How Any Tech Company Can Attract the Best Female Engineers

In light of recent accusations levelled at Uber, initially by way of Susan J. Fowler’s blog and subsequently by a variety of other sources, the spotlight is once again firmly on the role of women in tech. Unfortunately, it appears that even the most modern and resource-rich organisations can be plagued with sexism and misogyny, which is a hard thing to hear for those women who are looking to advance their careers in the tech sphere. If an 8-year-old company with almost infinite resources can’t do something as simple as make women feel comfortable going to work, what chance do older organisations that are less cashed up have?

The fact is that the resources and the modernity of an organisation has little to do with how it treats its female employees. Instead, it all comes down to culture and intent. If an organisation is intent on being inclusive and offering equal opportunities to all its employees, regardless of gender, religion, race or creed, then it shall be so.

One organisation that offers a fantastic template for such inclusivity is Canva, an online graphic design software developer that boasts a usership of over 10 million. We spoke to Ellie Shin (below), an Android Engineer, to learn how the company ensures its employees feel as though they belong.

The Canva environment versus a more traditional environment

Prior to joining Canva, Ellie held a position at Samsung Electronics. According to her, in terms of culture these type of organisations are chalk and cheese. Canva has been flexible, malleable and (dare I say it) delicious.

Ellie explained that the culture of larger organisations is often focussed on the process. Everything is measured, there are strict policies in place for even the most minor of procedures, and a long management structure means answers to queries were often hard to come by.

The differences to her current situation couldn’t be more stark. “At Canva everything is flexible”, she explains. “Working time, the tools we use to do our job, the processes we follow; every team is free to define their own processes, as long as they deliver”.  And with its incredibly flat corporate structure, Canva employees can get the answers they need, when they need them.

A focus on allowing the employee to be themselves

So how do ensure that your employees feel welcomed and comfortable within your organisation’s four walls? For Canva, it’s all about allowing each employee to be themselves. In Ellie’s case, this culture is showcased by the fact that Canva have allowed her work to compliment her home life, rather than inhibit it.

“I’m a working mum, so having flexible time is essential for me”, she notes. “Canva allows me to leave the office early, head home to spend dinnertime with my family. If I need to work from home for family reasons, the company is okay with that too.” By doing something as simple as acknowledging the tightrope walk that many working mothers experience, and trying their best to accommodate the needs of each employee, Canva are positioning themselves as one of the more desirable places for female engineers to work.

A feeling of investment in the organisation

Ellie points to the feeling of investment in the success of the company as another reason the Canva culture is so good. In previous organisations,  it was hard not to feel like a number, like just another cog in the machine. At Canva on the other hand you feel as though you’re making a real difference. As Ellie puts it, “in a smaller company it’s easier to be recognised for the work you do, and easier to see the impact of your work on the company’s success. It’s highly motivating to see how your effort contributes to the success of the product that the company builds”.

Ellie also gets her drive from knowing that her work is helping people – “I enjoy feeling that what I do will positively impact thousands or millions of people around the globe. It’s a wonderful feeling, and a great motivation to do your best every day”.

At a base level, there’s no real secret to being an attractive workplace for females in tech. It’s simply about providing your employees with an environment in which they can succeed, no matter who they might be. However that is enacted, whether by establishing quotas to ensure a subconscious bias doesn’t skew female representation in certain roles, or simply by allowing a working mum to pick up her kids after school, your company’s culture – and its industry reputation – will be all the better for it.