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Below is our recent interview with Rachel Cooke, COO and Principal HCM Analyst at Brandon Hall Group:
Q: What research have you conducted on women in leadership?
A: As a research and advisory firm focused on human capital management, our mission is to help companies perform better. I am very passionate about improving gender balance in the workplace because I believe it makes companies better. That’s why we have conducted 3 separate in-depth research studies over the last three years to chart a course for improvement. Our 2019 Women In Leadership study revealed that when it comes to executive roles, only 11% of firms said they are seeing gender parity. Also, we are partnering on a 4th Study this year on Male Allies, to gain an understanding of male views and how they can be advocate for change.
Q: Why focus on women in technology?
A: As the struggle for gender balance in the workplace continues, nowhere is there more opportunity – or potential disaster – than in the tech sector. Technology is changing our world at the most rapid pace in history. And the representation of women in technology leadership lags behind national norms at an alarming rate.
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Q: Can you tell us about the types of people you interviewed?
A: Through our Women In Leadership studies we had more than 1,000 survey respondents and interviewed over 100 women. What we kept hearing was the women in technology companies and roles had even steeper climb on the path to gender equity in how they are treated to their compensation. So, we started interviewing even more women in technology roles and ultimately made a new study focusing on women in technology with more than 600 respondents. In the end we had data from 54 countries, 34 industries and mix between small businesses and the largest organizations in the world.
Q: What does this toolkit help solve?
A: Organizations must move forward with a sense of urgency and boldness to create meaningful change in tech leadership that is more inclusive of women. Seizing the moment at hand — a moment in history when tech leaders are reshaping every aspect of the way we live, invest, heal and learn —requires raising the overall level of leadership skills in tech, having less tolerance for bullying, backstabbing and ‘bro’ cultures, plus emphasizing the overall business case to leverage (and then carefully manage) change. Widely sharing the findings in this toolkit can change mindsets, strengthen top-down commitment, engage men as allies and provide a roadmap for effective solutions.
Q: What are the components of the toolkit?
A: The toolkit has three main parts. The first part is about setting the context, raising the awareness, and providing people with data Using the research as a foundation, we provide a structured multimedia approach to establishing the facts and demonstrating the need for change. Part two helps to build a tailored business case with our evidence-based business builder template and scorecard to set targets for progress and measure results — for the organization, groups, teams or individuals. The final part is focused on creating and sustaining change. It supports the user in overcoming objections, shares leading practices and insight to show the impact of change as well as starting an employee resource group within your organization.
Q: What positions Brandon Hall Group as an industry leader?
A: Brandon Hall Group has been delivering research-based solutions in the human capital management space for more than 25 years. We have world-class research, data and expertise in Learning & Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Talent Acquisition, and Workforce Management. Through our studies on leadership, diversity, talent management, hiring we kept seeing a common thread that women aren’t treated equally in the workplace. That’s why we created “A Way Forward” which brings together our women in leadership research, a network of like-minded professionals, an annual summit and now this toolkit.
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Q: Tell me about the relationship between Brandon Hall Group and Blue Circle Leadership.
A: I met Bonnie St. John, the founder of Blue Circle Leadership four years ago when she keynoted our annual HCM Excellence Conference. We quickly realized that we had the same vision of empowering excellence in individuals and organizations. She really had a wonderful background including authoring the bestselling book “How Great Women Lead.” She was pivotal to open even more doors to our research and connect with women in executive roles in the largest organizations.
Q: Where can readers get more information?
A: Visit for more information on the toolkit. You can watch videos, read further about our toolkit and download an infographic on The State of Women In Technology. This report shows women hold less than one-quarter of technology roles in 67% of organizations and less than one-half of technology roles in 87% of organizations. Lack of role models and targeted development to grow leadership capabilities are seen as the biggest barriers to women in technology leadership. But perhaps the biggest problem is the divergent views between men and women on what are the top challenges.
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