Category: Diversity & Inclusion

Women In Tech: How women can lead with confidence.

Posted on by bd-admin

In today’s fast-paced technology and digital world, women in tech continue to break barriers and redefine what leadership, innovation and success looks like. Yet, one challenge remains common across the industry – confidence.

Whether you’re a female software engineer, data scientist, or tech entrepreneur, feeling confident in your skills and voice is essential for career growth. Still, many women in technology struggle with imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and the pressure to constantly prove themselves.

Here’s the good news: confidence is not something you’re born with – it’s something you build.

Women In Tech Attendees

Redefine what confidence means in Tech & Digital

For women building careers in technology and digital, confidence doesn’t mean knowing everything, it means being willing to learn, adapt and speak up. The most confident women in technology aren’t those who never feel nervous; they’re the ones who take action despite fear.

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you” Bethany Hamilton

Build a strong network and play to your strengths

Connecting with other women in technology helps you see that your challenges and others’ are unique and allows you to learn from others.

Find local Women in Tech events – many of these can be found on Eventbrite or through LinkedIn.

Connecting with other women in technology helps you see that your challenges and others’ are unique and allows you to learn from others.

Find local Women in Tech events – many of these can be found on Eventbrite or through LinkedIn.

Speak up and own your space

Speaking up in meetings can feel intimidating, but your voice and experience are essential. Representation matters, and when women in tech share ideas confidently, it inspires others to do the same.

Avril Chester, 18th Most Influential Woman in UK Tech (Computer Weekly) shared a few tips at our most recent Women In Tech event that really stood out. 

  • Own it! Make sure that you own the room by considering posture when entering a meeting. 
  • Contribute one thought per meeting. The more you practice, the stronger your voice becomes.
  • Define your strengths and highlight these to others.

Keep learning and investing in yourself and give yourself a break

Confidence grows through continuous learning. Upskilling shows both yourself and others that you’re capable and adaptable – key traits for success in technology careers.

Observe and learn from others. Find a person who you feel excels at work and observe how they enter a room or the language they use, and then try it yourself. 

Confidence isn’t about perfection – it’s about persistence, growth, and showing up as your authentic self. For women in tech, leading with confidence means embracing learning, valuing your voice, and supporting others along the way. The industry needs bold, brilliant women who know their worth and aren’t afraid to take up space, and that starts with you.

If you have found this article useful, check out our other blogs here. 

The Hidden Cost of Menopause in the UK Tech Industry

Posted on by bd-admin

At our recent Women in Tech event, we were privileged to hear from Katherine Church (Digital Health Consultant, Femtech Adviser and NED) and engage in great conversations with our amazing attendees. Together, we explored the real impact of menopause on careers and the critical need for businesses to respond.

There were some insightful takeaways and actionable ideas shared, all aimed at continuing this much-needed conversation.

An Overlooked Issue in a Fast-Paced Industry

The UK tech industry is famed for innovation, agility, and pushing boundaries. However, it still seems to be falling behind when it comes to supporting one of the most natural transitions in the workforce, the menopause.

With women over 50 now the fastest-growing workforce demographic in the UK, and a significant portion working in tech and digital roles, ignoring menopause isn’t just outdated, it’s a business risk.

The Business Impact: What’s It Costing?

Many companies see menopause as a personal issue. But the organisational cost can be substantial.

According to a 2022 report by the Fawcett Society:

  • 1 in 10 women leave work due to menopause symptoms.
  • 44% say symptoms negatively affect their ability to work.
  • Presenteeism and absenteeism lead to lost productivity across departments.

900,000 UK women have left work due to menopause. Source: The Fawcett Society.

In a high-performance industry like tech, where burnout is already rampant and talent is hard to retain, this results in:

  • Early retirement of senior developers and managers
  • Lost and Leadership experience
  • Lower morale and team cohesion
  • Recruitment and training costs to replace skilled staff

£30,000 per hire is the average cost of replacing a skilled employee. Source Bupa. 

Why Tech Companies Need to Act Now

The tech sector already faces challenges with gender diversity. If menopause remains a taboo topic, we’re likely to see:

  • A leadership gap: As women exit mid-to-senior roles prematurely.
  • Inclusion failures: Tech prides itself on forward-thinking, yet menopause remains a silent exit route for many.
  • Reputation risks: Younger talent increasingly values inclusive cultures. A lack of menopause support reflects poorly.

