Women and careers in tech companies: A view from the perspective of a female founder

In this day and age, it is more important than ever to talk about gender equality and the role of women in the tech industry. As a female founder and CEO of fulfillmenttools, I would like to share some insight into my personal experiences and perspectives on the presence of women in leadership positions in the tech industry.

I myself am in a very privileged environment: I am recognized by colleagues, customers, partners and our board for my performance. I have worked with many of them for many years. However, the reality is different in many companies: The share of women in management positions is just 28%. And this number is not increasing, but decreasing (CNBC, 2023). This is undoubtedly a problem that needs to be addressed. But before we look at possible solutions, we should dispel two widespread myths that have already been defined in the McKinsey study “Women in the Workplace“. 

The McKinsey study found that women are just as ambitious as men – at all stages of their careers, regardless of whether they are entry-level or C-level. The difference often lies in the expectations and opportunities offered to women. Often, women in the male dominated tech industry still face prejudices that hinder their career advancement. For example, many people perceive women as emotional and less analytical. 

In many discourses, it is criticized that women do not reach the top C-level or board positions – this is referred to as the “glass ceiling”. The figures tell a different story: at entry level, there are 48% women and 52% men. If you look at the last career stage, namely the C-level position, there are only 28% women and 72% men. So if both genders are equally ambitious and want promotions along the career ladder to the same extent, we have to ask ourselves: where are we losing the women? We see a significant drop in the proportion of women at the mid-career stages, where women typically have children, and not just at the final stage of management. This means that companies lose ambitious women much earlier than in the boardroom. And this is exactly what we need to work on and find solutions for. 

Our company strives to counteract this problem by encouraging women (and men) to successfully combine family and career. For example, we offer real flexibility, part-time options and working time accounts to facilitate this balance. Transparent performance reviews are also important to us in order to offer women who work part-time opportunities for advancement. 

Another major problem is unconscious prejudices against gender-specific characteristics, which are widespread in our society. These prejudices can lead to men or male characteristics being automatically associated with power, success and influence. Personally, I don’t want to have to adopt male characteristics in order to be taken seriously by business partners. Women should be allowed to be authentic. It is important to be aware of these prejudices, to address them and to actively combat them.

Overall, it’s time to overcome the stereotypes and prejudices that often stand in the way of women in the tech industry. At fulfillmenttools, we are determined to drive gender diversity in our industry. We believe in the skills and potential of all our employees, regardless of gender. We are committed to equal opportunities, transparency and creating a working environment where women can pursue their ambitions without encountering barriers. We can all contribute to creating an inclusive and diverse working environment where women in leadership positions are as natural as men. At fulfillmenttools, we are proud to be actively shaping this path and hope that other companies will follow suit.

Together, we can increase the proportion of women in leadership positions in tech companies and make the tech industry a place where talent is equally encouraged and challenged, regardless of gender.