By Susan O’Connor, Shift Left Ltd – Leadership Development for Women in Tech
Microaggressions in tech workplaces are costing UK businesses millions. Susan O’Connor explains how inclusive leadership can stop the drain.
It’s Not About the Tea — It’s About the Culture
I’m not talking about asking the female in the meeting to get the tea, or to sort out lunch – I really hope that isn’t happening (unless that happens to be their job!).
I’m talking about the subtle comments that land like paper cuts — the kind of microaggressions in the workplace that women in tech experience every day. And paper cuts really hurt!!!!
Things like:
“I didn’t know you were that ambitious,” when a female colleague applies for a senior role (even though she’s said it in every appraisal and one-to-one with them).
“Ooh, here comes Puss in Boots,” because she’s wearing knee-length boots.
“Can we get Rich in here to confirm this?” when Rich is just a team member and not the Programme Manager.
All of these are real experiences from my own career — and they’re not isolated.
The first made me realise that my manager was not sponsoring me for senior positions – he wasn’t even considering me. To him, because I was a middle-aged woman, I obviously wasn’t ambitious anymore! Yet he was the same age as me and still ambitious for his next role.
The Puss in Boots comment was one of a daily commentary on what I had chosen to wear to work that day. I found myself second-guessing EVERYTHING I wore to avoid drawing attention to it.
And asking someone else in my team to confirm what I was updating in terms of the programme, well, that not only undermined my confidence — it undermined my authority.
And this is happening to so many women in tech today, that it’s not surprising that in November, LinkedIn was flooded with updates on Women in Tech new jobs — a small but visible signal of how gender bias in technology still plays out in 2025.
If you recognise this pattern in your own organisation, view my Expert Directory listing to see how Susan O’Connor and Shift Left Ltd help companies create inclusive leadership cultures that drive performance and retention.
The Hidden Cost of Microaggressions in Tech Organisations
When microaggressions in tech go unchecked, they don’t just damage confidence — they damage performance, retention, and reputation. They quietly corrode psychological safety at work, and that impacts everything from collaboration to creativity.
If women in your organisation face a constant barrage of subtle undermining, the following happens:
1. They start to hate working there (or with that individual), leading to potential sickness absence often related to stress.
2. They usually don’t raise what is happening, for fear of being labelled “too sensitive” or being targeted even more negatively.
3. They become wary of every interaction, second-guessing how they’ll be perceived, leading to less input in meetings, going quiet, and withdrawing.
A woman who doesn’t trust her colleagues won’t be performing at her best. She’ll be spending her energy managing perception, not performance. And before long, she’ll be looking elsewhere — contributing to the industry-wide challenge of retaining women in tech.
The outcome? Lost innovation, lower productivity, and higher attrition — all avoidable costs for your business. Inclusive leadership in technology isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a business imperative.
If you’re seeing these patterns in your tech teams, view my Expert Directory listing to learn how Susan O’Connor and Shift Left Ltd helps organisations retain and accelerate women in technology through leadership coaching and culture transformation.
How to Stop the Slide — Build Awareness, Accountability and Support
There are two sides to addressing microaggressions in the workplace: prevention and support. If you’re wondering how to reduce microaggressions at work, it starts with awareness and accountability.
1. Raise Awareness and Accountability
Ignorance isn’t an excuse. Create forums for honest conversation. Equip managers to recognise the impact of their words and actions. And when someone crosses the line, address it. Consequences matter.
2. Support the Women Affected
Not everyone will speak up. Coaching and leadership development in tech can help women to rebuild confidence, reframe their experience, and strengthen resilience. This isn’t about “fixing women” — it’s about coaching for women in technology that gives them tools to navigate and challenge what shouldn’t be happening in the first place.
3. Teach Leaders to Listen and Act
Managers and senior leaders must hear what’s being said — and do something about it. Not hush it up. Do not push it into HR purgatory. And definitely NOT offer a settlement agreement with an associated NDA. Call it out. Model what leadership should look like.
4. Build a Culture of Calling It Out
Imagine a workplace where inclusive leadership is the norm — where inclusive workplace culture is visible day to day. That’s what organisational culture transformation really means: behaviour, not slogans.
Want to start building that culture? Start by supporting your Women in Tech and provide them with coaching that accelerates readiness for leadership, strengthens retention, and drives performance. Shift Left Ltd works with leaders to help them retain talent, grow leaders, and drive results.
The Business Case for Getting It Right
The 2025 Lovelace Report found that the UK tech sector loses up to £3.5 billion a year due to women leaving roles they could have (should have) thrived in. Much of that loss stems from disengagement and cultures that quietly exclude — proof that diversity and inclusion in technology is both an ethical and commercial issue.
If your business wants to retain female tech talent and build a diverse tech leadership pipeline, this is where to start. Programmes that focus on leadership development for women in technology create measurable returns in performance, innovation, and retention.
Final Thought
Microaggressions might seem small, but their impact isn’t. They drive out talent, weaken leadership pipelines, and cost millions in lost productivity. The solution is inclusive tech leadership that creates trust, fairness, and accountability.
Build awareness. Support your women. Hold people accountable.
Want to start building that culture? Start with supporting your Women in Tech and provide them with coaching that accelerates readiness for leadership, strengthens retention, and drives performance. View my Expert Directory listing to see how Shift Left Ltd helps leaders retain talent, grow leaders, and drive results.
Change doesn’t start with policy; it starts with people.