What Tech Employers Can Do

Supporting menopausal employees doesn’t require massive structural changes, but it does require awareness, empathy, and leadership.

Here’s where to start:

  1. Create a menopause-friendly policy. Incorporate flexible working, reasonable adjustments, and clear routes for support.
  2. Train managers. Many line managers feel unprepared to have conversations about menopause. Equip them.
  3. Normalise the conversation. Use internal comms, ERGs, and events to break the stigma.
  4. Provide physical and mental health support. This includes access to occupational health, counselling, and medical support.

Here are some useful resources to check out

Here are some practical tools to help your organisation start to explore what you can do to support women in your workplace.

Fawcett Society: Menopause and the Workplace Report An in-depth data and recommendations for UK employers

British Menopause Society: Workplace Guidance Guidance for clinicians and employers.

Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace Training and consultancy services tailored to businesses.

CIPD Menopause at Work Guide A comprehensive guide for HR and people leaders.

The Latte Lounge Podcast  Midlife women’s health, careers, and menopause Podcast.

Over The Bloody Moon An Organisation that’s on a mission to remove the muddle from menopause, menstruation, and andropause.

BSI Guide to Menstruation, Menstrual Health and menopause in the workplace. A useful guide for businesses about supporting women in the workplace.

The UK tech industry can’t afford to ignore the simplest truth: supporting women through menopause isn’t just compassionate – it’s commercial sense.

By creating menopause-inclusive cultures, we protect our talent pipeline, retain our most experienced leaders, and send a powerful message: everyone belongs at every stage of life.

There’s more to read. Why not explore our other blogs!

DEI-a major change to businesses in the US – Will organisations in the UK follow?

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Many large US companies are putting a stop to their diversity initiatives. Walmart, McDonald’s, and Meta announced major changes to their DEI goals. The changes include scrapping their D&I internal teams and training programmes. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/11/trump-dei-diversity

Can we believe what we have been reading?

Does it not feel like the world is going backwards? As someone who wants to focus on ensuring that my daughters grow up in a world in which diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are a given, this feels like we are going backwards rather than forwards. Do we think that these changes in the US will have a knock on effect on business across the globe?

Creating a truly diverse and inclusive workplace isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential for innovation, employee engagement, and long-term success. We discussed this very topic not so long ago at our Women in Tech Series Event (see here). We heard from Kat Mitchell (co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer) and Nikki Miles (Head of Data and Analytics) about their experience of how diversity has made their businesses thrive and continue to grow year after year. 

But not all hope is lost like MBP there are some outstanding organisations here in the UK that are leading the way and continuing to support DEI in their businesses – check them out.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher plc (Global international home improvement company) understands that both their customers and employees come from diverse backgrounds. Their commitment to inclusion is reflected in their four key employee networks, Gender Affinity Network, Neurodiversity Affinity Network, LGBTQ+ Affinity Network and Race & Culture Affinity Network.

Kingfisher is taking a flexible approach to work, encouraging employees to be open about what works best for them. Their investment in D&I initiatives ensures that everyone feels valued and supported.

https://www.kingfisher.com/responsible-business/our-priorities/colleagues

Chase (JP Morgan)

Chase, the digital bank owned by JP Morgan, is committed to embedding diversity and inclusion across all areas of its business.

Their Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), provide employees with opportunities to connect, grow, and feel valued with over 35% of JP Morgan Chase & Co employees participating in at least one group it’s been a huge success.

IAG Tech (the technology arm of International Airlines Group) 

As part of IAG Global Business Services, IAG Tech delivers cutting-edge technology across the entire business. Their inclusive culture is built around six key areas: Engagement, Talent Management, Reward & Recognition, Performance Management, Learning & Development, and Culture.

As part of IAG Global Business Services, IAG Tech delivers cutting-edge technology across the entire business. Their inclusive culture is built around six key areas: Engagement, Talent Management, Reward & Recognition, Performance Management, Learning & Development, and Culture.

IAG Tech is actively working toward a 50% female representation in their tech teams by 2030, showcasing their commitment to building a truly diverse workforce. 

https://www.iairgroup.com/people-and-careers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/

Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) believes that their people are their greatest asset, and fostering a diverse, inclusive culture is key to their success. 

