Cultivate Innovation
After years of industry flux, investing in employee retention is just good business. Companies work hard to nurture top talent so they can innovate, disrupt, and lead the industry. But when it comes to retention, companies should work smarter, not harder.
System Upgrade bridges the gap between what’s offered and what’s needed.
Half a decade later, our members have collectively pledged over $26 million to BLNA women in computing. As of 2021, the number of computing degrees awarded to BLNA women nearly doubled.
But the work isn’t done. Between 2018 and 2022, the representation of BLNA women in tech fell more than 10%. A key contributor? Retention issues.
Retaining talent can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Even amid uncertainty, effective policies are within reach for those who want to maintain a robust, thriving workforce. Read on to learn about the nine key policies your company should adopt so you don’t leave great talent on the table.
Catch up on the key findings here
There’s a new pipeline of technical talent ready to enter the workplace – and companies are leaving value on the table by failing to retain them.
Policies for Impact
In a challenging economy, businesses can’t afford to lose talent. System Upgrade: Rebooting Corporate Policies for Impact introduces nine cornerstone policies and practices that companies can implement today to retain BLNA women and their colleagues. Those policies are:
Have an accessible internal jobs board so people can understand opportunities across the organization.
Enable employees to flex their working hours (e.g., compressed workweeks, alternative work schedules, job-sharing).
Share salary ranges so people know what they can expect.
Provide all employees paid sick leave.
Provide actionable next steps for development and/or advancement right after a performance review.
Offer professional development programs to help employees expand their network and grow (e.g., career accelerators, job shadowing, rotation opportunities).
Assign mentors to support candidates when they are going through interviews to help clarify the process, answer questions, and prepare for interviews.
Give employees the option to work remotely, hybrid, or on-site.
Offer expanded mental health benefits (e.g. personal leave).
Don’t forget: without a meaningful, sustained organizational commitment, these policies are just words on paper. Dig into our tools and resources to learn more about how you can set and achieve data-driven retention goals in your workplace.
Key Learnings
Policies and practices that
companies should prioritize
Policies that boost talent retention aren’t just nice to have, they’re good business. Even in a difficult economy, effective retention policies are within reach and help create a more stable workplace.
System Upgrade focuses on the gap between the policies companies are implementing and the ones their technical talent really need. It synthesizes employee interviews and company surveys to create a holistic scan of the tech landscape. Based on over 2,000 employee interviews and input from 27 prominent tech companies, we’ve identified nine cornerstone policies and practices that companies should prioritize to retain a diverse workforce.
When done right, these corporate practices can build resiliency, accountability, and innovation—in your people, in your policies, and in your products.
These policies don’t only benefit BLNA women, who reported being over 75% more likely to say they would stay at their companies when all nine policies were implemented. In reality, all demographic groups are over 70% more likely to say they will stay in their roles when all nine policies are in place.
These corporate policies and
practices fall into 3 categories:
Take Action
Everyone has a role to play in creating a more inclusive and equitable tech sector for Black, Latina, and Native American women.
No single company or individual created gender and racial inequity in the industry, but as a collective, we have the unique power to change the current landscape. Join us!
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