The tech field lags far behind on workplace gender equality: There's a stark difference in hiring quotas, salary, and retention numbers for women in tech compared to their male counterparts - pointing out deeper inequalities and foundational problems in the industry.

I am in conversation with Paula Bratcher Ratcliff. She is the force behind Women Impact Tech, a community for collaboration, professional growth, and belonging to inspire, educate, empower, and advance women in technology. This is her big goal!

Paula argues that just because a company has a good diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement doesn't mean they follow through. It's about building support systems - having an active and purposeful mission to elevate your employees - especially women or other under-represented groups in your office.

A few months ago, Women Impact Tech  released its first-ever Women Impact Tech 100 list, honouring the 100 top organizations where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements go above and beyond to foster an equitable and thriving workplace environment for women. Coinciding with International Women's Day earlier this year, the Women Impact Tech 100 highlights the most innovative, ground-breaking tech companies that prioritize DEI initiatives in their company foundation-making it clear through tangible action that diversity is a key contributor to overall company success. The best of the progressive companies who prioritize DEI make up the 2022 Women Impact Tech 100. The list was compiled after extensive research and review using public data, including employee feedback on workplace culture for women and other under-represented groups, company benefits, and perks, and dedicated DEI efforts.

Hear from Paula about these areas:

1. Women in tech seem to still face so many challenges. Inequity across the board, underpaid and underrepresented. Studies show female managers at tech companies make 10% less on average than their male counterparts across major cities. Women make up just 28.8% of the total tech workforce while women of color only make up 4% of the computing workforce and almost no senior leadership roles. How can this change faster?
2. Why should more women want to work in tech? Sounds like it may not want us!
3. The pandemic's impact on women in tech was stark. Women in the tech industry were twice as likely to be furloughed or laid off than their male counterparts throughout the pandemic. 54% of women say that the pandemic is making it harder for them to break into the tech industry. Meanwhile, 38% of those who do break in, plan on leaving in the next 2 years, and many report dissatisfaction with the industry. Why are many qualified women leaving the tech industry and what can businesses do to retain them?

CONTACT INFO:

LinkedIn: Paula R. Bratcher Ratliff | LinkedIn

W: Women Impact Tech | WIT

https://www.linkedin.com/company/womenimpacttech/

If you are a podcaster who wants to record quality sound with ease, sign up to Zencastr Professional account today for 30% discount. To reclaim this amazing Zencastr offer designed for The Politics of Everything audience, just use the Link: zen.ai/thepoliticsofeverything and use Promo Code: thepoliticsofeverything.

Bev Andrews is a change management expert. For several years now, I have worked with and witnessed the rise of the change management function in a range of organizations - from utilities to banks and all kinds of businesses. Usually communicating change takes patience, time, and a lot of nuanced approaches to get it going.

Change management draws on theories from many disciplines, including psychology, behavioural science, engineering, and systems thinking. And there are many different models to choose from.  A central idea of all change management theories is that no change ever happens in isolation. In one way or another, change impacts the whole organization and all the people in it. But with good change management, you can encourage everyone to adapt to and embrace your new way of working. Sounds easy enough.

My guest Bev has devoted the past 20 years of her career to delivering business solutions across a broad range of services in a diverse set of industries. Bev has extensive experience in Organisational Management - managing, developing, and facilitating change to achieve organizational improvement and transformation.

During her career, Bev has worked within organizations of different shapes and sizes, including those shown below. Bringing this experience to her business now, ASPIRE Change Management, Bev continues to provide the highest level of practical and empowering change management support, training, and advice to Australian businesses. 

Unlike other consultancies, Bev's company ASPIRE specializes only in change management.  They provide end-to-end change management, which includes strategy, planning, delivery, and capability development. Working strategically and tactically, ASPIRE leverages your processes and tools and engages your employees on the journey.  

In this podcast you will hear:

1. What is change management and how does it ideally work for an organization?
2. What is the basis of your framework for change management?
3. How can a business know if it's getting change management right?
4. A Harvard Business Review found 81% of the projects with effective change management came in on or under budget, according to the study. When change management wasn't as effective, there was a clear negative fiscal impact. The Harvard Business Review suggests 60-70% of all the change initiatives undertaken in organizations fail and a 2015 McKinsey study found the same kind of figures. What common mistakes do you usually see that may interrupt how change managers can bring their best to an entity?
5. Take away: What is your final takeaway message for us on The Politics of Change Management?

CONTACT INFO:

LinkedIn: (14) Bev Andrews | LinkedIn

W: ASPIRE CHANGE MANAGEMENT - Home

If you are a podcaster who wants to record quality sound with ease, sign up to Zencastr Professional account today for a 30% discount. To reclaim this amazing Zencastr offer designed for The Politics of Everything audience, just use the Link: zen.ai/thepoliticsofeverything and use Promo Code: thepoliticsofeverything.

While many of my guests are talking from experience, and often professional prowess is at the heart of these podcasts. But not always - life is more than career or business and The Politics of Everything was never designed to be an entirely "business-minded podcast."

Enter today's guest whose new book How to get laid on Tinder - for Men caught my imagination right away!

To set the scene. Maureen Pound had not had a single date in 7 years.  She was busy running a business and raising two anonymous sperm donor children on her own. It was after a life-changing Thailand bike ride with 50 other entrepreneurs raising money for orphans that she decided to get back on that horse - and what an adventure. 

Over the six years that followed, she matched with thousands of men on Tinder, talked with over 500, and met close to a hundred.  She went on walks, played tennis, had coffee, dinner, drinks, and sneaky Rendez-Vous.  

She heard stories of frustration and annoyance from a lot of men and decided she wanted to help; to share ideas and strategies to help them meet great people. The idea for her book How To Get Laid on Tinder - For men, was born. She's passionate about supporting men and giving them tools to communicate well, both online and offline.   She is practical and fun and not afraid to be direct. This should be one heck of an episode! Perhaps not one for minors or anyone not keen to understand what goes in the Tinderverse!

In this episode hear from Maureen on:

1. What is the best thing about Tinder dating, and then, the worst?
2. What made you write a guide to Tinder dating for men. We are told that 30 million matches are registered every day on Tinder- what advice do you have for men on the App?
3. We also know 76.9% of Tinder users in 2020 were male. So are men still the pursuers of the online dating world or what is your experience? Don't women need help and a book too?
4. What advice would you give anyone wanting to meet new people on Tinder or other Apps?
5. Have you found love and connection on Tinder and if so, is that something Tinder does well?
6. Take away: What is your final takeaway message for us on The Politics of Tinder?

Contact details:

W: www.howtogetlaidontinder.com.au

If you are a podcaster who wants to record quality sound with ease, sign up to Zencastr Professional account today for a 30% discount. To reclaim this amazing Zencastr offer designed for The Politics of Everything audience, just use the Link: zen.ai/thepoliticsofeverything and use Promo Code: thepoliticsofeverything.