Mia Odendaal, Marketing Manager, Ecentric Payment Systems

Diversity is good for business. A diverse team will have a more varied skill set, with wider resources to develop, describe, communicate and sell their solutions to customers,” she adds.

Teams that are varied in gender, race and age perform better, and the diversity also accelerates innovation within the company. It encourages different attitudes to problem-solving, and more varied lines of thinking. This results in the design of more balanced products. It also enables the development and growth of technology products that appeal to women.

There are many career opportunities within the IT industry, but the well recognised shortage of skills is a long-term challenge. By encouraging women to consider a career in IT, organisations are growing the available talent pool, while contributing to a more skilled and powerful workforce.

“There’s still an unconscious bias in society that men are more suited to a career in technology. Parents might encourage their sons to go into IT, while guiding their daughters into a different industry. This attitude can instil a lack of confidence in female employees, who might doubt their IT abilities and talents, or else worry that they will experience discrimination in the workplace. This needs to change,” Odendaal emphasises.

Since its inception in 1998, Ecentric has seen the exceptional value that their female employees have added to the workplace. This proudly South African organisation, which provides fast and secure payment processing solutions to businesses and financial institutions across 17 countries in Africa, is actively seeking to employ higher numbers of women. “We pride ourselves on our culture of excellence and innovation, and recognise the value that women add in this regard. We strive to create an environment where every team member, especially our female employees, feels nurtured, valued, and recognised,” Odendaal says.

She adds that it’s extremely important to cater to the needs of female staff and to understand that they shoulder more of the family responsibilities outside of work.

“Women often have bigger challenges with work-life balance, and huge pressure to perform in their different roles. They need a working environment where they have the flexibility to manage this, and to accelerate in their career, without discrimination.”

Using her own career path as an illustration, Odendaal says: “I’ve been with Ecentric for nearly seven years, in the marketing space, starting out as a marketing associate. The tech industry was new to me when I joined, but I’ve found that it’s an extremely creative space. It’s exciting, and ever-changing, with never a dull moment as technology evolves.”

Ecentric strives to go beyond being just an employer, and to be a long-term career growth partner in South Africa’s payments industry. “Our diverse teams of employees are encouraged to unleash their potential, embrace innovation, and shape the future of the payments industry,” Odendaal says.

So, how can other organisations benefit from the incredible value offered by women in the tech industry? “Role models are key,” Odendaal says. “The tech industry currently has some amazing female role models, and we need more of them. Women entering the tech industry need to see strong female leaders in action, and, more importantly, to have those leaders mentor them. They need to be given opportunities to grow in their career, and to feel seen and recognised, valued and supported along the way.”