thrive.

HP has been showcasing women trailblazers on our website and through our marketing materials in an effort to shine a spotlight on the women who helped build the company and who keep it thriving today. Edna MacLean became HP’s first full-time female engineer in 1953. Dr. Qian Lin, a groundbreaking researcher and inventor and the first female HP fellow, is credited with at least 45 patents. Dr. Lihua Zhao, a 3D printing pioneer, serves as head of HP’s 3D Print Lab. These stories, and others like them, need to be told as loudly and widely as possible.

To do so, HP businesses around the world are identifying and bringing attention to specific areas where women are the heroes of our stories. Our focus is not on a single, high-profile recruitment effort or employment initiative, but rather a range of authentic, sustained efforts to achieve gender balance by attracting, supporting, and encouraging the best candidates. We are being transparent about our drive to address the lack of representation among women in technical roles. And we are just getting started.

Building the Future

My daughters are about to begin their higher educations. Whatever fields they choose to pursue, I want my daughters and their peers to live in a world that is fair and equitable, where girls and women have the same opportunity to thrive as boys and men. In tech, for too long, those opportunities have been invisible or unavailable.

Diversity makes our teams more powerful. Powerful teams make our innovations more impactful. The technology industry has the power to improve the world in innumerable ways. Opening our doors to a more diverse workforce has the potential to create value for everyone.