Career progression and remote working are key for women in tech

A recent survey from specialist professional recruiter Robert Walters and leading British job board Jobsite has found that remote working and opportunities for career progression are the top priorities for women working in tech in the UK. 

76 per cent of over 700 women surveyed said that the opportunity to work remotely was important if companies want to retain staff long term. Dawn May, manager at Robert Walters, commented on the findings, saying: “Particularly among tech firms, the freedom to work remotely is becoming increasingly popular with professionals. The flexibility these policies afford staff is a powerful draw for top talent and employers should consider whether they can introduce or expand these policies within their own organisation to secure the best professionals.”

In addition, the research found that career progression is key to retaining tech professionals in the long term, as 72 per cent of female tech professionals said that these opportunities were important to them. As part of a rapidly growing industry, professionals in tech are commonly in a position where career progression is possible. However, for many it is important that the opportunity to develop their career with an employer is clear, with defined goals as to what is required of them to achieve promotion. 

Dawn May continued on and said: “As the UK tech industry continues to grow, employers are likely to face growing skills shortages. Attracting professionals and retaining them long term is a challenge managers will have to address if their organisation is to achieve sustainable growth.

“By offering a structured path for career progression employers are in a strong position to secure professionals who are looking for an employer they can grow and develop with. This in turn can reduce the risk of staff attrition by ensuring that professionals can realise their ambitions without moving to a new employer.”