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Code, Culture and the Pursuit of Happiness by Kinsey Ann Durham Life’s good. People who never thought they could code are becoming developers. Outreach programs are getting people in, but we’re facing an even bigger problem. Getting them to stay there. 57% of women alone leave the tech industry. The root cause of people leaving, and not just people from underrepresented backgrounds, points to company culture. Let’s build company cultures the way we build products, applying scrum principles we use everyday. This talk dives into the reasons why people are leaving the industry in droves, and what unexpected, actionable steps we can take to solve this problem. Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/H1AZ/
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In her talk at RubyConf 2015, Kinsey Ann Durham addresses the significant issue of retention in the tech industry, particularly among women and underrepresented groups. Despite the efforts to bring more women into technology, statistics reveal that 56% leave the industry, with 97% claiming they won't return. Durham emphasizes the urgent need for improved company culture to address this 'leaky bucket' problem. The key points discussed include: - **Lack of Flexibility**: Many companies fail to offer equal maternity and paternity leave, negatively impacting work-life balance. Flexible work environments are crucial for employee satisfaction. - **Biased Evaluations**: Women often experience biased feedback during performance reviews, which can diminish their confidence and satisfaction in their roles. Terms like 'abrasive' or 'bossy' are disproportionately used in their evaluations. - **Isolation in Homogeneous Groups**: Many women feel out of place in tech, leading to loneliness and disengagement. Increased representation of women in technical roles can help combat this issue. - **Negative Workplace Culture**: A toxic culture results in high turnover rates and can stifle innovation. Positive environments foster open communication and perception of mistakes as learning opportunities. - **Need for Supportive Policies**: Companies should implement comprehensive parental leave and flexible scheduling to create a supportive atmosphere for all employees. Durham illustrates these points through personal anecdotes and broader observations from her research. She highlights her experience and the detrimental effect of being pushed away from technical roles into less satisfying positions. Conclusively, she advocates for a shift in company culture to prioritize diversity and employee engagement, emphasizing that the culture cultivated in a workplace can greatly influence whether individuals choose to remain in the tech industry. The overarching message encourages tech leaders to view culture as critically as product development, understanding that a positive work environment is key to retaining talent and driving innovation.
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