As International Women’s Day rolls around for another year, we take the time to reflect on what the day means to us. The theme for 2025 is Accelerate Action. According to data from the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. This is approximately five generations from now.
Disconcertingly, we are not even looking at the future of our children, our children’s children or even their children. So, it is imperative that we look at how we can step up, see progress and gather momentum to collectively address the barriers and biases that women face, professionally and personally.
At the Clicks Group, our focus on DEI initiatives is not just something we declare, or market.
Our commitment to gender parity and diversity is inherent. We unreservedly believe in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive, and a culture where equality is interwoven into the fabric. We believe that in supporting diverse talent, we have created an empowering space that ensures a more dynamic, well-rounded approach to recruitment.
The Clicks Group recognises its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Our success, both culturally and commercially can be explicitly attributed to our diverse workforce.
- 66% of our workforce are women
- 57% of our leaders are women
Clicks Group CEO, Tamara Ryf, is a woman from a non-English speaking background. To Tamara, the notion of withholding an opportunity for someone based on gender or culture seems remiss.
“Since starting at the Clicks Group in 2007, and no doubt before, we have maintained a healthy gender ratio: more women than men, including our leadership groups. This is no mean feat in the heavily bro-coded IT recruitment, advisory and consulting sector.To me, it’s a no-brainer; if your people thrive, your business thrives.I have supported people undergoing difficulty with conception, becoming parents and subsequently, being exposed to a microbiome of varying bugs as their children journey through day care. I have awarded pay rises to women on parental leave and filled a Director role with a candidate who was eight months pregnant.I don’t consider these DEI-driven decisions. They are commercial decisions. I wouldn’t change the value my diverse team offers for anything; it’s something I’m most proud of.This week I met with someone who told me that their approach to hiring was simple; it was based on merit. The concept of gender was not a consideration, but rather their capability only. I disagreed with this paradigm. To accelerate action, you must make conscious decisions to hire women and, if necessary, make relevant adjustments to accommodate the hire. Or else, the needle won’t move. I hope me disagreeing gave them some food for thought.”
Chief Operations Officer, Sam Micich has been with the company for 13 years. During that time, Sam has seen progress, and been an active part in fortifying diversity strategies at the Clicks Group, as well as helping other organisations strengthen theirs through writing and workshops.
“The theme accelerate action couldn’t be clearer. Any organisation that doesn’t have a board-endorsed strategy to reap the commercial benefits of a diverse workforce is at a disadvantage. It’s never too late to start: why put off until tomorrow what you can do right now?”
Sophie Thomas, National Operations Manager, has seen even more change in her 19-year tenure.
“As the Group’s Operations Manager, it is my responsibility to collate our annual gender diversity statistics. Each year I study them with apprehension. Gender parity in the IT workforce is a slow-moving crusade.I am usually disheartened to see such little change in the percentage of female candidates (25%) for technology roles. However, this year I am elated to see the number of females in Executive Leadership has increased again. I am proud to work for a company with a female CEO and a gender equal leadership group that accelerates action towards change in the tech space.”
Implementing diversity and inclusion in a workplace is not a one-off event. Removing unconscious bias needs to be a conscious decision. It is a strategy that comprises training, policies, practices and initiatives as well as events and celebrations that promote ongoing learning, action and awareness. And, as the Clicks Group can attest, it is a strategy that brings fulfilment, substance and impact that underlies success.
