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Scherr admits in an article published in the November 2000
issue of CIO Magazine that women in information technology
can still expect to work long hours, but recruiters have
had to begin addressing the needs of women to increase human
diversity in the technology field.
Jerry Patton, vice president of human resources at LavaStorm
(a systems engineering company) participated in a panel
discussion on gender issues at Harvard in June of 2000.
Like many Internet startups, LavaStorm created a corporate
culture including Recreational Activities for Motivation
(RAM) which allocated ten percent of company space to playrooms
featuring Ping-Pong, foosball, air hockey tables, an indoor
batting cage and a massage chair. Patten said, “In
the past, I have had applicants who were women identify
that our culture would not work well for them.”
Jean Marzilli, LavaStorm’s recently hired director
of staffing is committed to hiring more women and said,
“Probably, we (women) want practical things, not playthings,
ways to simplify our lives, like a concierge service to
pick up the dry cleaning or shop for food.”
Some technology related organizations are already demonstrating
these changes. The National Security Agency (NSA) reported,
based on January 2001 numbers, that 41 percent of its computer
scientists and 31 percent of its mathematicians are women.
Although not offering salaries as high as private industry,
Deborah Bonnani, NSA technical director for human resources
said, “We can appeal to women with continuing education
programs, on site childcare, flexible work arrangements
and fitness centers. These things are big sellers, very
enticing to women.” The NSA’s reported overall
attrition rate of five to six percent is low in today’s
economy.
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