Women in tech call for daily, sustained workplace backing

Women leaders in technology and services businesses are using International Women's Day (IWD) to underscore the commercial and cultural value of sustained support for women at work, from mentoring and sponsorship to everyday leadership behaviours.

Executives from HP and small-business software provider Thryv describe how early buy-in from managers, visible backing in meetings, and deliberate inclusion during periods of change shape confidence, retention, and long-term careers.

The commentary aligns with this year's IWD theme, "Give to Gain", and focuses on practical conditions that shift outcomes, rather than one-off initiatives or symbolic gestures.

Early backing

Several HP leaders link their entry into technology to managers who hired for potential and supported technical learning on the job.

HP Customer Service Program / Project Manager Vita Meekel credits her first manager and technical trainer with opening a path into an industry she later discovered she "had fallen in love with", despite not starting with deep technical expertise.

"My first manager who hired me at HP, Anand Karuppathevan, and my technical trainer at the time, Jamie Fisher. Without the two of them, I wouldn't have entered into an industry that I've fallen in love with. You can absolutely learn the technical. It is difficult and scary, but you can learn it. Just having someone in your corner who believes in you will take you far," said Meekel.

HP Wholesale Account Manager Katrina Yon traces her move from selling designer watches to IT sales to a hiring manager who backed potential over experience, and to early technical colleagues who acted as a "sounding board" in customer meetings.

"In my IT career, funnily enough, it was my Dad and an old colleague of his. That colleague was hiring a Sales BDM at Acer. At the time, I was selling designer watches and knew almost nothing about technology. He had a reputation for spotting sales talent outside the industry and backing potential over experience. I was genuinely unsure. Tech wasn't my world, beyond being occasionally frustrated by it."

"But my Dad encouraged me to take the leap. My soon-to-be manager showed real belief in me. So I backed myself and said yes. From there, I was fortunate to have incredible support. The Technical Account Managers at Acer became my safety net and my sounding board. They attended meetings, helped me build my capabilities, and gave me the confidence to grow quickly. That experience shaped how I see my role to this day."

"I used to say, half jokingly, 'I'm the personality, not the technicality.' I don't need to know every detail of how something works-my strength is building trust, relationships and loyalty. What changed for me was belief. When someone invests in your potential early, it expands what you believe is possible for yourself," said Yon.

Thryv's Head of Australia and New Zealand, Elise Balsillie, also links early sponsorship to broader expectations of career trajectory.

"Early in my career, a few people believed in me before I fully believed in myself, and that changed the trajectory of what I thought was possible," said Balsillie.

"That kind of support builds confidence over time. When leaders invest in people intentionally, the return flows through teams, culture and performance in ways that are often bigger than expected," she said.

Daily culture

Beyond hiring and promotion decisions, leaders point to day-to-day cultural signals as a key measure of whether support is genuine.

Thryv New Zealand Marketing Manager Sally Knox highlights who is trusted, included early in discussions, and backed in meetings as cues that shape risk appetite and performance.

"Backing women at work is rarely about one big gesture. It is what a workplace feels like every day-whether people are trusted, included early, and supported consistently," said Knox.

"When people feel expendable, they play it safe. When they feel supported, confidence compounds, they think bigger, and teams grow faster. That is where retention and scale come together," she said.

Meekel describes networking and visibility as an ongoing part of that culture. An early lesson on crafting an "elevator pitch", she says, still shapes how she introduces herself and the impressions she leaves with customers.

"The first ever networking event I went to was a masterclass in crafting an elevator pitch. The further into my career I get, the more that elevator pitch becomes important. Those 30 seconds when you introduce yourself will have lasting effects," she said.

She adds that seemingly minor service interactions can leave a lasting mark on customers and reinforce a sense of belonging in technical roles.

"I went to do a repair at a customer site and someone walked past me at the desk and said, 'I remember you! You fixed my notebook last year.' And he turned to his colleague and said, 'She's awesome-you're in good hands.' Such an everyday interaction I had with a customer that I'd forgotten about had created a lasting impression for them," said Meekel.

