Inspiring the next generation of women in tech
It will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum. That’s approximately five generations from now. In the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) space, women account for 28.2% of the workforce, though they are representative of close to half (42%) of the global workforce.
If we are to cultivate more united work environments, we can’t be complacent. We need to push further for equality, and it’s up to all of us to make this happen.
That’s why this year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Accelerate Action’—to increase momentum and collaboration that address the barriers women face.
Why it matters to ServiceNow
At ServiceNow, we’ve been taking action to inspire the next generation of women in tech across Europe in partnership with Plan International. This is one of many steps needed to create fairness, accountability, and transparency to deliver meaningful change—the driving goal behind our wider commitment to global culture and belonging.
We hosted a series of takeover days with young female talent—providing an opportunity for them to see what it’s like to be a senior leader in the sector. To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, here’s a few of my favourite highlights from our recent programmes across Europe.
Impact for good in France
We invited 24-year-old Lilia T. to spend a day at ServiceNow’s Paris office and experience what it’s like to be a woman working in the technology sector.
With aspirations to become a civil rights lawyer, Lilia got the chance to speak with female executives on the topic at ServiceNow. Her goal for the day was to get a better understanding of how to navigate the business world as a female leader and connect with role models and mentors.
In this video, Lilia reflects on how it’s not enough for people and companies to just talk about being passionate about equality—they must actually be passionate.
‘Lilia asked insightful questions about being a female leader and engaged actively in conversations around tech for good. I found her tenacity and drive inspiring,’ said Cathy Mauzaize, president of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for ServiceNow. ‘It made me realise I need to shift how I approach my work, so that everything I do is through the lens of ‘impact for good.’’
Switzerland’s ‘girls’ takeover’
At our office in Lausanne, Switzerland, we gave aspiring female leader Rachel R. age 18, the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a ServiceNow executive. Hosted by Dino Minichiello, country leader of Switzerland, and Antje Riege, solution consulting director, Rachel tried her hand at coding and experienced the benefits of AI.
Rachel was surprised by the openness she found—from leaders to new hires—towards equality and belonging.
We actively encourage this as part of our commitment to global culture, so it was great to see this resonate so strongly with Rachel. She was excited to see a company like ServiceNow actively striving to increase access to opportunity for all.
We learned a lot from Rachel and her perspectives, especially the importance of motivating young people early on. Highlighting the opportunities available can help make them both visible to junior talent and attainable.
Inspiring the UK’s future tech leaders
In our Staines office in the UK, 19-year-old Lauren L. shadowed Jayney Howson, senior vice president of global learning and development, for a day.
Through that experience, Jayney gained incredible insight into what’s needed to equip young females for leadership roles. And it reminded her that encouraging girls to shine in the tech industry requires consistent effort to make real impact.
We’re excited to see where our partnership with Plan International takes us next as we continue to inspire women in tech.
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