Accenture Focuses on Recruiting Female IT Professionals

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With the tremendous expansion opportunities available to businesses in the global environment, and the very real problems in recruiting capable talent, Accenture has begun a global initiative aimed at increasing the percentage of female IT professionals. Currently, only a third of Accenture's work force is female, with a third of these working in technical roles. From Accenture's perspective, a total recruiting process includes attracting and retaining all available talent, including female IT professionals. Accenture has launched many initiatives to manage the apparent obstacles which many women professionals face. These include efforts to accommodate flexible work schedules, educational workshops, as well as negotiating discounted nursery rates. The balance of work and family life is the most often cited reason for women not to return to work after leaving to have children. Since many business professionals, both male and female, feel tremendous pressure to dedicate themselves to a work week of 40+ hours, many female IT professionals choose to remain at home after the birth of a child. Talent shortages and global expansion are adding to existing workforce shortages, and as a result, many businesses are turning to alternative work environments in order to retain talented female employees. Accenture has begun holding pre-maternity workshops in an effort to educate the women in their organization about flex-time work opportunities that would allow them to return on some level after the birth of children. The company also offers an option for discounted nursery rates. In exchange for a trade in salary, parents are afforded the opportunity to receive a discount on nursery rates through Accenture. The initiatives are intended to serve a dual purpose according to Sam Clark, inclusion and diversity manager at Accenture, "Women prefer to work in an organization where there is obvious evidence of success. Accenture's efforts to recruit and retain talented female IT professionals are intended to not only accommodate current employees, but to attract future female talent as well." www.big4.com