Once again we are here to talk about Women in Tech for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. This time around we’ve got Varsha Amin, our Marketing Manager, who will be sharing her experience of the different challenges women face in the tech industry, as well as the wider workplace.
Gamma supports working parents
As a woman who had recently taken time off for maternity leave, I was eager to find ways to re-enter the corporate world. While I had deeply enjoyed and cherished the time I spent bonding with my baby, I was more than ready to get back to using the skills and knowledge I’d spent years developing in a professional setting. I wanted to make sure, however, that I could find something flexible – having a one-year-old child made this essential. I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about finding the right opportunities. I had a number of things to consider: I wanted flexibility and still have time to work, but I absolutely didn’t want to settle for a job that wouldn’t challenge me or allow me to grow in my career.
I was approached by Gamma who offered me my current role as a hybrid working position and allowed me to join on a part-time basis. My managers are extremely supportive and flexible, for example when my child is sick – I make up my time to ensure productive and delivery isn’t effected. I am aware of the huge benefits – more employers should approach things in this way. Working relationships go both ways – if your employer supports you the employee is far more likely to show loyalty to their workplace. It also creates a sense of well-being and good feeling towards your employer – which leads to better work, productivity and a better vibe at work all around.
While I’ve written about this from the perspective of a woman, I’m now a huge advocate of working parents in general – both fathers and mothers. I try to be a voice for parents that are continuously juggling work and life with their little humans – this is something I do via LinkedIn. Many parents struggle with mental health and guilt when having to leave their children in day care, so I always reach out where I can to offer support or listen. While this issue does disproportionally affect women, I haven’t ignored the fact that it is an issue that touches upon men’s lives too. I firmly believe that helping women helps men, and vice versa. While I speak from my own perspective as a woman and believe that we should focus on fixing the problem, I firmly believe that any solutions will have a positive impact on all parents.
There are a lot of parents in the marketing team, which means there is a level of acceptance and empathy that I’ve not seen in any other organisations – this is reflected in Gamma’s culture, where there is an open and understanding atmosphere – a place where dialogue can take place, with a view to finding the best way to do things. It’s an excellent example of flexible and agile working – within the context of human beings and considering their needs. My team are an excellent support network and have been a pleasure to work with – I know I can count on them if there are emergencies. Everyone listens, everyone supports, and everyone looks out for each other.
Gamma is a huge supporter of making sure I can excel in my career and at home. It’s a wonderful thing to work for a company that exemplifies the culture we need to see out there in the wider working world – there’s a lot to be learned from the Gamma approach. This is something I’m keen to promote among anyone willing to listen. They say change starts at home – I’d like to add to this by saying change also starts where you work.
