5 Things Women Should Know About Building a Career at a People-First Tech Giant

Often, the field of technology is depicted as a cold and mechanical space, where automation is the primary goal. The true potential of technology, though, lies not in excluding that which makes us human, but in elevating it through innovation. At least, that’s the approach of the folks at Siemens, a top-10 global software company and tech powerhouse.

At Siemens, there’s a mission of “making real what matters” by setting the benchmark in the way the world electrifies, automates and digitizes. For more than 170 years, the company has sat on the forefront of all three arenas — and women are playing a major role in the way Siemens continues to innovate today. In their reviews on Fairygodboss, female employees say that “there is no limit to where you can take your career here” and that there are “tremendous leadership opportunities for women, including in emerging tech fields.”

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To paint a clearer picture of what a career path at Siemens can look like, we got the answers to five need-to-know questions. 

1. What are Siemens’ core values?

Since the company was founded, it’s been committed to a set of three values: being responsible, excellent and innovative. 

Responsible.

Siemens is committed to promoting ethical and responsible actions, with a determination to conduct all business according to the highest possible standards. That means using this sense of responsibility as the default compass for navigating business decisions, as well as encouraging business partners, suppliers and other stakeholders to do the same.

Excellent.

Achieving high performance, excellent results, outstanding quality and impressive customer solutions are non-negotiables. Excellence at Siemens also means attracting the very best talent and giving that talent the skills and opportunities they need to become high achievers within a supportive culture. Existing processes are constantly challenged, with an aim to foster flexible, change-embracing mindsets.

Innovative. 

Here, innovation is seen as an extension of creating sustainable value for customers and for society at large. It’s the cornerstone of the company’s success, with research and development serving as vital accomplices. The company, which is a holder of key patents, is constantly revising its portfolio, and employees are similarly encouraged to unleash their full creative energy and ingenuity. 

2. What differentiates Siemens from others in its space and industry? 

Siemens reinvented itself into a top-10 global software company with a clear purpose: solving the world’s greatest challenges. The company is on a mission to explore how technology can expand what’s humanly possible. And beyond developing apps or AI projects for the consumer world, that also means needing leaders who can help transform industries, build smart cities and modernize infrastructure. 

3. What are some of the employee benefits that positively impact women who work here?

Siemens has a global reputation for quality and innovation — a reputation built through the hard work, talent and dedication of its workforce. To help attract and retain extraordinary talent, the company provides a comprehensive, flexible and competitive benefits program as an important component of its total rewards package. In addition to comprehensive benefits, Siemens also offers:

Flexible working policies. 

Flexible working options enable employees to achieve what Siemens U.S. CEO Barbara Humpton describes as “work-life blend.” Instead of seeking perfect work-life balance (which is often difficult to achieve), Humpton explains that Siemens’ policies and employees come together to create a flexible work culture that honors their unique work and family commitments. 

A culture of acceptance and openness.

In all of its activities, actions and programs, Siemens thrives on its diverse workforce. The company has built an open, inclusive work environment that welcomes all employees, regardless of their cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Siemens creates possibilities for diverse experiences and interactions, with the goal of achieving a variety of mindsets throughout the company.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and initiatives that support women.

Siemens sponsors a slew of ERGs, formed by employees, that serve as safe spaces and networks for those with shared ethnicities, gender identities, abilities and sexual orientations. With 10,000 ERG members, 10 core ERGs and several active chapters nationwide, these networks offer employees an inclusive, supportive environment, networking opportunities, mentorship, and the tools to promote personal and professional development. 

While any employee can join any employee resource group, the Women's Impact Network at Siemens (WIN@S) champions the success of the women within Siemens. WIN@S is committed to promoting the inclusion, awareness, and understanding of issues and challenges facing women within the Siemens workforce. Its charter is to provide opportunities for personal and professional development that enables employees to maximize their overall potential and contribution to Siemens’ success.

4. What career development opportunities can female job seekers expect here, and how is career pathing approached? 

Siemens aspires to motivate and empower all employees to take responsibility for the success of their careers at Siemens. Living out its Siemens Ownership Culture is an integral part of the company’s success, and employees have the ability to chart their career paths, drive development and, most importantly, choose for themselves. 

The company’s “Own Your Career” (OYC) ecosystem is designed to provide every employee with the developmental resources and tools needed to help grow and make informed decisions about current and future career choices. The OYC ecosystem includes resources and support for job shadowing, mentoring, profile building, job matching, brand-building and strength-finding — everything employees need to shape their individual career journey at Siemens.

5. Why should women want to grow their careers here? 

People at Siemens are thinkers, dreamers and doers. That’s why the company recruits people with more than just a passion for disruptive ideas – these individuals must also have the courage to bring them to life. Intrinsic to the culture at Siemens is the belief that those ideas can come from anywhere, which is how they’re able to design and implement over 7,600 inventions around the world each year. Some of these inventions have emerged from the company’s 36-hour hackathons; others were simply conceived of over coffee at an onsite cafe. There’s no working behind closed doors here, and all employees are invited to work collaboratively and act as if Siemens were their very own company, in keeping with its Ownership Culture.

Additionally, there’s a sincere belief that success at Siemens requires leaders of all backgrounds. As the company’s CEO Barbara Humpton put it: “There’s real power in surrounding yourself with people who look, think, and act differently than you do.” 

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