Oxford Dictionary definition:

Diversity – Noun

  • range of many people or things that are very different from each other.

Diversity in the workplace means the quality of including or involving people from a range of various social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, religions, sexual orientations, etc.

Diversity in the workplace is about constructing or working towards an all-encompassing atmosphere, the acknowledging of everyone’s differences, enabling all employees to achieve their full potential and as a result, enabling your business to reach strategic goals and visions.

Here at TeachTech Solutions, we are working with many clients who are trying to achieve their full potential through embracing diversity in the workplace. These organisations are working incredibly hard to ensure the workforce they are building is not only robust, informed and dedicated, but also diverse and inclusive. We have helped develop and build teams that incorporate more women, at all levels, and more so, over the past few years we have worked on exploring diversity and growing teams. As a specialist education recruitment agency with a background in IT recruitment we are well versed in what can be uncomfortable conversations to start with about the whys and the how’s, but that is okay, we are equipped with the knowledge and first-hand experiences that enable us to help navigate everyone through this leading through to successful placements of apprenticeship coaches, tutors, trainers, and lecturers.

So, what are the benefits of exploring and then increasing diversity in the workplace?

Set a standard, set a goal and you will reap the benefits of opening your doors to a wider array of individuals. Perhaps you speak with someone who has been a lecturer or trainer abroad, but never in the UK? Principals of teaching are the same, show them the way.

Have you ever discounted someone because English is not their first language? It is incredibly impressive how quickly someone’s English improves when they are immersed in using it every single day. English as a second language means they speak at least one other language, which surely is an absolute bonus for any trainer, coach, or lecturer.

See names on CVs that do not float your boat? Our team consists of a Solin and a Keshia, but also a Leah and a Mollie – what’s the problem?

These are just a few examples of everyday unconscious biases (sometimes conscious biases) that can shut companies off to a huge pool of talent. Having employees from diverse backgrounds will only enhance perspectives and innovations within your brand.

We at TeachTech Solutions believe that this is one of the many ways that organisations thrive; being able to witness first-hand the different perspectives therefore creating a well-rounded team that will come together to generate new creative ideas and ultimately better results for learners, apprentices and students nationally.

What should you not do?

We do not want you to tick a box. As women of colour, we have our own personal experiences of being hired simply to tick the diversity box. We were once asked to headhunt a person of colour for a senior role, simply to tick a box. That person would have been the only person of colour within a sea of 874 employees. No, we will not help you with that. Finding yourself as the ‘token brownie’ can be overwhelming and intimidating.

As an organisation you must commit to a long-term goal and plan that sees the inner diversity, from the bottom up, come genuinely and with sincere planning. If you want your organisation to be a true representation of society, you should consider including diversity planning in the recruitment process. Representing your society can only lead to a better understanding of the employers and learners that you work with. Take your organisation to a whole new level by emphasising your stance on the importance of diversity in the workplace.

Women in the workplace is a common theme touched upon by many and one we have written about before and whilst the gap is very slowly closing, what is taking so long?

We look at a common topic of conversation around the lack of education for young girls, the male dominance already cemented within the sector and of course the perspective that there is a lack of development and progression opportunities for female technology workers.

For decades now organisations have been working towards gender diversity in the workplace. When it comes to the technology industry in particular, the representation of a varied array of genders still has decades worth of work left to do.

As of 2023, women hold a mere 24% of technology jobs. Which is very low, especially if you consider that in the UK, women make up around 50% of the workforce.

However, organisations are steadily trying to encourage and attract more women to the tech industry. With the input of recruitment having a positive impact on the art of advertising jobs successfully and nationally within the UK.

The question that needs to be asked is, why is having women in technology important? Is it worth the constant conversation?

For starters, gender diversity is very important in every sector. It encourages teamwork and different ways of thinking, which can improve quality in the output of ideas and better stimulate company performance and growth. By involving all genders in decision making, from the very start of any process, will increase companywide collaboration, sales output, and the overall reputation of the business.

We also must consider the younger generation, currently only 3% of school aged girls are looking at technology and STEM as possible sectors to pursue a career within.  Hardly surprising considering that 77% of technology leaders are currently men. Whilst there has been a positive increase in the number of females teaching technology-based subjects, we do need more women feeling confident enough to use their technology qualifications in the IT sector and not just falling into teaching once they have become despondent with rejection. Teaching technology is so important, but having female role models working, hands on, within the technology field should be just as integral.

So, how do we encourage more women into IT?

We must start by encouraging young women from an early age, by 13 years of age, the interest level in STEM massively reduces for girls thus no longer considering taking a STEM route with their educational course choices. Not only does this cause a ripple effect for their futures but also for Apprenticeship training providers, further education establishments and Universities.

An interest in STEM can be encouraged at home by parents and at school by primary teachers. An overhaul of the early years and primary age education system may be too big of an ask, but baby steps can be implemented.

Parents and early years workers have a huge influence on young people’s lives and even a simple conversation can influence the way a young person thinks.

We would love to see more women in technology shown within children’s programmes aimed at the younger years and for more women in technology to be celebrated for their achievements. Elements such as these will do one thing only, and that is to breed enthusiasm and awe of the technology sector, encouraging young women to take STEM subjects in school, such as information technology, software engineering and data analytics.

Now, how do we ensure that these young women are promised a career in technology in the future?

We need to encourage businesses to remove gender bias from their job descriptions, board meetings and coffee room chats. It all starts by broadening the recruitment plan and embracing the art of recruitment and patterns by experimenting with our sourcing choices and ensuring HR and hiring managers are flexible in their ideas of what resonates well within a CV.

We need to encourage women and show them that careers in technology will help change the world for the better, recruiting them, encouraging them, and supporting them to be the best version of themselves.

What can you do to play your part?

  • Advocate Diversity
  • Promote Women in Leadership
  • Promote Women in Technology
  • Revamp your hiring process with TeachTech Solutions?

TeachTech Solutions has specialist knowledge and recruitment experience in the education and IT sectors. From embracing, celebrating, and hiring a diverse range of candidates into job roles such as Lecturers, Apprenticeship Coaches, Bootcamp Trainers, Employability Trainers and the list goes on. With success in recruiting for a diverse range of clients from FTSE100 corporates to Managed service providers, SMEs, Training Providers, Colleges, Universities and Local Authorities. We do not shy away from a challenge and welcome clients and candidates from all areas of expertise. Understanding the importance of both Education, IT and IT in Education is what sets us apart from competitors. Feel free to continue reading about TeachTech Solutions, what we believe in and what we do best by getting in touch at info@teachsolutions.co.uk, or visiting our LinkedIn page at TeachTech Solutions.

We look forward to showing you the benefits of recruitment and the impact recruitment can have on the success of your organisation.