It’s not news that the tech industry and global workforce haven’t historically been the most inclusive for women and underrepresented groups. A lot of progress has been made, as women now make up 47% of the U.S. workforce. Yet, globally women hold just 24% of senior leadership positions.

Considering these statistics, our Learning & Development team, in partnership with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, identified ways to empower and educate women Rollers so they feel prepared for leadership roles within the company and out in the tech industry. 

One major initiative that supports this endeavor is NextRoll’s Women in Leadership (WIL) program in the U.S., also known as Women In Tech in the EMEA region. We launched the six-month program in 2016 and have since hosted six cohorts. Last year 20 women graduated from the program after gaining critical leadership skills while building their professional networks. Since its inception in 2016, our percentage of women in management has grown from 41% to 45%. As we roll out our ongoing WIL cohorts, we expect to increase this number continuously.

During the program, participants attend 90-minute sessions together and one-on-one coaching appointments with an executive coach. The women also interact and converse on a dedicated Slack channel for their group. The women tackle topics like career development, managing up, critical conversations, and strategic thinking and prioritization during all of these events. 

“The WIL program allowed me to reflect on my past professional experiences, evaluate my current professional self, and develop a roadmap for achieving my professional goals,” said Jennifer George, Principal Strategic Customer Success Manager. “Through self-reflection and group discussions, I’ve become more self-aware of my strengths and areas for improvement. Understanding these areas and creating an actionable improvement plan allows me to be a better leader and teammate.”

Additionally, participants can access a 360 dashboard via our partnership with FranklinCovey, which gives participants access to individual skill assessments and resources. 

“One of the most helpful things to me in this program is the 360 Assessment, an exercise of self-assessment and anonymous assessments from peers,” said Phoebe Maio, Sr. Product Manager. “This exercise and the following coaching session opened my eyes and helped me better understand my worth and the value I can provide to the table. I’m ready to step into my power and break through to the next level.”

Over the six-month program, the women not only absorb a great amount of content to prepare them for future leadership opportunities but they’re also given the opportunity to practice and apply their learnings and reflect on them before the program ends.  

Graduates from the WIL program have said they’ve gained new confidence in their leadership skills, and some now feel empowered to participate in external programs. 

“I recently graduated from the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland - Women in Global Organisations (WGO) Peer Mentoring Programme,” said Fionnuala Mellett, EMEA Accounting Manager. “The Programme is for women across many industries, and I got to meet and connect with many interesting and successful women. Everyone was open to sharing their experiences and supporting one another. A really enjoyable and fantastic learning experience.”

Learn more about how NextRoll prioritizes DEI in the workplace!