Recent research shows that an estimated 26-33% of workers in the technology industry are women. To inspire more women to join tech companies, All for One Customer Experience GmbH, known as ‘All For One CX’, is sharing its female employees’ experiences through a series of articles (Breaking Barriers, Building Futures) and its Meet the Women in Tech videos.
All For One CX also wants to motivate other tech companies to ensure that ‘women in tech’ have what they need to thrive in their careers and personal lives. This article gives a glimpse into how the company supports its ‘women in tech’. Three young professionals, all in their twenties and thirties, discuss their experiences as ‘women in tech’ and how the company’s flexible working policies have helped them.
Perihan Medhat, SAP Cloud Developer Integration Lead @ All for One CX Egypt
Since joining the company in May 2023, Perihan Medhat has been “playing around with integrating SAP on-premise systems with SAP Cloud products to make very powerful systems”.
Women hold 60% of the technical roles at All For One Egypt, and an impressive 76% of leadership roles. Perihan explains, “Egypt was quite patriarchal in the recent past, but there’s been a huge culture shift. It’s more accepted that women should work after college instead of doing a degree and then staying at home.
“Technical jobs like coding tend to be remote roles and many offer flexible working hours. This makes working in the technology industry a really attractive proposition for women who may need to take care of kids, or want to start a family in the future, and also for women with health and disability issues.”
Perihan thinks the Egyptian government has played a crucial role in empowering women to join technology companies. For example, it fully funds a nine-month scholarship with the Information Technology Institute (ITI) to equip Egyptian university graduates with the most in-demand tech skills. Although not solely for women, this scholarship is part of a wider movement to encourage Egyptians to enter the technology sector.
Fostering Flexibility for Women in Tech
The ITI program, Perihan observes, has been a gateway for many women into the tech industry. She notes that most of the women she works with have come from this ITI program. Many of them hadn’t chosen technology-related degrees, but were attracted by the flexibility the technology industry can offer them.
Perihan adds, “The flexibility is a huge benefit for me, too. It’s all about fitting your job into your life, not the other way around. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, they accommodate your preferences wherever possible. And if life throws you a curveball, like needing to relocate, they’re supportive.
Michelle Dietrich, Senior CX Customer Care Manager @ All For One CX Austria
In 2018, Michelle Dietrich joined B4B Solutions - one of the CX companies owned by the All For One Group – as an SAP Cloud Consultant. The group merged its two CX subsidiaries to form All For One CX in 2022.
Michelle explains how she became a ‘woman in tech’ after doing a degree in international management. "I didn’t have any technical knowledge or experience, so wasn’t considering a career in technology. Then, I went to a lecture on innovation and was completely captivated. It wasn't about programming, it was about the creativity and ideas behind the tech.” She applied for a role at B4B Solutions, but was worried that she wasn’t typical ‘woman in tech’ material.
Michelle says, "I was sceptical at first because the tech industry seemed so daunting. But then, something clicked. I realised the industry also needs business majors and not just programmers and other technical staff. Around the same time, I found a Master’s Degree that was perfect for someone like me, who wanted to bridge the gap between customers and the programmers who make the magic happen. Incredibly, within two weeks I had lined up a great job at the All For One Group and was enrolled on a Digital Innovation and Transformation Master’s Degree.
She adds, "All For One was incredibly supportive. They allowed me to reduce my working hours to accommodate my master's studies. This flexibility was crucial for me to manage both my academic and professional responsibilities effectively."
A year after finishing her Master’s, Michelle decided to follow her interest in psychology and started a 2.5-year professional course in psychological counselling, which she is due to finish in June 2024. She was impressed that All For One CX was so willing to accommodate her studies, even though the subject isn’t directly related to her current profession.
