Boab IT Exploring Gender Diversity in Australian Tech

With over 25 years of experience in the Australian tech industry, Sue Hood, CEO of Boab IT, knows what navigating a male-dominated industry is like. But according to her, the early days were different.

“One of my first jobs was in a software development company dominated by strong female leaders. That experience helped shape my leadership style. Since then, I have carried the same energy and passion with each company I have worked for.” 

As a woman in tech, Sue’s experience inspires others who want to enter the field. But gender diversity challenges may stand in the way.

Studies show that the overall representation of women in large tech firms is at 33 per cent. A positive sign, but it tells only part of the story. The same study revealed that women in tech became less satisfied with many aspects of their lives and work during the pandemic, leading to a 25% reduction in work productivity and a 32% reduction in work motivation. 

Fortunately, companies like Boab IT are taking the initiative to champion strong women in tech. This is evident in the arrival of the newest recruit, Jess Barton. 

As a Technical Support Specialist, Jess is an integral part of the tech support team, troubleshooting advanced client issues and spending time on-site for installations and training.

Despite only joining the company in March 2023, Jess has earned praise from clients for her efficient communication skills – particularly her ability to break down complex technical concepts into simple terms – and her fast response to critical, time-sensitive issues. 

According to Sue, Jess is a tremendous asset to Boab IT and has helped strengthen its reputation for providing excellent technical support. 

“Jess is amazing – she has strong technical expertise and great communication skills.  She craves knowledge and successfully passed the first Microsoft exam that we provide for all our technical team.  She is an invaluable asset, and I’d happily clone her”.

Even before the pandemic, Boab IT has strongly advocated for remote work, utilising mobile desktop devices and cloud computing to achieve this. 

Boab was (and still is) providing clients with Mini PCs and Laptops, so when the world went into lockdown in 2020, clients under a Managed Devices Plan could easily move these small devices into their homes and stay productive.

That also worked for the Boab IT team and remained a remote workforce. 

“Having a remote workforce allows me to hire the best talent from anywhere in the world.  And we stay connected with daily MS Teams meetings.  We take time to have fun to replicate being in the same office, like welcoming pets to our meetings.”

“Staying connected while allowing our global remote team to maintain a healthy work/life balance is incredibly important to me. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, especially when helping our clients transition to hybrid working arrangements.”

Sue also hopes that elevating more women to tech roles will help attract top talent to the company. Considering that women account for 49 per cent of the global workforce but only 24 per cent of women assume leadership roles in tech, it’s refreshing to see smaller companies like Boab IT stepping up to the plate.

Read also: Attwood Marshall Boost Billings with CallSmart for LEAP through Boab IT.