New drive needed to get women into top tech jobs

Ōtepoti – Technology is now New Zealand’s second biggest exporter and is the fastest growing sector.

But female representation among functional tech leadership, such as chief technology officer or chief information officer, has been slow to level up.

Improved gender balance among these roles is better for businesses as it unlocks consumer spending and gives companies a competitive edge.

Covid has accelerated the global demand for New Zealand tech which has driven the growth of Kiwi tech exports, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

The tech sector has an interesting diversity challenge. In some ways it is incredibly diverse with most tech firms or tech teams in organisations resembling the United Nations.”

New Zealand’s tech sector contributes more than eight percent to GDP and every four percent in tech growth productivity contributes 2.7 percent to the country’s GDP.

Its annual exports globally are worth $8.6 billion globally and they grew 10.8 percent between 2019 and 2020, Muller says.

The average annual tech salary is $100,000 and New Zealand’s top 200 tech exporters employ 57,262 people globally.

Organisations can redress the gender imbalance by focusing on internal talent development, considering hybrid roles, improving inclusivity and casting the net wider when recruiting.

Gender balance within functional tech leadership remains an unfulfilled promise, heightening the challenges. Globally, typical female representation within functional tech leadership sits in the 15 to 25 percent range. While it has been moving in the right direction, it has been slow and needs much improvement.

As technology evolves, companies without a diverse tech leadership will lose ground to competitors, including their attractiveness as a destination for women in tech. So, what can forward-looking organisations do to find female talent for their CTO and CIO roles?

Building confidence in candidates is key as it can be lacking among women in tech roles, causing them to undervalue their skills and overlook themselves for promotion. Coaching can help develop self-belief from the start of their careers, setting them up for senior tech roles to help accelerate New Zealand business.