ServiceNow : Empowering women in the tech industry

Only about 20% of engineering and computer science majors are female, according to AAUW. Gender discrimination in the technology sector is seen as a barrier by 39% of women, adds the TrustRadius 2021 Women in Tech Report.

The need for gender equality in the tech industry is nothing new, but it's clearly not yet a reality. Companies worldwide are still allowing female talent to fall through the gaps.

At ServiceNow, we don't want to be one of those companies. So, we'd like to make one thing clear: Anyone who identifies as female has just as valid a role to play in tech as anyone else. We're working to make sure that message is heard.

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Change makers

It's not enough just to clear space at the table. We also have to make sure women:

• Know the space exists

• Feel actively encouraged to take it

• Have confidence that, if they do, they'll have everything they need to thrive

As a key player in the tech industry, we know it's our job to make change happen every day. We're showcasing some of the women who've chosen to grow their careers with ServiceNow to demonstrate how we're fostering an inclusive environment for all.

A supportive culture

Solution Consultant Yiran H. joined ServiceNow in Frankfurt, Germany, more than two years ago as part of a six-month training program called the Solution Consulting Academy. Hers was the first class that launched in Europe.

"It was a very fast learning process, but we were given everything we needed to succeed, including mentors and buddies," she says. "For me, it was a very safe environment."

The team culture at ServiceNow enabled Yiran to grow both personally and professionally. She learned about the solutions and company values and improved her German language skills. "It's an amazing challenge to work in Germany," she points out. Although German isn't her first language, she found the management team very supportive in pushing her to grow.

"We have a tuition reimbursement program to enable employees to learn relevant skills that they want to improve," she explains. "I've been benefiting from it by taking online German lessons. My colleagues have even offered me one-to-one language practice. It's great to be empowered to expand on this skill."

Career advancement

In addition to an inclusive team environment, our commitment to women at ServiceNow includes supporting career development through mentoring, working with external partners, and implementing action plans.

Approximately one year into her ServiceNow career, Yiran felt she wanted a change. "I'm a people person. I love being in the driver's seat and making an impact," she notes. "After a while, my position at the time began to feel like more of a backseat role, so I sat down with management to discuss it. They were really supportive and actually appreciated the honest feedback."

Working collaboratively with leadership, Yiran was able to navigate into a more customer-centric, strategic role. "By 2021, I had my own accounts, was in front of the customers, and could work on building really solid relationships with them, and I'm very proud of that," she says.

A place of belonging

The growth mindset at ServiceNow was equally important for Heike B., who joined in 2017 as an advisory solution consultant.

"Roughly two years ago, I was looking for the opportunity to work more strategically on enterprise accounts," she says. "So, I talked to my managers, and they made it happen. That kind of action means you know you're important to them. I felt supported throughout the process and can honestly say I was given everything I needed to progress within the company."

Heike also appreciates the overall culture at ServiceNow. Although the tech industry is male-dominated, she first joined a team of five that included four females. As a result, Heike sees the commitment ServiceNow makes to ensure an equitable working environment for all.

Women in the company are given a voice and the tools they need to thrive. "I've never personally felt at a disadvantage because of my gender here," Heike says, "but I do believe women should empower each other. The women in my team host bi-weekly calls where we share experiences, provide support, and continue to create a workplace where we all feel like we belong."

Celebrating women at ServiceNow

When employees can bring their authentic selves to work and know their voices will be respected and opinions encouraged, they unlock magic.

Globally, where we have pay data by gender, we're within one penny of pay equity for women around the world. We've also increased the number of women in leadership positions in the past three years and have put programs in place to push this even further.

We know we can't take our foot off the pedal. That's why we pledge to continue to listen to our workforce and press ahead with the actions necessary to ensure everybody is given a seat at the table.

Find out more about the steps we're taking toward gender equality in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report.

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