MotherBoard Ambassador Spotlight: Jessica Marsh

The ADLIB x MotherBoard Ambassador scheme is for employees wanting to volunteer their time and join the MotherBoard mission of creating a more gender-fair and inclusive tech industry. As part of a series showcasing the amazing volunteers and ambassadors, MotherBoard caught up Jessica Marsh, Recruitment Consultant at ADLIB.

Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?

I’m Jess, I’m a Recruitment Consultant at ADLIB. I look after anything marketing agency, client services and strategy related! I help connect our clients with talented agency professionals across London & the South East.

What motivated you to become a MotherBoard ambassador?

Motherboard had always been something I was interested in becoming a part of. I’m a massive advocate for inclusivity in all aspects of life, but joining ADLIB and becoming aware of the MotherBoard Movement highlighted the difficulties mothers face when just simply doing their job and building a career.

On a more personal level, it made me really think about whether people close to me have come up against these struggles, and I wanted to do my bit in spreading the word on how to create a change.

“To me, it means supporting the MotherBoard Charter by spreading the word that real changes can be made by businesses and show that it’s totally doable!

Although my professional network isn’t directly tech-related as a recruiter, I talk with people day in and day out. Hearing their experiences drives home the importance of inclusivity for mums and parents, and I want to be an advocate in helping the people I’m connected to, get involved wherever possible.”

What does being a MotherBoard Ambassador mean to you?

To me, it means supporting the MotherBoard Charter by spreading the word that real changes can be made by businesses and showing that it’s totally doable!

Although my professional network isn’t directly tech-related as a recruiter, I talk with people day in and day out. Hearing their experiences drives home the importance of inclusivity for mums and parents, and I want to be an advocate in helping the people I’m connected to, get involved wherever possible.

What are you most looking forward to as part of being an ambassador?

To be honest, it’s the learning for me. Every bit of content, report published, candidate or client I speak to, brings new insights, and confidently speaking about MotherBoard and the support it offers to a business and mums in tech is awesome.

“Having a happier and more inclusive working environment where mums feel supported, means more women in tech can progress to those senior-level positions and continue their career development, taking steps towards tackling the gender wage gap.”

Why do you think making the tech industry more inclusive of mothers and working parents is important?

The tech industry is huge, most businesses have a tech function which means the workforce behind it is so important. The stat that stood out to me was ‘50% of women will leave the tech industry by age 35’, which is crazy!

By having conversations around maternity and paternity leave, flexible working policies, and return to work structures, we can start to understand what mums and parents need from their employers, and motherboard helps those businesses create tangible changes.

“Having a happier and more inclusive working environment where mums feel supported, means more women in tech can progress to those senior-level positions and continue their career development, taking steps towards tackling the gender wage gap.”

What do you think is the main hurdle stopping employers from being more inclusive?

I think it’s the lack of knowledge and understanding of how to be inclusive, and what steps businesses can take. I think getting topics out there and talked about is the first step in tackling something!

“I’m a big believer in everyone having access to the same opportunities at work, and driving diversity and inclusion in the workplace is the first step in creating change for women and mums in tech.

The Motherboard Charter gives businesses steps and guidance on how to be more inclusive and create an environment that fully supports mums!”

What do you think the priority should be for creating tangible change for working mums in tech?

Empathy I think is super important. Understanding that everyone works in different ways and has to juggle certain things alongside work! Creating a space where mums in tech can balance those childcare responsibilities alongside a career, but also implementing a structure within the workplace that allows for development and upskilling.

Any final words of advice for other people looking to better support mothers in the Tech Industry?

I’m a big believer in everyone having access to the same opportunities at work, and driving diversity and inclusion in the workplace is the first step in creating change for women and mums in tech.

The Motherboard Charter gives businesses steps and guidance on how to be more inclusive and create an environment that fully supports mums!

MotherBoard is a Business Charter, Community & Event Series, driving tangible change for mums working in the tech industry.

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