Over my 25 year career in the industry, I have progressively seen more women in C-suite positions, but gaming and technology are still way behind. In honor of Women’s History Month, it’s time to shine a light on ways to empower and support women to join the gaming and technology industry.
Pursuing a career in gaming and technology can be intimidating for women because of the lack of female representation. They do not see many women in the industry, let alone in senior-level positions, creating a sense of fear and doubt, but it’s not a scary job.
One of the biggest lessons I learned in this industry is not being afraid of taking chances on myself for growth opportunities – even if that meant having to ask for guidance. However, rarely do I receive calls from women asking me for advice, to help open doors, or make introductions.
Before joining the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians as chief information technology officer in 2019, I remember going to my first Global Gaming Women (GGW) meeting in Las Vegas, where I witnessed the need for female encouragement in the industry first-hand. I thought it was really exciting when San Manuel Casino became one of the only tribal casinos in California to form their own Global Gaming Women (GGW) chapter. It demonstrated another way in which we are invested in growing and supporting women in this industry.
Because I am lucky to have a 25-percent female team, which is higher than the industry norm, I know the industry can do more to make a career in gaming more appealing to women. While women lead in gaming departments such as human resources, marketing, public relations, sales and events, there is still a gap in operations management, especially within technology.
For years, gaming and technology have been traditionally known as male-dominated industries because of their 24-hour environment. Gaming and technology never sleep, and as professionals, we can fall into the habit of prioritizing work over life.
Furthermore, there is a misconception that women, especially women in a C-suite position, cannot handle a demanding career in gaming and technology. This stems from a doubt of whether or not women can presumably handle the environment’s pressures and find a decent balance in their life to make it worthwhile.
Early in my career, I struggled to find a perfect balance because I constantly put work over life. However, once I became a mother, I learned the importance of setting priorities, which positively influenced my leadership style.
We must create an environment where women don’t feel the need to choose work over life to have a successful career in gaming and technology. To do that, more organizations need to realize the importance of promoting a healthy work-life balance, so the industry can draw in more women and ultimately build a stronger team.
The culture that you create makes it more inviting for people to want to join the team. Because San Manuel Casino is a family-owned business, they make a conscious effort to ensure everyone understands the importance of a healthy work-life balance, which usually involves promoting life over work.
If, as an industry, we can commit to creating an environment that makes women and all employees feel empowered and supported, there would be more women pursuing not only a career but a C-suite position within gaming and technology.
