It is the responsibility of organizations to hire and empower womxn from diverse backgrounds in order to achieve a more inclusive team. In honor of Womxn’s History Month, our post highlights some of the ways organizations can empower womxn to make data-driven decisions and seek insights backed by data.
According to a 2021 report by the World Economic Forum, womxn account for only 26% of data and AI professionals. Additionally, womxn make up only 22% of leadership roles in the global data and analytics market (International Data Corporation, 2021).
That’s why, more than ever, it is important to empower the womxn at our organization and in our networks, to be data-driven. Here are a few ways you can provide womxn on your teams the resources to do so from day one:
Provide access to training and development opportunities to enhance data literacy skills. These training sessions can include basic data analysis, visualization, and interpretation. The goal is to equip these employees with the necessary skills to confidently analyze and interpret data, enabling them to make more informed decisions.
Foster a supportive environment where womxn feel comfortable sharing their ideas and asking questions about data. Encourage open communication, and actively listen to ideas and feedback. Make sure that data-driven decision-making is a company-wide priority, and that all employees understand the importance of using data to inform their work at all levels of the organization.
Highlight successful data-driven leaders and celebrate womxn who are leading the way in data-driven decision-making. Highlight their successes and encourage other womxn in the organization to follow their lead. By showcasing successful leaders, you can inspire others to become more data-driven and create a culture that values and supports womxn in leadership positions.
Many womxn throughout history have paved the way for us today in the STEM industries. We have them to thank for their dedicated efforts of inclusivity, research, empowerment and so much more.
Collections of womxn today, like the group of folks behind Toronto Womxn in Data Science (https://www.womxndsto.com) is just one great example!
For the past six years, they have been providing womxn from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to showcase their career journeys, share knowledge, and network. Their aim is to encourage the diversification of the talent pipeline in the data industries and provide mentorship, education, and advancement opportunities along the way.
As womxn in data, it can sometimes be difficult to find your place in the industry. That’s why it’s vital that organizations invest in diversity and inclusion at every level of the organization to create more diverse teams, and promote the use of data to make more informed decisions.
Interested in learning more? Contact us and let’s chat about empowering the womxn at your organization to foster an inclusive culture and drive more innovation!
Note: this post uses “womxn” as an alternative spelling of “woman” to be inclusive of trans and nonbinary communities.
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