How This Software Engineer Empowers Her Peers to Achieve More Together
For women in tech, breaking into a male-dominated industry is a challenge in and of itself.
Women in tech have historically found themselves in positions defined by firsts: the first woman to take on an executive role at their company; the only woman on a team.
Women belonging to marginalized groups are even more likely to relate to this experience. For example, Black women represented 1.8% of Google’s workforce in 2021, while Latinx women represented 2.2%, according to the company’s annual diversity report.
More work needs to be done. According to Skillsoft‘s 2023 Women in Tech Report, 42 percent of survey respondents reported a lack of equity in pay, while 40 percent said they lacked professional development and training opportunities.
As women continue to cut paths for themselves in the continuously evolving tech field, they are determined to make it easier for their peers to follow in their wake.
Engineering Manager Chhavi Gupta, who works at digital identity security company Imprivata, has tapped into employee resource groups like Imprivata’s Women in Technology and Society of Women Engineers to do just that.
These groups have empowered Gupta to ensure fellow women in tech have access to the communities and resources they need to build upon their skills and advance their careers.
Gupta shared how Imprivata supports her efforts and why giving back to her peers has been an enriching experience.
Imprivata’s SecureLink is a critical access management platform that provides security, privacy, data governance and compliance solutions across several industries.
What opportunities does your company provide you to mentor, coach and give back to fellow women in tech within your field?
Imprivata’s Women in Technology (iWIT) is an excellent forum for women at Imprivata to collaborate, socialize and for their professional development. It provides a platform to understand and learn from fellow women engineers and leaders to be either successful or perform better in current job profiles. It helps to seek some valuable advice and guidance.
ERGs like iWIT will empower and create a workplace that will set a true example of DEI philosophies with equity as the central focus.
Tell us about a particularly fulfilling instance of giving back to fellow women in tech. Why did it resonate with you?
As a fellow woman in tech, it feels great to empower women and provide a platform to collaborate. Being actively involved in programs and ERGs like iWIT and the Society of Women Engineers, I feel privileged to facilitate women in tech to share innovative ideas. The sessions provide insights to be more vigilant with tech trends and build connections with successful women tech leaders. It motivates women like me to hear their stories and learn from their experiences to be equally successful.
It resonates with me because I strongly support providing a platform for women in technology to present their work and impact on the business.
I feel privileged to facilitate women in tech to share innovative ideas.”
How does giving back to fellow women in tech benefit you professionally?
Collaboration is the key to success in any industry, and connections can help you succeed more efficiently. These giving-back sessions helped me build confidence and provided exposure to some of these fellow associates. It benefits everyone in the group to establish mutual trust and a feeling of belongingness. It helps to build connections with tech subject matter experts who are otherwise unreachable due to their busy schedules. The tech insights and mindset help other women associates bring value to their daily contributions and tasks.
