Inclusion in Tech

How to Manage an Employee With Depression

A team member was on a "return to work" programme after an ongoing depression. The team was small and timelines were short, creating pressure. The person needed to take time off on short notice, and the manager had to balance the person's wellbeing with client priorities. The manager was supportive and understanding, signposted the person to relevant support services, and communicated with the team about the person's condition. The team member was allowed to work part-time, and the manager encouraged them to join a mental health programme. The manager also learned to do research, not make assumptions, and be vocal about support for various diversity segments.

A Plan For Creating a More Inclusive Culture

This article discusses a program set up by the author to improve diversity and inclusion in their company. The program consists of micro-actions (15 minute activities) and macro-actions (1-3 hour activities) to demonstrate an attempt at making a more diverse and inclusive culture. The author has seen some micro-wins, such as sourcing female candidates and attending events, and has learned that this approach helps to keep diversity and inclusion at the top of everyone's minds.

Retaining Women In Tech

After leaving her engineering manager position at Apple due to burnout and lack of supportive leadership, the author started her own small business helping other small business owners with their technological needs. Through this experience, she realized the importance of resilience, an inclusive environment, and strong leadership for women in the tech industry. She encourages women to network outside of their own organization, and to stay in and influence the industry in order to shape the future.

Do You Know How to Tackle Diversity Issues on Your Team?

After a woman declined a job offer, the company realized that 90% of their team were men and decided to do more sourcing at women's engineering events. This resulted in a more gender-balanced team with a 60/40 male to female ratio, without changing their technical requirements. The lesson learned was that it is important to create a non-hostile work environment for everyone, and to prioritize women candidates without changing the bar.

Being an Advocate for Other Women

A woman in the industry was looking for an organization that valued diversity and inclusion. She was one of the first few employees hired for a start-up division of a larger parent company and formed a national, company-wide women’s committee. She recommends that all hiring managers have at least one woman or other diversity candidate in the room during an interview. She also suggests having a peer buddy to provide a safety net if someone in the room tries to shut her down mid-thought. People need to be aware of what needs to change and have introspection to understand why they are not getting what they want or need.

Succeeding as a New Product Manager

A remote PM for a widely dispersed engineering team in New York had to balance the team's enthusiasm with the company's priorities. To do this, the PM got to know the team through 1:1s, conducted a virtual brainstorming session, and was overly communicative. The PM learned that it is important to understand communication styles, conduct information gathering sessions, and share drafts early and often.