The conversation around women in technology has matured significantly over the past decade: beyond asking how to ensure more women enter the industry, the more important question is how do we ensure they remain, progress and lead. Recruitment is only the first step; retention is the real measure of whether an organisation has created an environment where women can build successful careers without having to sacrifice other important aspects of their lives.
For many women in technology, career progression coincides with some of life's biggest milestones. Marriage, raising children, caring for family members, pursuing further education and relocating for personal reasons often happen during the same years in which professionals are expected to accelerate their careers. Too often, workplaces treat these responsibilities as obstacles to productivity. Chillisoft believes they should simply be recognised as part of life.
Many IT organisations continue to operate according to workplace models that assume everyone follows the same life journey, but a truly inclusive workplace requires a different approach: recognising different people's circumstances and journeys while maintaining the same expectations of excellence.
Chillisoft's founder and former CEO, Anujah Bosman, together with the leadership team, spent many years building a culture around this principle. Today, the company has women who have been with the business for nearly two decades. During that time, they have married, raised children, continued studying, earned professional qualifications, relocated both within South Africa and internationally to support their families and, importantly, continued advancing their careers.
One of the biggest misconceptions about workplace equality is that it begins once someone is employed. In reality, it begins during recruitment. Bias, whether conscious or unconscious, has historically influenced hiring decisions across many industries. Assumptions about family responsibilities, long-term availability or leadership potential have no place in a modern recruitment process.
Chillisoft's approach is to recruit based on capability, attitude, technical competence and cultural alignment. Equality does not mean creating a different standard for women; it means ensuring women and men have the same opportunity to demonstrate what they are capable of achieving.
The same principle applies to flexibility. There remains a perception that workplace flexibility reduces productivity. Chillisoft's experience has shown that when professionals are trusted to manage both their work and personal responsibilities, they can remain highly engaged, accountable and committed for the long term.
A child still has a school event. A parent may need to attend a doctor's appointment. A family member may require support or an employee may choose to further their education while working full-time. These realities do not make someone less committed to their career. Creating flexibility around them is not about lowering standards; it is about recognising that high-performing professionals have lives beyond the workplace.
This approach has enabled women at Chillisoft to remain active in their careers through different stages of life. It has also allowed employees to relocate regionally and internationally when family circumstances required it, without necessarily having to abandon their careers.
That flexibility matters. When organisations have invested years in developing people's technical expertise, institutional knowledge and leadership capability, retaining that experience should be a priority. The modern workplace has the technology to support flexible and distributed work. The bigger question is whether organisations have the culture and trust to make it work.
Workplace equality is also about how performance is measured. Traditional performance systems can unintentionally disadvantage employees whose circumstances differ from the perceived norm. Highly competitive appraisal systems can encourage employees to compete against colleagues rather than focus on their own development.
Several years ago, Chillisoft introduced a Progression Framework designed to take a different approach. Employees are assessed against clearly defined competencies, technical expectations and professional behaviours relevant to their roles. The emphasis is on individual performance, capability and development rather than comparison with colleagues.
Every employee should understand what is expected of them and what they need to demonstrate to progress. This creates a more collaborative environment while ensuring that advancement is based on merit and demonstrated capability. For women balancing professional responsibilities with family, education and other commitments, this provides something particularly important: clarity.
The most meaningful evidence of workplace culture, however, is not found in a policy document. It is found in the experiences of the people who work there.
Zoleka Dlamini reflects on the pressure women can sometimes feel to devote every part of their lives to building a successful technology career:
“Somewhere along the lines, as women, we were told that to be successful and to be taken seriously in tech, you need to put all your time and energy into it. I'm an introvert, so I can't say I live a very social life, but in my career I'm still able to go to Exclusive Books and spend a day reading books, spend time wherever I can with my niece and still continue to participate in all my family duties. This is not to say that spending time and energy is not helpful, but a little balance and learning to enjoy your time, even when you are programming and learning, goes a long way.”
For younger women entering the industry, having that flexibility and support can influence how they see their future in technology. Nsikelelo Kumalo says:
“From day one, I've been supported, encouraged to ask questions and given the opportunity to learn and grow. What I appreciate most is the healthy work-life balance; I can continue developing my skills while still being present for my family, serving as a teen church leader, and enjoying life as a 23-year-old without feeling guilty. Knowing I'm supported both professionally and personally has made all the difference, and I'm grateful to be growing in an environment where I can thrive.”
Then there are women who have experienced the organisation through significant life changes. Portia Malinga has been with Chillisoft for more than a decade:
“I started at Chillisoft 11 years ago. Today, I'm a wife and proud mother. This company didn't just give me a job; it gave me support. Support when I needed it for my family, when I juggled motherhood and work. I will always be grateful to Chillisoft, and I look forward to the next chapter.”
These experiences highlight an important distinction. Supporting women in technology is not simply about creating policies specifically for women. It is about creating an environment where people are trusted to perform, develop and contribute while navigating the realities of their lives.
The technology industry often celebrates the number of women it recruits, but perhaps we should also be asking how many stay for 10, 15 or 20 years; how many become mothers without feeling their careers have to slow down permanently; how many can pursue further education or relocate for family reasons without abandoning their careers; and how many progress based on capability rather than visibility.
These questions tell us far more about inclusion than recruitment numbers alone.
At Chillisoft, the women who have stayed for many years demonstrate that a technology career and a full life do not have to be mutually exclusive. Their careers show that professional growth does not have to come at the expense of family, personal development or participation in life outside work.
The future of work is often discussed in terms of artificial intelligence, automation, cloud computing and distributed teams. But perhaps one of the most important changes the industry needs to make is much more human: rethinking what a successful career looks like.
A high-performing employee does not stop being a parent, spouse, daughter, sibling, student or member of a community when they log on for work. Women should not have to choose between succeeding in technology and being present for the people and responsibilities that matter to them.
Creating that balance does not require lowering professional standards. It requires trust, fairness, objective performance measures and flexibility, supported by a culture that recognises that sustainable careers are built around people, not just job descriptions.
For Chillisoft, retaining women in technology is not about creating special treatment. It is about removing unnecessary barriers, providing equal opportunity and giving talented people the space to build careers that can evolve alongside their lives.
If we want more women to enter technology, we need to do more than open the door. We need to create a workplace where women have every reason to stay.
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