In Gazeta.pl article and Retail Robotics’ new social media series “The female face of robotics” our experts: Ewa Wadoń, Daria Guz, Aleksandra Pakuła, Agnieszka Sowińska and Dorota Gomółka, talk about how they use their voice and drive changes to create thriving and strong teams, successful in the male-dominated technology field.
According to the research Women and Men in ICT1, employment of women in the technology industry (STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, also includes IT) is only at 20-25%. The additional problem is the low retention of women in tech – almost 9% of them working in the IT industry leave their profession, compared to 1.2% of men. This causes a financial loss for the European economy at the level of several billion € per year2. The reason for this situation is the stereotypical thinking that the technology industry is a male domain, but also by the lack of awareness among women of what competencies are needed. Retail Robotics’ experts agree: the scope of the necessary know-how and skills is so wide that women can successfully find their place there.
‘In Poland we have been discussing the position of women in technology companies for more than a decade. After many years, we can see that after we joined typically ‘male’ technical teams, the dynamics of group work has changed positively, communication has improved and women have shown that they are great at multitasking, well organized, committed and loyal. Thanks to the greater awareness of employers, mainly drawn from large American concerns, companies have taken action to encourage women to study technical faculties or to be promoted in structures.’ – says Ewa Wadoń, Head of HR at Retail Robotics.
‘In order to attract women to tech it is crucial to raise awareness of what kind of skills are needed in the STEM industry. (…) Thanks to their character traits, women are great in areas such as Logistics, Sales, Warehouse, Production settlements, Assembly, Quality Control, Human Resources, Accounting or HR, at various levels of the organizational structure. Both in the roles of leaders (department managers, foremen), as well as specialists in engineering positions (e.g. as a quality engineer, process engineer or technologist), but also as quality inspectors, employees servicing the warehouse or fitters.’ – emphasizes Daria Guz, Head of Arctan Production at Retail Robotics.
‘One of the key factors for women in the tech industry is how a given solution will change our lives for the better: whether it will make it more convenient, interesting, safer. Therefore, they attach great importance to the real usability of the product to ensure that even the most complex innovation, created by hundreds of engineers and IT specialists, could be easily handled by any consumer. What’s more, women also pay attention to visual identity and attractiveness of what the consumer will use on a daily basis. Whether it will be a real device or only a virtual application – we strongly believe that good design is an integral part of modern technologies.
The most crucial to the career development of women in marketing in tech companies is a full understanding of the market and the solutions offered by the company. Unlike industries selling fast-moving goods, technological products require extensive knowledge about them, which is the basis for building an effective marketing narrative. No less important is a very in-depth study of consumers ‘needs and continuous verification of users’ trends and expectations. My experience shows that women bring a spirit of cooperation to technology companies and focus on finding solutions together. They believe that innovations are the result of teamwork, which is why they easily implement multidisciplinary projects. They also introduce a culture of healthy feedback, which is relevant for both employees and the entire organization. Working in the tech industry allows women to work on large projects that allow them to go beyond the world of classic marketing. It gives them the chance to co-create innovative products that are yet to hit the market, and this is the most exciting type of project for any marketing expert.’ – says Dorota Gomółka, Senior Marketing Manager at Retail Robotics.
Aleksandra Pakuła, automation engineer at R&D PickupHero at Retail Robotics, notes that women in robotics more and more often specialize in specific fields, and their knowledge and experience may become the initiator of the development of many innovative projects. Their presence influences the atmosphere and balance in the workplace. In addition, character features such as paying attention to detail and a sense of aesthetics are valuable in the implementation of R&D projects. ‘In the dynamic tech industry, apart from continuous development, the ability to adapt to changes is very important. I hope that the change in the role of women in the technology industry will mean that women experts will no longer surprise anyone.’ – she adds.
‘By working in R&D, we can show other women that the world of technology is not just for men. We can find our place in it – derive satisfaction from our work and grow. Gender is not an obstacle.’ – sums up Agnieszka Sowińska constructor at R&D PickupHero at Retail Robotics.
Read the article here: https://kobieta.gazeta.pl/kobieta/7,148342,28199744,kobieca-twarz-robotyki.html
1EIGE, 2017.
2Women in Digital Age, European Commission 2018.
