Our guests shared their observations and proposed plenty of viable solutions on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Women empowerment,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Current state of women in tech, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Challenges that women in tech face. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s dive deeper into useful suggestions and amazing insights from Anna, Sabina, and Zoja. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current state of women in tech is far from ideal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our panelists agree that the present women in tech situation is bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ciofu informed us that only 28% of the global tech workforce consists of women, and Radulovski said that women hold a mere 12.4% of the C-suite roles in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These numbers reflect the current difficult position of women in tech, and show us that there\u2019s plenty of room for improvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, according to Kukic, data indicate that during company layoffs, women are the first ones to be let go. So, she proposes that companies introduce a gender lens and understand why women are the first ones on the list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Introducing a gender lens means analyzing decision-making<\/a> (in this case letting workers go) through a gender perspective. Such an analysis would open questions like why are female workers let go before male workers. Hopefully, it would change the outcome in similar future scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, our interlocutors recognize that not everything is lost, as we\u2019re moving in the right direction when it comes to improving the state of women in tech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, Radulovski mentions: \u201cWe are seeing more women in comparison to a decade ago, years back. We are seeing more women stepping into leadership roles.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radulovski concludes that persistent action is the key to improving the position of women in tech:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Anna-Radulovski.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou need to be constantly doing something to change the numbers.\u201d <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n
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\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\nWorkplace culture is vital in dealing with the challenges women face<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kukic notices that women don\u2019t face many challenges with career progression until they become mothers. Then, once they come back to work, the company assigns them a mentor (implying they may have forgotten how to do their jobs), they\u2019re given less complex tasks, and are left out of business trips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the intention behind these steps is not malicious, it affects women making progress in their tech careers. Kukic notices that giving women the type of support they need is fundamental: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Zoja-Kukic.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBecause there is a dominant male workforce and male leadership, there is a lack of clear knowledge in tech companies about the best way to support women.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, Ciofu proposes that we replace mentorship with sponsorship in the workplace. When a woman comes from maternity leave, but also when they\u2019re at the beginning of their careers or need help changing roles, sponsorship is the best approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, a woman in a senior role can connect a female colleague with someone in the industry, or set up an interview between that female colleague and a company that she would be a great fit for, instead of simply offering instructions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sabina-Ciofu.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI think we just need to grow out of that mentorship concept and throw the ladder down for the next women coming into the industry. In this way, we can actually help them up the ladder as opposed to just giving them advice.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
This can work well at any stage of a woman\u2019s career, whether it\u2019s a return from the maternal leave<\/a>, or if a woman is just stepping into tech roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recognizing and dealing with red flags at work is paramount<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ciofu stresses the importance of finding the right person to talk to, especially early in the career, who can confirm whether a certain behavior is toxic or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radulovski agrees with Ciofu and further elaborates on the red flags that women, especially women of color and immigrant women, should pay attention to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t feel well or your comments or ideas are dismissed, you\u2019re spoken over in meetings, or someone makes an inappropriate comment or joke that doesn\u2019t make you feel okay.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The solution she proposes is to discuss this with women in higher positions, and as Kukic mentions, not be afraid of changing jobs that don\u2019t suit you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s okay to change jobs, then it becomes a normal thing and part of your career advancement plan.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\nFurther reading:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recognizing toxic behavior and so called microaggressions is significant for our mental health. Read more on how to spot the red flags and how to deal with them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 9 Key Signs of a Toxic Work Environment + Best Survival Tips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Microaggressions in the Workplace: How to Address & Resolve Them<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Empowering women should include allowing for a non-linear career path<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our guests have mentioned that the key to building confidence is to forget about linear progressions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To illustrate this, a linear progression in career is when someone graduates from university, starts working right away, and advances in career, usually within the same company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, Radulovski recommends normalizing non-linear path: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou can take a career break, you can make a transition, you can change your first job earlier than seven or eight years. And we must celebrate this reinvention, these career changes, risk healing, stepping away, strategic choices, instead of seeing them as a setback.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Kukic says that being in higher roles involves making plenty of mistakes, which is okay. She adds that women usually have Master\u2019s degrees, PhDs, and better grades at school \u2014 but all of this is not preparing them for real-life decision making and inevitable faults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This can be solved by \u201cletting women do things, make mistakes, get comfortable with mistakes, and then just get them to do more important things and get higher roles and higher positions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Developing a leadership style is important when you\u2019re managing a team, and want to progress even further in your career. Take a look at some of the many leadership types in our blog posts: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 12 Leadership Styles Explained: Learn How to Find Yours<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Strategic Leadership: Essential Skills, Principles, and Tips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Visionary Leadership: Qualities, Benefits, and Tips<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Work-life balance can take many forms <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Radulovski and Ciofu share why work-life balance for women is a pure myth, as women, especially those 45 and over, have kids. However, they also have aging parents they need to take care of. Lastly, they have to navigate through their own health challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if they need to work remotely or in a hybrid work model for any of these reasons, they often have to pay the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, Ciofu notices that remote workers get overlooked in meetings, simply because they\u2019re working from home<\/a>. She concludes that this is not acceptable \u201cbecause we\u2019re going to lose the women if they have to choose between family and work. Because they can\u2019t do them both, they\u2019ll choose family and we\u2019ll lose them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, Radulovski voices her opinion on work-life balance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not a fan of work-life balance. I think it\u2019s a myth. It creates an illusion that you can have a perfect split between work and life.\u201d <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
She illustrates this by saying that it\u2019s perfectly okay for her to work 14 hours on a day when she\u2019s productive \u2014 but also to work only for a few hours on the days when she\u2019s not. <\/p>\n\n\n \n
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Assign tasks, set deadlines, track progress, and keep collaboration focused with comments and file sharing \u2014 all in Plaky.<\/p>\n \n
\n \n Get started <\/a>\n \n \n Learn more <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n![\"Manage](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-plaky.png\")
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\nWomen in tech must find a safe community where they can grow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our panelists have concluded that one of the main solutions to improving the state of women in tech is to join communities that enable you to feel safe and grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, Ciofu believes it\u2019s crucial to recognize that we live in tough times when it comes to the state of women in tech. The message she wants to convey is to \u201cfind your grounding in the communities that give you that warmth and purpose and empowerment at this time.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radulovski stresses that connecting women, especially through global conferences, is empowering, it gives hope and inspiration to those who might feel otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, Kukic emphasizes the urgency of introducing women to tech early on in their lives: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Strategic Leadership: Essential Skills, Principles, and Tips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Microaggressions in the Workplace: How to Address & Resolve Them<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- 9 Key Signs of a Toxic Work Environment + Best Survival Tips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n