Hyland celebrates International Women’s Day
I distinctly remember my mom graduating from college. I remember her being really excited about a piece of paper that she received that day! Being only five years old, my takeaways were the funny hat she wore and a big gown.
At the time, I was happy for her, but didn’t realize the extent of my mom’s significant accomplishment. Years later, once I joined the workforce, I developed a greater appreciation for the fact that my mom was the first woman in her family to graduate from college. She completed nursing school with two young kids and a third one on the way (thank goodness my youngest sister was born during spring break).
Now that I am a mom to two young ladies, who happen to be very into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), I want to instill confidence in them to challenge the status quo.
If they decide to pursue STEM-related careers, the question won’t be, “Can I be a NASA engineer?”
It will be, “What steps can I take to become a NASA engineer?”
I want to be an advocate for them and all girls who dream of being in STEM leadership one day. Because the facts show we have some work to do.
Did you know only 18 percent of women are in tech leadership roles in the United States? In Europe and South America, that statistic is even lower.
In fact, women lead only 14 of 195 countries and only 7 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
The change begins with us
With technology being a big driver in every organization, things need to change. And change starts with all of us – both men and women.
In 1975, the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD), a global initiative to celebrate women’s achievements, increase visibility, and focus on overcoming gender bias. This year, IWD was March 8th, and the theme was #EachforEqual, focusing on gender equality.
While reflecting on examples of women who challenged gender stereotypes and overcame resiliency, I realized my mother is a true example and motivates me to take action for myself, both personally and as a working mother.
Through Hyland’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, I’m able to support this initiative in my work life by serving on our ERG Leadership Committee for HylandWIN (Women in Networking). HylandWIN’s mission is to empower women to achieve their professional and personal goals. My involvement with the group has allowed me to pursue amazing STEM volunteer opportunities.
Hyland has also offered me the opportunity to learn from incredible, awe-inspiring female leaders. By the way, if you haven’t a chance to read Dare to Lead, check out this blog post by Melissa Monter, AVP of R&D Operations at Hyland, to find out how this book has impacted her.
For the WIN
HylandWIN has communities across the globe. In fact, we recently launched a new Women in Networking chapter for our Asia-Pacific employees as well as a chapter for our employees in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
I am thrilled that as a tech organization, we are able to support one another on a global scale. Lending a voice to change is a huge stride in the right direction!
Building off this momentum, on Tuesday, March 10th, Hyland celebrated International Women’s Day. The event included global participation with presence in our APAC and EMEA region. During the “lunch & learn,” employees heard surprising statistics and then formed group discussions on how change can continue to happen.
The impact was palpable!
To make the impact tangible, at the event, we asked employees, “What promise will you make for International Women’s Day?”
Here are some of the answers:
I’m going to include new and different people on teams, during travel and in work groups. Being a longtime Hylander, I often gravitate to other old timers like myself, the people I know, out of habit. Time to shake it up a bit!
– Colleen Alber, senior software product evangelist
I definitely try to do so now, but I will look for even more opportunities to help champion other women. I’m going to push for opportunities for women to lead initiatives and make sure decision makers hear their voices. I’m also going to speak up more myself.
– Katrice Jordan, manager of Global Services
It only takes a few seconds to give a compliment to a person in front of other peers. I’m going to make sure I do that more.
– Emilie Poua, compliance analyst
The WIN begins with US
The lack of women in tech is a problem. But at Hyland, we are taking steps to fix it.
Remember, one woman standing up for what she believes is a spark. All of us standing together is a tide of change and a force to be reckoned with.
Everyone can support women in the workplace. To help, here are some resources thanks to LeanIn.org:
- Tips for managers
- Tips for mentees and mentors
- Tips for male allies
- How to be a role model to girls
- Negotiation tips for women
The world is better, together. At Hyland, we live that every day, not just once a year.
#EachforEqual
- Hyland celebrates International Women’s Day - 03/13/2020