Leadership and change

Thryv's Chief Legal Officer and HR, Lesley Bolger, focuses on leadership behaviour during organisational change, linking clarity and composure to how teams experience uncertainty.

"Teams read a leader's nervous system. If leaders panic or communicate unclear expectations, that spreads quickly," said Bolger.

"Strong leadership through change starts with honesty, clarity and inclusion: acknowledge that change is hard, communicate clearly, celebrate wins, and support everyone in the room-not only the loudest voices," she said.

For women building authority, Bolger says authenticity is central.

"You are in the room for a reason. You do not need to adjust who you are to justify your seat at the table," she said.

"The job is to bring your expertise, your perspective and your voice, and to help create a culture where difference is recognised as strength," Bolger said.

Confidence and voice

Several leaders frame confidence not as a fixed trait but as an outcome of the environment, opportunity, and reinforcement.

HP Workstation Category Manager Alba Ponce Duran recalls a mentor who emphasised the value of confidence alongside technical depth when building presence.

"A mentor once told me, 'Confidence can be more powerful than being the most technically prepared person in the room.' She encouraged me to believe in my judgment and stand firmly behind my decisions. That advice shaped me deeply. Over time, I understood that expertise is essential, but self-belief is what allows you to truly lead," said Ponce Duran.

She credits her early acceleration to a manager who entrusted her with strategic projects just beyond her comfort zone.

"Early on, a manager trusted me with strategic projects that were slightly beyond my comfort zone. He gave me visibility, responsibility and, most importantly, trust. That investment accelerated my growth and helped me build resilience. It showed me how transformative it can be when someone believes in your potential before you fully see it yourself," she said.

Her advice for women in IT focuses on presence and participation, rather than waiting for complete readiness.

"Especially to women in IT, I always say: own your space. This industry needs diverse perspectives, strong voices, and different leadership styles. Don't wait until you feel 100% ready to step forward, speak up, and trust the value you bring. Confidence and authenticity are strengths, not risks," said Ponce Duran.

HP Sales Manager, Commercial Channel, Jordana Desmyth says mentoring from women who had "earned their place" reinforced the message to back herself, even before full confidence is in place.

"I've had a few mentors throughout my career-more short-term than long-term, and all women. That was intentional, as I truly admire strong women and those that have earned their place. I find their stories inspiring. While I can't remember exactly what was said, what resonated from each was to always back yourself," said Desmyth.

Her own guidance combines ethics and discomfort as key elements of growth.

"Always do what's right. If it doesn't look right, smell right, or feel right, then it likely isn't. Don't be afraid to question and speak up. My team know I will always back them to do the right thing.

"The other piece of advice I often give is that growth can only come from getting outside your comfort zone. The hardest and most challenging parts of my career, where I felt truly uncomfortable, have led me to the person I am today," she said.

External perspectives

Several women reference mentors and networks outside their employer as a counterweight to internal assumptions.

Meekel says external mentoring can challenge the "systemic" thinking that can develop after several years in one company.

"I think it's important to have an external mentor. Having been at HP for a few years now, it's easy to fall into a systemic way of thinking. Getting an outside perspective helps you take stock of your career, your environment and alternative ways of approaching a problem," she said.

Yon also stresses the importance of understanding how others experience leaders, rather than relying on intent alone.

"Early in my leadership journey, I worked with a coach who gave me a piece of advice that genuinely reshaped how I lead. We were exploring my intentions as a leader-the impact I wanted to create and how I believed I was showing up. I felt clear in my communication and confident in my direction, yet something wasn't landing the way I expected."

"He said to me: 'You are the only person in the world who doesn't get to experience you.' That line changed everything. It made me realise leadership isn't defined by how clear my intentions are, but by how others experience me-my tone, pace, expectations and energy."

