Gender disparity still exists in IT

Dr Rebecca Parsons, CTO, ThoughtWorks comes with over three decades of experience in industries ranging from telecommunications to emergent internet services. Dataquest got a chance to get an exclusive interview at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing India. Excerpts

Is there a need to emphasize the idea of women in technology? Do you think there is room for events like Grace Hopper's Celebration of Women in Computing?

Despite the progress we have been seeing globally and in India, there still is a need to address some gender issues. Freshers join the IT industry thinking there is no bias to face, but realize it isn't so. And it is a problem when you don't see past it. The same behavior in a man and a woman are judged differently, the band being narrower for women. It is how people react to the bias which is wrong.

Physical safety is a concern for women in India. It does exist in the US but it is often easier to differentiate a safe place from an unsafe one even after dark, unlike what I see here. That affects the way women interact and network at work places too. They tend to be less open and confident in a discussion. Hesitance does come across, and this is prevalent particularly in India.

Are corporates recognizing the need to address the needs of gender disparity?

Yes, organizations have begun to understand the need to address such issues and send their women employees for workshops and programs to empower them. They are considering things they can do to make changes within an organization and in the ecosystem.

IT organizations have done a lot, and are constantly working towards creating a work-life balance for women. However, having a family is tricky situation for female tech heads.

Let's face it, making use of part-time and flexible work makes colleagues question their commitment. It's seen as a career limiting move to take advantage of flexible policies. The lack of women in IT is also reinforcing some of the worst stereotypes in the industry.

 

ThoughtWorks has always advocated social and economic justice. We look for places where historical injustice has occurred. In India, we tend to focus more on issues like gender and caste inequalities.

For how long have you been with ThoughtWorks? And what keeps you going?

I have spent 14 years at ThoughtWorks and been a CTO for the past 8 years. The company has grown organically expect for one acquisition. Though it's the same company, it feels dynamic. Change has been constant. We have expanded service offerings geographically and changed our structure recently.

What challenges do you face as a CTO?

As ThoughtWorkds has expanded, keeping the communication lines open has been the biggest challenge for me. It had been difficult to stay connected to the organization but it is important to stay connected to keep hierarchy away in the organization and to provide support.

ThoughtWorks presence in India...

Thoughtworks started its India operations in early 2001 and there are four offices in India-Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, and Gurgaon.
Thoughtworks has a strong presence in the government, electronic, and healthcare spaces. It has been constantly working on advocacy and support women in IT. Three pillars we build the company on are sustainable business, revolutionizing the IT industry by solving business and social problems, and advocating for social and economic justice. In India, we are working on issues like SCST, gender, etc. We recently opened two new offices in Africa and Ecuador.