Supporting Self-development and Wellbeing
Despite an understanding employer and working part-time hours, Michelle suffered from anxiety issues. She explains, "The intensity of balancing work and study took a toll on me. I was pushing myself too hard, trying to excel in both arenas. When I reached out about my stress, my boss was exceptionally understanding. He encouraged me to prioritize my health, ensuring I could take the time I needed to recover without jeopardizing my role or responsibilities."
Michelle adds, " When I felt calmer and was fully recovered, my boss asked me, 'What do you need to succeed? What does your heart desire? Don't think what has been before or what is possible or if this position exists yet, just tell me what you want and I will do my best to make it happen.’ He has been working with me and our CEO to create a new role that suits my skills, ongoing education, and personal well-being. I’m so grateful for this amazing support."
Jasmina Brahimi, Marketing Manager CX @ All For One CX Austria
Jasmina Brahimi started her career in the technology industry in 2022 when she joined All for One CX as a Marketing Manager. She says, “I spent 15 fairly stressful years in the hospitality industry and then worked for an out-of-home advertising business. Moving from marketing to consumers, B2C, to marketing to businesses, B2B, was challenging at first but also exciting. I enjoy adding some glitz and glamour to tech topics that may seem dull at first glance.”
Jasmina recently switched to a four-day week. Her main reason for the change was to achieve a better work/life balance after some stressful years and to spend more time with her elderly parents.
She elaborates on the impact this decision has had on her life, both personally and professionally. "It's not just about reducing hours. It’s about enriching lives—both mine and my parents'. This new schedule allows me to take them to doctor’s appointments, help them manage takes, and enjoy more quality time with my family.
“Previously, weekends felt like fleeting moments to catch up with family. Now, I cherish an entire extra day to rejuvenate and connect with them. Surprisingly, this has made me even more focused and efficient at work. The extra day off seems to boost my creativity and productivity for the rest of the week."
Prioritizing Wellbeing over Perfection
Jasmina continues, "Looking back on my early days at work, I was focused on perfection, and always pushing myself to the limit. But, I learned the hard way that sustaining such intensity isn't feasible or healthy. It's crucial to put yourself first, ensuring you're well so you can be your best at work and reach your goals,"
She thinks it’s important for women to communicate their challenges and ask for what they need, "Don’t hesitate to share your struggles; it’s a strength, not a weakness. Starting these conversations can be transformative, leading to support you might not have anticipated. It’s about creating a dialogue, whether with peers or mentors, to navigate being a woman in tech and a woman at home more effectively."
She advises recognizing and channeling one’s emotions constructively, "Feelings of envy or ambition can be healthy if they're managed well. They can motivate us to improve and achieve our aspirations. What's important is how we use these emotions to fuel our growth and foster supportive networks."
Jasmina appreciates the supportive culture at All For One CX Austria. She highlights the helpfulness, patience, and understanding she receives from colleagues and managers alike. She thinks that the combination of a caring culture and flexible working policies empower her and All For One CX’s other ‘women in tech’ to do their jobs well and to feel happy and fulfilled in their roles.
Sharing Stories of Women in Tech
The experiences of these ‘women in tech’ at All For One CX demonstrate the loyalty and employee well-being that can result from a supportive, flexible work culture. Their stories are a testament to the company's forward-thinking ethos, where women are recognized as being integral to its innovation and success.
By sharing a few stories of how flexible working policies are positively impacting All For One CX’s ‘women in tech’, the organization hopes to inspire conversations and awareness in its wider communities of partners, vendors, and customers.
We would love to feature more ‘women in tech’ stories from our member network. If you are implementing female-friendly working policies and would like us to share your inspiring stories, please contact Carol Li, Communications Manager at United VARs.
About United VARs
United VARs is a global alliance of SAP implementation partners and solution providers for the mid-market. With over 70 members in 100 countries, the alliance serves all types of SAP rollouts and integrations across the world. The organization provides businesses with local expertise ‘on the ground’ charged at local rates. All United VARs members work together as one team to provide a more personalized service than other global systems integrators can, and one that is better suited to mid-market budgets.
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