When and how did you decide to join the technology field (as a career)?
I started off as a Technical Specialist for the Singapore Sales team and although I did not have the typical Marketing background required for my current position, I was keen to apply my strong technical background to learn other aspects of the business and take on bigger challenges. I approached the hiring manager who had created this new Marketing role, and shared with him my career goals, enquiring about the possibility of moving into this role. Through this demonstration of my commitment to learn, I was given this opportunity.
Did you ever feel discriminated against in your work place because of your sex?
Hewlett-Packard is an equal opportunity employer and I have not been discriminated in any way and diversity is a key driver of our success. I owe a great deal of my success to my informal mentor who was both my former manager and now my current manager. He demonstrated a deep concern for me. There was a point in my career when I did not exercise any work-life balance and it was causing problems for my family. At that time I was working on my MBA and had been offered a promotional opportunity which I declined because I felt it would create more stress in my life. My manager listened to my problems, and said “What can I do for you?” He helped me understand and sort through what was going on. After that I was able to travel less and devote more time to my family. I even managed to clinch the promotion as well.
How do you balance your work and family responsibilities? Do you think you have to sacrifice the one for the sake of the other?
I feel that the women of today have successfully broken out of traditional gender stereotypes to take on multiple roles – from the busy successful professional at work to the girlfriend, wife, and mother at home. There is certainly no need to sacrifice one for the other.
However, there is a critical need to ensure that in taking on this load, women make time to maintain a balance lifestyle, to have a bit of “ME” time. According to a recent HP-commissioned research study, 10 minutes a day spent on taking a ‘digital time-out’ – a short, personal Internet escape – such as swapping photos with friends and family, surfing favourite Web sites, or any other similar online diversion, can help reduce stress, boost brainpower and increase productivity for women.
I personally believe that having family and friends and having that work-life balance makes you a better performer. I have seen people who are totally devoted to work and I think they can often have a narrow view of problems and solutions because they lack the ability to see the big picture. Put your family first and ensure work-life balance.
In the West, the proportion of women in IT is declining. Do you think the situation in Asia is better in this regard?
Asia is a high potential market and we see an increasing number of women in the technology industry. As education opportunities increase, women are better equipped to follow their interests and many regard the technology industry as a growth market that they want to get into.
Does gender diversity bring a competitive edge to IT companies?
At HP, we believe that diversity and inclusion are key drivers of creativity, innovation and invention. Globally, we are putting our differences to work to connect everyone to the power of technology in the marketplace, workplace and community. Creating a diverse, inclusive environment has been an ongoing journey of continuous action for many years.
What is the impact on team dynamics, working hours, customer satisfaction, cost of facilities and attrition?
There is without a doubt that women are playing an increasingly important role in driving the economy forward and women entrepreneurs and professionals in Singapore have taken big strides in recent years, as evidenced by the establishment of many women-only professional organisations.
Women possess many unique strengths which she often leverage to achieve her goals and these attributes can benefit the company, such as her female instinct and her knack for approaching problems with a different perspective. And I believe that the most significant strength women have is our ability to successfully juggle the demands of our different roles – which makes us experts at multi-tasking.
Is there a need for special policies to retain women?
Each of us has different needs. As a company, we are committed to developing work/life skills, providing tools, resources and a supportive environment for all our employees. At HP, employees work with their managers to make choices that assist them in navigating their work and personal life challenges while meeting the business needs of the organization. This kind of reciprocal partnership with employees and a flexible work environment has been a hallmark of HP's business success.
Despite a large number of talented and successful women in the field, why is it that society tends to associate only men with technology?
My views are that the widely-held image of women in IT, or the perception that IT is not a field for women, is a gender stereotype that is increasingly being overcome. In recent years, we have had an increasing number of women who have taken on senior roles in technology companies and I believe that trend will continue.
HP, for example, is a company that believes that diversity and inclusion are key drivers of creativity, innovation and invention. We provide an environment where everyone has an opportunity to fully participate in creating business success and where each person is valued for his or her distinctive skills, experiences and perspectives.
Does lack of networking, compared to the opportunities that men have, also play an enormous role in rendering women in IT invisible?
There are many platforms for women to network. There are currently about 16 such organisations in Singapore that have been set up specifically to serve the needs of business and professional women. Of these, more than half have reported significant increases in membership. The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry for example, often organizes IT-related seminars and networking sessions for women.
