Vodacom Tanzania’s head of human resources Vivienne Penessis
spoke with Beatrice Materu on the
need to create equal platforms for men and women.
need to create equal platforms for men and women.
Today, almost every company in
Tanzania has faced some sort of digital disruption. What is your vision
for the future of the telecoms industry in the country?
The
industry is evolving at a fast pace, and luckily we at Vodacom Tanzania
provide a platform for our customers who embrace digitisation,
creativity and innovation. In a few years, intuitive technology will be
at our fingertips.
Education and health services are
being digitised, services will be of better quality and easily
accessible to even people living in rural areas. The function of
technology is to simplify tasks and improve our way of living—that is
the impact we want to have.
What are you most excited about as a woman working in telecommunications?
I
worked in the banking sector for many years and now that I have
transitioned into telecommunications, its disruptive nature and direct
impact on the lives of people make it more exciting for me. The industry
plays a significant role in all aspects of life within communities.
In
Tanzania, people are embracing it at an astonishing speed, especially
through the use of mobile phones not only as tools for normal
communication but also in pushing commercial and entertainment
interests.
Most importantly, telecommunications has
become a central part of socio-economic development by granting access
to market information, enabling a wider reach to consumers, empowering
women and disadvantaged groups, and creating mobile payment systems that
enhance financial inclusion.
What challenges do women face in the workplace?
Women
in the workplace still encounter significant obstacles in taking on
managerial or senior roles. Although at Vodacom Tanzania we are at a
proportional level with about 43 per cent of female employees.
Our
culture perceives that a girl should not focus on professional success;
her ultimate goal should be marriage. These beliefs become ingrained in
us.
This is one of the many stereotypes that make it
into the work environment, and therefore we need to combat these notions
to create an inclusive and equal workspace.
What policies can be put in place to move companies toward gender equality?
You
know, gender equality is not only about women; it goes both ways. To
stop the reverse from happening, organisations should create equal
platforms for both women and men to participate and excel, from the
recruitment stage to promotion at the workplace.
Be a
role model—seeing is believing. Real life examples are more valuable
than mission statements, policies and codes of conduct. We must model
the culture and behaviour that we want to promote.
Now you have women in workplaces, what next? Mentorship? Train and encourage female employees to meet promotion targets.
It
is important to design policies, systems and environments that
facilitate this career path. Personally I would not accept a job given
to me because I am a woman—I would rather have to work for it and earn
it.
There are initiatives that promote and
train women for leadership positions. Is it important to nurture women
specifically for some of these positions?
You
feed a woman and she feeds the village. As women we believe many
stereotypes that dictate our role in society, and that needs to be
changed.
Encouraging a mindset that focuses on both
professional and personal success will allow women to believe and
achieve the greatness within them.
Do not sit on your
personal success; share it and encourage other women. Practice what you
preach; our actions will inspire more than our words alone. We all have a
role to play in uplifting and supporting each other.
And we do not have to copy what men have been doing—we can create work environments that are for women by women.
What
do we enjoy? What makes work fun for us? It is time to answer these
questions without needing to follow the male lead. We collaborate
perfectly in wedding celebrations and the like; let’s bring that spirit
to the workplace.
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