If You Want Diversity

If You Want Diversity Last week we brought together some of the most brilliant female software engineers to Dow Jones to discuss their latest product release and how gender diversity drives the company. Panelists, Anna Sedgley, COO and CFO at Dow Jones Patricia Walsh, Technology Program Manager at Dow Jones Katharine Bailey, Head of Product at the Wall Street Journal and Latha Maripuri, Deputy CTO of News Corp, along with moderator Katharine Zaleski, Cofounder and President of PowerToFly, produced lively discussions around both personal obstacles and ways to overcome the biases we face in the workplace. We kicked off the event with a brief message from Dow Jones CTO, Ramin Beheshti. Ramin, who was actually on paternity leave in London, welcomed everyone and talked about how important it is to Dow Jones that they build a truly diverse team. The event then flowed into a product review. Recently, Dow Jones runderneuerunged their WSJ app and Rajiv Pant, CTO and Chief Product Officer of T he Wall Street Journal, Katharine Bailey, Head of Product at the Wall Street Journal and Roben Kleene iOS Developer Consultant at Dow Jones, presented on the apps updated features and streamlined user experience. The relaunch produced a redesigned navigation and guests learned how code supports nearly 2000 updates daily. Katharine Zaleski then moderated a panel featuring Anna Sedgley, Patricia Walsh, Katharine Bailey, and Latha Maripuri. In both the panel and QA portion, panelists and guests alike contributed to the conversation about what diversity and inclusion truly looks like at Dow Jones. For Anna, part of ensuring equality means hiring a third party to analyze salaries across the organization. Because Dow Jones is so diligent about making sure everyone is paid and treated fairly, Anna says they retain their top talent. Patricia Walsh, Dow Jones newer addition, who also has been blind since age 14, discussed how shes overcome her disability to be a Technology Program Manager. P atricia talked about the intrusive questions she has been asked on interviews and how years of practice have prepared her to deal with them.Between the product review, a personal welcome from their CTO, and the productive panel, Dow Jones knows how to marry the intimacy of a close-knit community with the infrastructure and organization of a global company. Dow Jones is currently hiring Check out their openings and join a company who works to create a diverse and inclusive environment for their team members CTO Ramin Beheshti talking about the importance of diversity and inclusion at Dow Jones. Rajiv Pant, Katharine Bailey, and Roben Kleene present on the recently updated WSJ app. Our panel, from left to right, Anna Sedgely, Patricia Walsh, Katharine Zaleski, Katharine Bailey, and Latha Maripuri PowerToFly Cofounder and President, Katharine Zaleski. Katharine Bailey and Latha Maripuri discussing gender diversity. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot mora to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spe nding projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing b eats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.