Business insurance holders in the IT sector should bring in more measures to encourage the recruitment of female workers, an organisation asserts.
Jerri Barrett, director of marketing at the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, claims professional best practice can boost the number of women a company can attract.
Professional development is one of the key points she highlights, saying this appeals to the ambitions of female jobseekers.
Flexible working policies are also key draws that business insurance holders can implement and this could also lead to a rise in the number of men attracted to the company, she asserts.
Ms Barrett states: "Programmes that take into consideration parental leave, emergency childcare and on-site and off-site day care are extremely important to women, especially at the mid-level."
Recent research by the British Computer Society, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology and Intellect has found that women account for only a fifth of IT professionals.
