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Women make up around 25% of STEM and computing roles in North America. At SeisWare, it’s closer to 40%. This makes SeisWare a bit of an anomaly. We looked a little deeper to find out what makes SeisWare so successful.
To recognize International Women’s Day this year, we asked leading ladies at SeisWare, Simone Hambly, People and Culture Manager, and Krista Saunders, Chief Operating Officer, to share how SeisWare has created a diverse and inclusive work environment.
It comes down to a combination of things – culture, training, conscious HR practices and policies, and good old-fashioned fun!
Let’s talk about culture at SeisWare.
Krista describes SeisWare’s culture as one that is focused on growth, collaboration, and innovation. According to Simone, SeisWare has a culture of being curious, supporting professional growth, and creating professional and personal connections.
There is also a culture of trust. “Employees are trusted to do great things and we provide them the support they need along the way”, says Simone. “Each employee is empowered to initiate an activity, to share an idea, and to participate in a conversation.”
How have you created an inclusive workplace?
“We start by giving everyone the same tools to communicate effectively through Crucial Conversation and feedback training and then refreshing those skills continually”, Simone explains.
Krista agrees, “we focus a lot on communication here. In fact, I’d consider it a critical skill to work at SeisWare. Everyone on our team gets crucial conversation training, feedback training and we offer internal and external coaching opportunities. We’re really striving to foster a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing input and giving and receiving feedback.”
SeisWare also provides opportunities for its team members to connect and have fun. This is done formally through events put on by the Office Party Planning Committee or the Great Employer Committee (an employee-led group that keeps SeisWare on track) and informally through sports teams, book club, or weekly Dungeons & Dragons games.
Is there anything specific that SeisWare does to fight bias in its hiring process?
Studies show that applicants can be judged by their names and that this bias can affect hiring decisions. One practice we undertake to avoid unconscious bias in the hiring process is to remove the names of applicants for STEM roles, says Simone.
How does SeisWare encourage the retention of women?
“We’re straddling two industries, technology and energy, that haven’t always been inclusive for [women]”, explains Krista, “and in which we’re still way underrepresented. There are a few things we focus on to specifically encourage the retention of women.
- We have created a culture of flexibility, so we prioritize performance over set hours/office time.
- We’re providing professional development opportunities and constantly educating all our teams, including leadership to continue improving our communication and EQ skills,
- and most importantly, we’re reviewing our entire compensation structure to ensure pay equality.”
Flexibility is also important to build into the HR framework, explains Simone. “With emphasis on work life balance and generous vacation, flex and approved absence days, SeisWare provides opportunity to juggle those demands of life.”
Lastly, the importance of role models cannot be overlooked. Simone summarizes it nicely: “With women represented in every department and through to the C-suite, we have great role models!”
Resources:
- International Women’s Day
- Chic Geek
- Stem Women
- APEGA Whitepaper: Women in the Workplace
- The “Name Game”: Affective and Hiring Reactions to First Names
- What’s in a Name? – CBC
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