Marissa Ellis, 39, has set out on a mission to change the current technology landscape. She founded Diversily back in January to help change that traditional mind set, and help new and existing businesses embed diversity into their thinking and their actions from the beginning. Ellis shares her thoughts on the lack of diversity in the tech sector, and what we can do to change the tech sector.
Why is diversity needed within the tech sector?
There are so many benefits to diversity. Research shows that diverse teams out perform less diverse teams both in terms of financial performance but also their ability to innovate and meet customer needs. There is also a huge skills shortage. There is forecast to be only 1.8 million tech workers in the UK alone, by 2025 according to Hamilton Barnes. So, we need to widen the net in terms of the types of people we bring into the sector.
Diverse teams are more able to represent the needs of a diverse user base. You may have heard that there were fatalities when airbags were first put into cars because they had only been tested with heavier male bodies. Or you may have seen the clip showing the soap dispenser that only worked with white hands. Or the face recognition software that only worked with certain types of faces.
As technology evolves and we are using AI more are more we are encoding our biases into the AI we create. It is vital that we use diverse teams to counter this. There are social benefits too - so it is win-win all round.
Diversily has created this board to summarise the key benefits here: https://padlet.com/Diversily/Benefits. It is a community resource so we welcome comments or additions.
Do you find there is a particular minority group missing from the tech sector?
Less than 17% of technical roles in the UK are filled by women accordingly to the British Computer Society. The numbers of people of colour are harder to come by but are predicted to be even lower. The sector is also a challenging place for the older generation or disabled people.
For me the diversity conversation isn't just about our visible differences but also our invisible differences. It is also important to mention intersectionality at this point. We can't pigeon hole people into boxes as we are all unique. Black, female lesbians may not feel fully represented by a people of colour group or women in tech group. It is about turning our differences into a strength and creating a culture where everyone can thrive.
Why do you think there is such a lack of diverse employees within this sector?
It is a bit of self-fulfilling prophecy. Biases are set that tech is for boys. Boys go into tech. The old boys network effect takes place where people attract people like them and create an environment where people like them will feel comfortable. There are more hurdles for people who fall outside of this so fewer of them make it.
Creating a diverse workforce requires going against the status quo. It means trying harder to find diverse talent. It means challenging stereotypes and biases. It means have uncomfortable conversations. It means understanding why it is important and taking action on this basis. It means having a diversity mind-set. It means not being surrounded by people like us. It means stepping outside of our comfort zone.
Change is hard. So, when we start from a position of a male dominated sector, unless we actively drive and believe in change, it simply will not happen. There has been a seed change recently and we are gathering momentum of people who get it. They know this isn't just the right thing to do for equality, it is good for business.
What inspired you to set up Diversily?
I created Diversily because I want to make a difference and I want to drive positive change. I have spent most of my career just accepting the lack of diversity. My eyes have been opened and I realise this is no longer ok.
Our mission is to create that mind-set change so that others start their careers or their businesses with diversity embedded into their thinking and their actions from the beginning. The same actions will create the same results. Let’s change the script! We have created the diversity canvas to support the sector to drive change together using a common framework.
What can be done to improve the diversity and inclusivity of this sector?
There is so much that can be done. We need to start with children. We need to stop making assumptions about what a child may wish to do based on their sex, race or other characteristics. Tech can be for anyone, yet at primary school biases are already starting to form. We need to shine a light on the role models that exist in the industry that might inspire others like them to join. Some people looking into the window of the tech world may simply not want to enter because no one that looks like them is present.
There is also a mind-set shift required. This is why we have created Diversily. It is an intentional tool to help tech organisations drive change. Many don’t know where to start and the canvas provides a framework to help them start to shift mind sets, start to have some of the conversations that are currently being swept under the carpet, commit to change and take positive action.
We also need to level the playing field for parents, equal benefits for mothers and fathers, giving families the option to do what suits them and not what society thinks mothers should do or fathers should do.
The gender pay gap is also a key area that needs to be addressed. We also need to make tech a good place where diverse people to want to be. People enter the workforce but are dropping out. Flexible working, prayer rooms, socials that don’t always involve alcohol, a commitment to valuing and supporting everyone will go a long way.
