From Hiring to Belonging: How to Support Women in Tech Long Term

Attracting women into technology roles is only the starting point. The real challenge, and opportunity, lies in supporting women to stay, grow and lead over the long term.

For employers, this is not simply a diversity objective. It is a retention, performance and leadership issue. Organisations that treat inclusion as a one-off hiring initiative often struggle with attrition and stalled progression. Those that design an end-to-end experience, from inclusive hiring through to culture, progression and accountability, are far more likely to build engaged, high-performing teams.

At ARC, we work closely with technology leaders and candidates across the UK and beyond. What we consistently see is that sustainable progress comes when businesses focus not just on representation, but on belonging.

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Why long-term support for women in tech matters

Women remain under-represented across the UK tech sector, particularly at senior levels. While progress has been made at entry and mid-career stages, representation drops sharply at leadership level. At the same time, a significant proportion of women working in technology roles say they are actively considering leaving the industry.

This creates a double challenge. Organisations invest time and money attracting female talent, only to lose it later due to cultural, structural or progression barriers. The result is higher attrition, skills gaps and weakened leadership pipelines.

Long-term support is therefore a commercial imperative. Retaining experienced women improves continuity, reduces hiring costs and strengthens decision-making. Just as importantly, it signals to current and future employees that tech careers are sustainable and inclusive over the long haul.

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Make hiring genuinely inclusive from the start

Inclusive hiring sets the tone for everything that follows. The recruitment process is often a candidate’s first real exposure to an organisation’s culture, and early signals around fairness and belonging matter.

Practical steps include reviewing job advertisements to remove biased or exclusionary language and focusing on skills and outcomes rather than narrow career paths. Roles that over-specify requirements or privilege traditional backgrounds are less likely to attract women and other under-represented groups.

Structured interviews and clear evaluation criteria also play a critical role. When candidates are assessed against consistent, role-relevant measures, there is far less room for stereotype or affinity bias. Diverse interview panels, alongside elements of blind or semi-blind screening where appropriate, further support fair decision-making.

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Build a culture of inclusion and respect

While hiring matters, culture is the single biggest factor in whether women stay in tech roles.

Everyday experiences shape whether people feel psychologically safe, respected and valued. This means going beyond statements of intent to address behaviours directly. Ongoing education around bias, inclusive leadership and respectful collaboration is essential, but it must be reinforced by clear standards and visible consequences where behaviour falls short.

Employee resource groups and internal women-in-tech communities can play a powerful role when they are properly supported. When given executive sponsorship, budget and genuine influence, these groups help surface issues early and contribute to meaningful policy change.

Normalising flexible working is another key factor. Flexibility should not be framed as a concession for women, but as a standard way of working for everyone. When flexible and hybrid arrangements are widely used and supported by managers, the perceived career penalty disappears and retention improves across the board.

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Fix pay, promotion and progression

Lack of transparency around pay and progression remains one of the most significant drivers of attrition for women in tech.

Organisations that make progress here typically start with robust data. Regular gender pay analysis, shared clearly within the business, helps highlight where gaps exist and where they widen with seniority. What matters most is not simply reporting the data, but committing to concrete actions to close those gaps.

Clear promotion pathways are equally important. Standardised criteria, regular promotion cycles and balanced decision-making panels help reduce the impact of informal sponsorship and “who shouts loudest” cultures. When expectations are visible and decisions are evidence-based, progression becomes more predictable and fair.

Access to opportunity also needs scrutiny. Stretch assignments, high-profile projects and leadership programmes are often the real drivers of advancement. Ensuring women are proportionately represented in these opportunities is critical to building sustainable leadership pipelines.

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Invest in skills, mentoring and sponsorship

Belonging is closely tied to growth. Women are far more likely to remain in tech roles when they can see a future and feel supported in reaching it.

Continuous investment in technical skills sends a clear signal that women’s careers are valued long term. This can include internal learning academies, funded external certifications, and opportunities to work with new technologies and domains.

Structured mentoring schemes also have a proven impact. Pairing women with experienced colleagues, particularly senior technical or leadership role models, supports confidence, skills development and career navigation.

However, mentoring alone is not enough. The organisations that see the greatest impact also invest in sponsorship. Sponsors actively advocate for high-potential women, pushing for their inclusion in key projects, promotion discussions and visibility opportunities. This active support is often what bridges the gap between capability and progression.

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Design for life events and flexibility

Women’s careers in tech are particularly influenced by how organisations handle life events. Poorly supported transitions remain one of the biggest attrition points.

Enhanced parental leave for all parents, alongside structured return-to-work programmes, makes a meaningful difference. Re-onboarding, skills refreshers and phased returns help people regain confidence and momentum after time away.

Flexibility also needs to work in practice, not just on paper. Managers must be equipped to manage by outcomes rather than presenteeism, and flexible arrangements should be discussed openly and positively.

Health-related policies, including support around fertility, menopause and caring responsibilities, further reinforce that women’s full lives are recognised rather than treated as exceptions.

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Measure, listen and hold leaders accountable

Supporting women in tech long term is not a one-off initiative or an awareness campaign. It is an ongoing practice that requires attention, data and accountability.

Leading organisations track gender data across the full employee lifecycle, from attraction and hiring through to promotion, pay, engagement and attrition. Regular review at leadership level ensures issues are addressed early rather than reactionarily.

Listening is equally important. Surveys, focus groups and exit interviews provide valuable insight, but only when feedback leads to visible action. Closing the loop builds trust and signals genuine commitment.

Crucially, leaders must be accountable. Inclusion and retention goals should be embedded into objectives, performance reviews and reward frameworks, making long-term support a shared responsibility rather than an HR initiative.

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From representation to real belonging

Supporting women in tech requires a shift in mindset. Hiring more women is not enough if the environment they enter does not allow them to thrive.

Organisations that succeed treat inclusion as a continuous lifecycle, combining inclusive hiring with supportive culture, fair progression and strong leadership accountability. The result is not only higher retention, but stronger teams and more resilient businesses.

At ARC, we partner with organisations that want to build this kind of sustainable approach to tech talent. From advising on inclusive hiring practices to supporting long-term workforce planning, we see first-hand that belonging is built through action, not intention.

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How ARC can support you

Whether you are hiring, retaining or reshaping your tech organisation, ARC can help.

Inclusive tech hiring
We support organisations to attract and appoint diverse technology talent through inclusive role design, structured assessment and access to wider candidate networks.

Retention-focused recruitment partnerships
Our approach goes beyond filling roles. We work consultatively with hiring managers to align hiring decisions with long-term team structure, culture and progression.

Market insight and salary benchmarking
We provide insight on pay, progression and talent trends to help you make informed, competitive and equitable decisions.

Leadership and specialist search
Through ARCselect, we support senior and leadership hires where diversity, long-term impact and cultural alignment are critical.

If you would like to discuss how your hiring and talent strategy could better support women in tech long term, we would welcome a conversation.