JLR was the first UK car manufacturer to sign the Business in the Community ‘Race at Work Charter’ and is also a member of The Valuable 500, a global movement promoting disability inclusion in business. Their structured D&I strategy focuses on three key areas:

  • Shaping a culture of unity, belonging, and respect
  • Implementing progressive policies, benefits, and support
  • Engaging employees and experts to drive progress

https://www.jaguarlandrover.com/diversity-equity-inclusion

These companies are proving that diversity, equality and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords they are living and breathing it. Whether through hiring targets, employee networks, or broader social impact, each of these organisations is leading the way in fostering inclusive workplaces which we can all learn from.

There is still hope!!

Women In Tech Series – Building Diverse Teams in Technology and Data

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A diverse culture and workplace is more than just about gender, race and age – it’s about the diversity of thought.

Following our amazing event back in July Better Days Recruitment and Animo Group were delighted to hold another very successful thought leadership event focusing on the benefits of having a diverse workforce within tech.

Joined by guests from across varying sectors and businesses, this event allowed everyone to contribute and share their experiences on diversity within the workplace.

Kat Mitchell (co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer) and Nikki Miles (Head of Data and Analytics) from MPB – www.mpb.com a Brighton-based company that is bucking the diversity trend, talked about how they have embraced diversity in the workplace.

The main points that were shared and that stood out from these discussions were:

  • A diverse culture is more than just gender, race and age – it’s about the diversity of thought.
  • Embed diversity in the workplace culture rather than approaching diversity as a tick-box exercise.
  • No matter what gender imposter syndrome is real to everyone.
  • Education in the UK needs to do more to support females move into technology roles in the future.
Diversity in tech presentation

“ Diversity is not just about representation; it’s about diversity of thought. Listening to individual experiences and viewpoints unlocks creativity, improves decision making and embraces inclusivity.  Therefore it is not enough to simply ‘have’ diversity. Diversity thrives when we create spaces that not only value, but embrace and enable different perspectives and personality types; where strong opinions are shared openly but held lightly.” Nikki Miles Head of Data and Analytics MBP.

There’s still more to be done

While diversity in the technology sector remains a challenge there are some signs of improvement in some areas, however, there is still more to be done. 

  • 29% – Women and non-binary individuals make up the tech workforce in the UK. 
  • 1 in 3 women in tech are considering leaving their jobs due to issues like gender pay gaps and lack of career progression.
  • 25% – of tech workers in the UK identify as part of an ethnic minority. Improvements have been seen in this area however only 13% of senior roles are being held by individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Source: https://www.techtalentcharter.co.uk/reports/diversity-in-tech-report-2024

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Women in Technology leadership event – hosted by Better Days Recruitment

Posted on by Ceres Jenkins

An Inspiring and Thought-Provoking Event!

What an incredible event! Back in July, we hosted a highly successful roundtable at Soho House, bringing together trailblazing women from across the tech industry to share their stories, insights, and the unique challenges they face within the sector.

The dynamic and hilarious Elizabeth O’Neill captivated the room as she shared her journey to becoming a CTO. From the importance of supporting each other, to juggling work-life balance, to navigating the corporate ladder—Elizabeth’s story struck a chord with everyone. It was more than just a talk; it was an open, honest reflection on her experiences.

“It was an honest and open talk about my experience—the good and the bad bits—and what I would tell my younger self,” said Elizabeth.

What stood out most was the energy in the room. Seeing so many powerful, talented women making connections and sharing their experiences was truly inspiring. Discussions about common struggles in this male-dominated industry—such as navigating biases, securing opportunities, and career progression—sparked insightful conversations about how we can drive real change.

As a recruiter in this industry, hearing directly from our clients about the challenges of being a woman in tech was eye-opening. The numbers are still stark—just 3 in 12 tech professionals are women (Women in Tech Survey, 2023)—and it’s clear we have more work to do. We need to continue to support and encourage women to not just enter, but thrive in this space.

Thanks to everyone who made this event possible, especially Animo Group for their support. Let’s keep championing the women in our industry and push for even more diversity, innovation, and change.

Calling all ladies – check out our current vacancies.

Stay tuned for our next event—it’s going to be even bigger! 🌟

#WomenInTech #TechForAll #BreakingBarriers

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