Today’s organizations recognize that a diverse workforce based on gender, race, age, and other factors is good for business. Diverse teams perform better and are more innovative. The technology industry, specifically, has been continuing to close the gender gap. Deloitte Global predicts that large global technology firms, on average, will reach nearly 33 percent overall female representation in their workforces in 2022, up slightly more than two percentage points from 2019. The proportion of women in other industry roles will also presumably nudge up as well.
Parul Bharadwaj, a seasoned technology professional based in Seattle, WA, who has worked with tech giants such as Amazon and DoorDash Inc., says she is very encouraged by opportunities that lie ahead for women as technology companies continue to renew their commitment to advancing gender diversity. Currently employed as a senior technical program manager at DoorDash, Bharadwaj leads engineering-wide initiatives such as data infrastructure, real-time streaming, rollouts, experimentation, analytics, data compliance, and governance. She said she finds inspiration at DoorDash, where female leaders such as Liangxiao Zhu, vice president of engineering; Sophia Vicent, senior director of engineering operations; Avani Nanavati, technical product director; and Varsha Dudani, director of engineering, display the potential for women to hold key decision-making positions. “I commend DoorDash for its efforts to expand women’s roles,” Bharadwaj said. “When hiring for leadership positions, research shows that the percentage of female candidates with required experience is low, but DoorDash is tactically addressing this problem by hiring women in management, thereby giving women the opportunity to gain experience today to lead as executives tomorrow.”
Setting New Standards
A report by McKinsey & Company suggests that companies with a diverse workforce are more likely to have higher financial returns. Apple Inc.’s latest diversity report reflects that hiring a more inclusive workforce across different areas is important. Bharadwaj says she is optimistic about change with these types of trends and notes that there are also prime examples of women who have succeeded in the industry outside of her company who continue to inspire her to remain passionate about her work. Some notable names include:
As a young girl, Bharadwaj remembers wanting to work in a career that would allow her to transform the future while shaping the present. That passion led her to digital technology. “The possibilities for innovation always seemed infinite,” she says. “It is a field at the forefront of our ever-evolving world. And it was this desire to make an impact, to maintain a competitive edge and to stay relevant that led me to this field.” She continues to see herself as someone who is part of enabling a massive growth of key online platforms that continue to make an impression on a global scale. “This not only gives me the opportunity to keep learning about new tools and technology and deliver better products and services, but also keeps me hungry to explore different ways of solving new problems.”
Despite her accomplishments, when looking back on her career Bharadwaj says she could have chosen to abandon her ambitions at a young age, but she was fortunate enough to receive the right guidance and support from her family to pursue her dreams. Today, she wants to play a leading role in helping other women to achieve heights in their careers. Bharadwaj says she has enjoyed success and suggests that a healthy mindset can go a long way when combined with valued education and industry skills. Suggestions that she hopes other women can practice include:
Plans For More Equity
Through diversity training, onboarding, coaching, and mentoring, progress is being made throughout industry as well. According to Bharadwaj, “when you hire a diverse workforce, you must also be sensitive to and be able to recognize differences among those employees. Listening to people who have different life and career experiences reduces the likelihood of falling into group-think patterns.” It’s just reality today. Innovative companies must have people at the table with different backgrounds. In this way, organizations harness excellence as they reshape the power structure for a better future for all.
Gerri Knilans is a Freelance Business Writer and President of Trade Press Services. As marketing communications strategists, serving organizations of all sizes and types since 1995, Trade Press Services provides B2B and B2C writing, media outreach and general marketing support to help clients accelerate growth and generate more visibility, credibility and name recognition in their marketplaces. For additional information, please visit www.tradepressservices.com or send an email to gerri@tradepressservices.com.