FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS

HOW FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS EMPOWER WOMEN IN THE TECH INDUSTRY: WOMEN FROM ALL FOR ONE CX SHARE THEIR STORIES

Recent research shows that an estimated 26-33% of employees in the tech industry are women.

To inspire more women to join technology companies, All for One Customer Experience is sharing the experiences of its female employees through a series of articles and a video series called "Meet the Women in Tech".

All For One CX wants to motivate and ensure that women in the technology industry have what they need to succeed in their professional and personal development.

Three All for One CX professionals discuss their experiences as "Women in Tech" and how the company's flexible working models help them to manage their life and work goals more successfully.

Perihan Medhat, SAP Cloud Developer Integration Lead at All for One CX Egypt

Perihan Medhat: SAP Cloud Developer Integration Lead @ All for One CX Egypt

Since joining the company in May 2023, Perihan Medhat has been jointly responsible for integrating SAP on-premise systems and SAP cloud products to build high-performance systems.

At All for One Egypt, the national subsidiary of the All for One Group in Egypt, the proportion of women in technical positions is already 60% and an impressive 76% of management positions. Perihan explains: "Egypt was quite patriarchal in the recent past, but there has been a huge cultural shift. It is more accepted that women should work after college instead of getting a degree and then staying at home."

"Tech jobs like programming can often be remote jobs and therefore offer flexible working hours. This makes working in the tech industry very attractive to many, whether it's for work-life balance or for people with health issues and disabilities."

Perihan believes that the Egyptian government plays a crucial role in empowering women to enter technology companies. For example, it fully funds a nine-month scholarship at the Information Technology Institute (ITI) to equip Egyptian university graduates with the most in-demand tech skills.

Although this scholarship is not exclusively for women, it is part of a successful strategy to encourage Egyptians to enter the technology sector.

PROMOTING FLEXIBILITY FOR WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY 

The ITI programme, Perihan observes, has been a gateway into the technology industry for many women. She notes that most of the women she works with come from this ITI programme. Many of them had not chosen technical degree programmes, but were attracted by the flexibility that the technology industry can offer.

Perihan adds: "For me, the flexibility is also a big advantage. It's about integrating your job into your life, not the other way round. Whether you're an early riser, a night owl, or when life throws challenges at you."

Michelle Dietrich, Senior CX Customer Care Managerin at All for One CX Austria

Michelle Dietrich, Senior CX Customer Care Managerin @ All For One CX Austria

In 2018, Michelle Dietrich started as an SAP Cloud Consultant. 

Michelle explains how she became a "woman in tech" after graduating with a degree in international management. "I had no technical knowledge or experience, so I didn't think about a career in the technology industry. Then I attended a lecture on innovation and was completely fascinated. It wasn't about coding, it was about the creativity and ideas behind technology." 

Michelle says: "I was sceptical at first because the tech industry seemed so intimidating. But then something clicked. I realised that the industry also needs business economists and not just programmers. At the same time, I found a Master's programme that aimed to bridge the gap between customers and the programmers who make the miracle happen, so it was perfect for someone like me. Incredibly, within two weeks I had found a great job at All for One and was enrolled on a Master's programme in Digital Innovation and Transformation. 

She adds: "The company was incredibly supportive. For example, I was able to reduce my working hours to accommodate my Master's programme. This flexibility was crucial for me to effectively manage both my academic and professional commitments." 

A year after completing her Master's degree, Michelle decided to follow her interest in psychology and began a two-and-a-half-year professional course in psychological counselling, which she will complete in June 2024. She was impressed that her employer was so supportive during her studies, even though the subject is not directly related to her current job.

SUPPORT FOR SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND WELL-BEING

Despite an understanding employer and part-time working hours, the challenges were great. She explains: "The intensity of juggling work and study put a lot of strain on me. I was pushing myself too hard to excel in both areas. When I asked for help for this reason, my boss was exceptionally understanding. He encouraged me to prioritise my health and made sure I could take the time I needed without compromising my role or responsibilities."

Michelle adds, "My boss asked me, 'What do you need to be successful? Don't think about what was or what's possible or if that position already exists, just tell me what you want and I'll do my best to make it happen.' He has created a new role with me that suits my skills, my ongoing education and my personal wellbeing. I am so grateful for this incredible support."

Jasmina Brahimi, Marketing Managerin at All for One CX Austria

Jasmina Brahimi, Marketing Managerin @ All For One CX Austria

Jasmina started her career in the technology industry in 2022 when she joined All for One CX as a Marketing Manager.

She says: "I spent 15 pretty stressful years in the hotel industry and then worked for an outdoor advertising business. Moving from marketing to consumers, B2C, to marketing to businesses, B2B, was challenging at first but also exciting. I like bringing some glitz and glamour to technology topics that might seem boring at first glance."

Jasmina switched to a four-day week. Her main reason for the change was to achieve a better work-life balance and spend more time with her parents.

She explains the impact of this decision on her life, both personally and professionally. "It's not just about reducing the hours. It's about enriching life - mine and my parents'. This new schedule allows me to accompany them to medical appointments, help them with chores and spend more time with my family.

"Weekends used to feel like fleeting moments to catch up with the family on what had happened during the week. Now I appreciate a whole extra day to relax and connect with them. Surprisingly, this has made me even more focused and efficient at work. The extra day off seems to boost my creativity and productivity for the rest of the week."

PRIORITISING WELL-BEING OVER PERFECTION

Jasmina continues: "When I look back at my early days, I was focussed on perfection and always pushed myself to the limit. But I learnt the hard way that such intensity is not feasible or healthy. It's crucial to put yourself first, to make sure you feel good so you can do your best at work and achieve your goals."

She thinks it's important for women to communicate their challenges and ask for what they need: "Don't hesitate to share your difficulties; it's a strength, not a weakness. Starting such conversations can be transformative and lead to support you didn't expect. It's about creating a dialogue, whether with peers or mentors, to navigate both technology and home more effectively."

She advises recognising and managing your emotions constructively: "Feelings of envy or ambition can be healthy if managed well. They can motivate us to improve and achieve our goals. The important thing is how we use these emotions to promote our growth and build supportive networks."

Jasmina appreciates the supportive culture at All for One CX. She emphasises the helpfulness, patience and understanding she receives from colleagues and superiors alike.

She believes that the combination of a caring culture and flexible working arrangements enables her and other 'women in technology' to do their jobs well and feel happy and fulfilled in their roles.

SHARING STORIES OF WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

The experiences of these "Women in Tech" at All for One CX demonstrate the loyalty and well-being of employees that can result from a supportive, flexible work culture. Their stories are testament to a forward-thinking company philosophy that recognises women as an integral part of innovation and success.

By sharing stories about the positive impact of flexible working on women in tech, we aim to encourage discussion and awareness among our partners, suppliers and customers.

All for One CX's WOMEN IN TECH initiative aims to empower women in their professional development within the All for One Group and its wider community of partners and customers. To learn more about the initiative, read the previous article "Breaking Barriers, Building Futures".