FF Focus

What actually makes a real difference in driving greater inclusion and diversity in tech?

This was the question that framed the Tech Talent Charter Inclusion in Tech Festival, which took place at the end of February. We attended the virtual festival as a signatory of the TTC, which ran nine sessions that presented headlines from their 2020 Diversity in Tech Report. The festival shared the key insights and strategies from experts and employers of tech, with a focus on actionable insights.

Day one started by looking at where we are on diversity and inclusion in 2021. Pulling on data and key insights from the 2020 Diversity in Tech report, it was encouraging to see “slow but steady” progress within the tech industry. TTC signatories reported that 22% of their tech engineering roles are occupied by women – up from 17% in 2019.

There is still more work to be done. Although more than 80% of respondents agreed that “initiatives in the workplace to improve gender and ethnic diversity in tech roles are necessary”, 22% would have concerns raising a D&I issue, rising to 32% among ethnic minority groups.

Panellists discussed how unconscious bias training alone is not very effective at changing behaviors. We also need to look at key systems and processes to remove the opportunity for bias to unintentionally creep in.

Tough conversations are the start of meaningful change. While many businesses have the right diversity intentions, reluctance to speak up due to fear of saying the wrong thing often prevents inclusion. These conversations might be tough, but they’re essential in order to close the digital skill gap.

“You need diverse people at the table to help design the solutions”, said Steve McCrystal of Unilever. “We must design for inclusivity”.

Although it’s expected to take time, it’s important to move to a culture where people are genuine allies to their colleagues in different situations from them. This is how we create inclusion at work.

The conversation on day two focussed on diversity outside of gender.  Letting individuals decide for themselves what they need rather than assuming their needs – what one black colleague wants is different from what another wants.

Panellists stressed the importance of such initiatives coming from the top of an organisation. The tone needs to be set by the leadership team that diversity and inclusion is a resource, rather than ‘another thing to do’.

The term BAME is often used when discussing ethnic minorities, yet this category is too broad when looking at diversity in tech workers. For example, Indian tech workers make up a much higher percentage of the workforce than black tech workers.

When thinking about recruitment, diversity and inclusion must be baked in from the start – not as an afterthought. Spending time creating diverse shortlists is essential, which often requires stretching beyond our usual networks.

Take inspiration from digital tech skill training providers who have inclusive and specific approaches and are training black people. 

Day three of the festival focussed on the practicalities of opening more doors into tech. TTC signatories are already making moves to get more people into tech. Across signatories, women represented 25% of technical role holders compared to the UK average of 19%.

The TTC’s ‘Doing it Anyway’ campaign focussed on women who retrained and found new careers in tech. Some of these women shared their insights and experiences on day three of the festival.

When it comes to a career in tech, don’t be afraid to rethink your approach. There are so many different routes into tech – find the learning style and route that suits you.

The phrase “squiggly careers” was used to describe the often non-linear careers that people can have and still be successful. Diversity of experience is vital to bring fresh ideas to the table.

The final takeaways of the festival were around continuing to learn. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but be accountable. By acting now, we can improve the future of tech talent so that everyone benefits.

October marks European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) – an annual EU campaign that promotes cybersecurity and provides accurate online security information by sharing good practices. Every year in October, hundreds of activities take place across Europe, such as conferences, workshops, training and webinars, to promote digital security.

Organisers of ECSM provide the knowledge and tools to promote the safer use of the internet for all EU citizens. Since 2012, the ECSM has reached its key priorities by bringing together parties from across Europe under the slogan ‘Cybersecurity is a Shared Responsibility’ to unite against cyber threats.

ECSM 2020 launches with the motto of ‘Think Before U Click’. The month is split into two themes – the first two weeks focus on ‘cyber scams’ and the second on ‘digital skills’.

Kicking off the month with ‘cyber scams’, this theme provided insights on current and potential cyber threats to help businesses and individuals minimise risk. COVID-19 has led to an increase in e-commerce and online payments, which hackers have used to their advantage. The key message of this theme encourages users to have a heightened awareness of cyber scams when conducting online transactions.

The second theme, ‘digital skills’, presents educational activities that inform on internet security. COVID-19 has increased the digitalisation of everyday life, which requires people to be on top of digital trends to remain safe online. The theme covers e-privacy matters such as data protection, cyber bullying and cyber stalking.

For a full list of activities occurring in your region, please check the timetable here. 

written by Evangeline Hunt

Today’s the day – 32 countries from all over the world are about to compete in one of the most renowned tournaments on the planet. Entering for Franklin Fitch this year will be Team #Germany, Team #England, Team #Wales and Team #Austria. “4 Locations?!”, you say? – Yes, that’s correct! We’ve grown a lot over the last few years not just in the number of consultants, but also in experience, market knowledge, internationality, and languages we speak. (9. We speak 9 languages 😊: German, English, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, French, Swedish, Greek and Welsh of course!)

Since we started in 2011, we have used the international football tournaments (previous UEFA Euros and FIFA World Cups) for team motivational purposes. And since the official Panini FIFA World Cup Collector’s Sticker Albums have always played a big role in this, we wanted to honour this by changing our profile pictures for the duration of the FIFA Football World Cup in Russia. Let us know what you think!