For some women who take on the leadership role, the challenges would be more on the personal front, which is balancing the needs of the family and the demands of work

Jhilmil Kochar, MD, CrowdStrike India
 

“At CrowdStrike, we have a keen interest in bridging existing disparities and enabling the use of technology to create a safer, more sustainable, and more equitable future for everyone. We focus on supporting our people in growing their careers, with specific groups dedicated to women, parents, veterans, and people of colour, with the goal of expanding all of our people’s perspectives through meaningful connections and conversations with those they might not interact with on a daily basis.

Leaders have the responsibility of supporting women through mentorship programmes, peer training, induction, reskilling, and upskilling courses, which in turn will help nurture their growth. Also, mentorship and guidance from women who have had successful STEM based careers encourage others that there is a pathway for them. Such initiatives can allow women employees to gain knowledge and skills that can open up a variety of career paths within the same company. As part of my contribution to the field, I play an active role as a mentor to women in cybersecurity and to children as part of the Atal Innovation Mission. In partnership with BetterUp, our Learning and Development team provides 1:1 career coaching for women leaders and those returning to work from parental leave.

According to me, for some women who take on the leadership role, the challenges would be more on the personal front, which is balancing the needs of the family and the demands of work. I did have my share of a few testing times; however, with the excellent support of my family and colleagues at CrowdStrike, I was able to surmount them.”