The proportion of women in the workforce has dramatically increased over the last 100 years. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we break down the stigma of women in business and tech. I have had my fair share of experiences as a woman in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics),tech and business, and I believe there is an urgent call to action to encourage more women to enter these industries.

Alarming research from the STEM Equity Monitor Data report 2024 states that women represent only 15% of STEM roles in Australia. The Monitor Data report highlights the ongoing need to improve equity in STEM education and careers.

It’s easy to see that women have come a long way in the past century, and because of that, there is a misconception that gender equality is here. The reality is: it’s not, and we need to continue talking about how the system can be improved, and how to examine our unconscious bias to progress forward.

When there are more diverse perspectives in the workplace, you can create new solutions that you never would have thought of. I work for Australia's largest alternative healthtech business, Montu - and we provide a diverse workplace. Montu provides a diverse workplace where the gender dynamics are more balanced—with 57% of women reflecting its team of 900 remote-based employees— where diverse representation exists, driving engagement and improving the way we work. Alternatively, in my previous role, when I worked in blockchain, I was one woman amongst 30 men. I had to adapt to this environment and prove that breaking down barriers was not my only achievement.

My journey into STEM  has been one that may inspire women who want to be in tech, but feel something is stopping them. Before entering tech, I spent 10 years as an English teacher. My interest and passion changed, so I taught myself how to code and learned everything I could to build my tech knowledge.  I found mentors to teach me the hard stuff, like with blockchain, and I want women—really everyone—to know that whatever you believe is stopping you from reaching, try anyway.

When I started, I never thought I would still be working in tech. Four years later, here I am, a woman in tech and a Software Engineer at Montu, which was recently named LinkedIn Australia’s Top Startup for 2024. Today, I get to build and collaborate with my remote-based team to optimise the telehealth platform for our alternative healthcare clinic, Alternaleaf, and help to drive better outcomes for our patients and their experiences with online healthcare.

The presence of women in the business world is not only beneficial, but  necessary for endless reasons. Women bring unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to the workplace, which can help businesses succeed in today's competitive and rapidly changing environment.

According to statistics from The Workplace Gender Equality, women make up just 22 per cent of CEOs, 37 per cent of key leadership and 42 per cent of managers in Australia. These statistics are a reflection of what is called 'seniority drop-off', where the proportion of women decreases as the level of management increases. Over the next few years, I want to be seeing an increase in these numbers.

I am a proud advocate, championing women in business for three main reasons:.

Different leadership styles:

Women tend to have unique leadership styles. There is something different about many women’s performance and management style, they tend to be more democratic, collaborative, and have a greater sense of corporate and social responsibility. Data from the WGEA and Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre in 2023, states that having a female CEO leads to a 5% increase in their market value; on average, this is worth the equivalent of AUD$79.6 million. Therefore, increasing the number of women in leadership positions increases an organisation’s likelihood of outperforming in their sector on three or more key profitability and performance metrics.

Additionally, team collaboration is greatly improved by the presence of women in the group as it provides a different perspective that may drive more impactful and inclusive outcomes.

Strategic approach to problem solving:

Women in business are strategic and skilled at problem solving, women, just like men, are able to handle complex and ambiguous problems that arise. In the world of software development, we are constantly presented with issues to solve. Most female founders are solving problems that no one else is paying attention to.

Women excel at the soft skills needed in business:

While technical skills and knowledge are fundamental for career success, soft skills are repeatedly cited as the most desirable professional attributes. According to LinkedIn’s data, published in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report, with the rise of AI and tech in business, soft skills are in demand. Women were found to have 28 percent higher share of soft skills in comparison to men. These included, team leadership, strategic leadership and collaboration.

Although characteristics like effective communication, empathy, and self-awareness are difficult to measure, they are highly valued and can make a real difference to the bottom line. I have seen in my own experience, soft skills and emotional intelligence may prove a key competitive advantage for women in business.

Ultimately, there needs to be a shift in how we consider and treat women in business roles. From organisations and executive boards, right down to individuals we need to be willing and accountable to enact change.

As a woman, put your hand up for everything. That’s how I got here today. I’m still early in my career, I hope to gain more recognition and want to inspire other women. 

Jo Rocca is a Software Engineer at Montu, Australia's largest healthtech business with a focus on alternative healthcare. In her role, Jo is responsible for building and optimising data platforms for its telehealth clinic, Alternaleaf, to improve developer tooling and safeguarding security measures.

With four years experience working in technology, Jo joined Montu in July 2024 to deepen her industry experience. Previously, Jo has 9 years of experience as a teacher working in Australia, China, Spain and the United States. Jo kicked off her career in technology working at ByteDance, where she was making English pronunciation videos—this is when she decided to learn how to code and change careers.

Jo is a member of Blockchain Australia, Women in Technology, and Women in Digital. She graduated with a Master’s degree in International Relations at The University of Queensland and continued her study with a Master of Business Administration (MBA, Business Administration and Management) at the General at Quantic School of Business and Technology. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-rocca/