"From that point, I shifted my focus. Instead of concentrating first on the story I wanted to tell, I invested more time understanding what motivates the people around me and how they prefer to engage. It moved me from projecting intent to creating connection, and it has shaped how I engage with people at work and beyond it," said Yon.

Work across borders can also change assumptions. Ponce Duran cites relocation as a catalyst for broader thinking about collaboration.

"Moving to Australia significantly broadened my perspective. It wasn't about one individual, but about working alongside people from many different cultures, backgrounds and ways of thinking. Being part of such a diverse environment taught me the importance of adaptability-how to navigate different communication styles, expectations and approaches to problem-solving," she said.

"It showed me that success isn't about applying one single way of working, but about being able to adjust, listen deeply, and operate effectively across different environments," Ponce Duran said.

Belonging in tech

Across both organisations, leaders describe moments when they recognised they belonged in the technology sector.

For Meekel, curiosity about how hardware and software work-and an ever-growing list of courses and side projects-signalled she had found the right industry.

"When I was at a customer site and they pulled out an old PC with an old video game on it, I was so excited to hold it in my hands and see how it worked. Having an endless list of courses that I want to learn about and personal projects I want to do is a clear indication. You speak to anyone in IT or tech and ask them what they're currently learning about-there's always something," she said.

Desmyth points to the shift from being valued only for execution to having her judgment sought and trusted, including on leadership decisions.

"It was when my judgment was trusted-not just my execution. Being asked for my view, backed to make decisions, and trusted to lead others made it clear that I wasn't just part of the industry-I had earned my place in it and was contributing in a meaningful way," said Desmyth.

For Ponce Duran, belonging became clear when her network expanded beyond a single employer into broader industry relationships.

"There's a moment when you realise your network extends beyond your company-partners, customers, people across the broader tech ecosystem-and some of those professional connections turn into meaningful relationships. That's when I felt I truly belonged. I understood that this industry is not only about technology, but about people, collaboration, and the positive impact we create together," she said.

Yon measures belonging by relationships that continue across roles, life stages and employment shifts, including a move into her own business.

"If I'm honest, I still sometimes wonder how I landed in IT, and yet, 20 years on, I'm still here and still genuinely love it. For me, it's always come back to the people."

"I've built my career alongside building a family. I've stepped in and out at different stages of life, and each time I returned, I felt welcomed back by colleagues and customers as though I'd never left. That kind of continuity stays with you."

"When I stepped away from a long-term corporate role to start my own business, I relied on my network more than ever. The encouragement, referrals and quiet support reminded me that this industry isn't just transactional-it's relational. Over the years, I've evolved, learned, stretched and matured, but the connections have remained."

"The support, the friendships, the genuine interest in each other's success-it's humbling and energising at the same time. That's when I realised I belonged: not because of a title or tenure, but because of the relationships that endure," said Yon.

Global lens

Thryv leaders outside ANZ describe common patterns in confidence and access, even in different markets.

Ana Garcia, Senior Manager Finance in the Dominican Republic, says technology has reduced some barriers by expanding access to training and mentoring.

"One of the first and most powerful barriers many women face is questioning whether they belong in the room," said Garcia.

"That changes when support, encouragement and access to learning come together. Technology has become a bridge, opening doors to training, mentoring and development that were once much harder to access," she said.

"Progress is strengthened when organisations create environments where women can build confidence with support, not in isolation," Garcia said.

Thryv has outlined internal guidance for organisations that want to apply the IWD "Give to Gain" theme in practical terms. The areas include making support visible in daily decisions and opportunity allocation, treating backing women as a business driver, leading through change with clarity and inclusion, building executive presence through clarity rather than conformity, and addressing confidence barriers early through mentoring and access to learning."

Bolger says the underlying expectation is that support is mutual and continuous rather than time-limited.

"It is our responsibility to keep moving forward in this, supporting each other, regardless of title, pay, level in the company, outside the company, parent, child-it does not matter. We can always support each other, and with the give comes the gain," she said.