What needs to change for women in tech & telecoms in 2026 – Maxine Blackwell
“The tech industry talks a lot about attracting women into roles, but far less about what happens once they’re there. The real issue is progression, visibility and retention. If women don’t see clear pathways to leadership, flexible working that genuinely works for them, and role models at senior level, recruitment alone doesn’t solve the problem. That’s why at Zen our Women in Tech network is structured around three things – attract, develop and retain – because without all three working together, the pipeline breaks down.
“Tech’s impact on society is only growing. Maximising the benefits and opportunities for all starts with equal representation across the whole sector.
“While overall progress has been made within the sector, it continues to be slow. I believe that this is because diversity is still not driven as hard as it should be in many organisations. It is still seen as doing the right thing, as opposed to being a core strategic business objective.”
What “Give to Gain” looks like in a tech business – Maxine Blackwell
“For us, giving means actively challenging stereotypes, creating support networks and putting real structure behind equality. When you do that, you gain better ideas, stronger teams and a culture people want to stay in.
“That’s why we focus on practical actions – rewriting job descriptions to remove bias, building mentoring and development specifically for women, offering genuine flexibility, and running programmes like Step into Tech to show young women what a career in tech really looks like. It’s those operational changes that turn good intentions into real progress.”
What companies say vs what they actually need to do – Maxine Blackwell
“Having a diversity statement is easy. Building a culture where people feel supported, heard and able to progress takes consistent work, buy-in across the business (not just leadership or a minority) and accountability. Measuring success and garnering regular feedback is critical. What also makes a difference is reviewing job descriptions for bias, redesigning recruitment processes, offering genuine flexibility and putting female-specific development and mentoring in place. Small operational changes like this have a significant impact on how many women apply, stay and progress within a tech business.
“Employers that communicate authentically and set realistic expectations are seeing higher acceptance and retention rates, especially from women.
“UK research also shows that workplaces with mature diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) practices see higher productivity, greater happiness and longer employee tenure than those without such practices embedded. Yet there remains a disconnect between organisational ambition and employee experience, with relatively few employees experiencing DEIB as fully integrated into day-to-day culture.”
One myth about women in tech that needs to disappear – Amanda Rogers
“One of the biggest myths is that women don’t choose tech because they’re not interested. Many simply don’t see what the opportunities look like or can’t picture themselves in those roles. That’s why visibility, mentoring and programmes like Step into Tech are so important – they make careers in tech feel tangible and accessible.”
Why early intervention with girls matters – Amanda Rogers
“By the time young women are making career decisions, many have already ruled tech out because of outdated stereotypes. Introducing coding and tech skills early, alongside visible female role models, helps break that cycle and creates a much stronger future pipeline of talent.
“Young women often don’t realise how broad a career in tech can be. Programmes like Step into Tech are about showing that you don’t have to fit a stereotype to belong in this industry.
“As AI becomes a bigger part of how tech businesses operate, the way we work is only going to become more outcome-focused and less tied to traditional office structures. That creates a real opportunity to design workplaces that are more inclusive from the outset, but only if women are part of shaping how that future looks.
“Changing how tech is taught in schools is a crucial factor if we’re to close the gender gap across the tech industry. Increasing awareness and sharing the opportunities the sector could offer women will over time help change perceptions. Many tech companies and large employers already have close working relationships with further education establishments, and this is something that should be encouraged, not only to create role models but to provide a means of sharing advice and experiences.”
Why flexibility is a retention tool, not a perk – Maxine Blackwell
“Flexible and hybrid working isn’t a perk for women – it’s often what makes a career in tech possible. Removing presenteeism and focusing on output rather than location opens opportunities for talented women who previously couldn’t access these roles at all.
“The challenge for businesses now is getting the balance right between flexibility and connection. But what’s clear is that people no longer judge a workplace by how many days they sit at a desk, but by how supported and trusted they feel to do their job well.”
What the Women in Tech network actually does – Amanda Rogers
“Our Women in Tech group isn’t just a discussion forum. It’s made up of over 50 volunteers focused on practical action from mentoring and development to changing how we recruit and support women returning to work. That structure is what turns good intentions into real progress.
“And this isn’t just about doing the right thing. Diverse teams bring different perspectives, challenge thinking and ultimately create better outcomes for customers and the business. That’s why diversity must be treated as a core strategic objective, not a side initiative.”
What initiatives and developments do you participate in to help increase the presence of women on boards in the wider industry? – Amanda Rogers
All of the work I am doing on creating more gender balance in the sector and helping women into leadership roles, forms the foundations required to help women progress to Board positions. It’s important to start with the foundations so there is a talent pipeline coming up through an organisation that aspire to the top seats.
To learn more visit: https://www.internationalwomensday.com
Maxine Blackwell, People & Culture Director at Zen Internet – leading initiatives that support equality, progression and retention across the business.
Amanda Rogers, Head of Marketing at Zen Internet and a lead within the company’s Women in Tech network, as well as moderator of the Women in the Channel panel at this year’s upcoming Channel Live.
