After graduating with my Master’s in Mechanical Engineering, I stayed overseas and worked for a couple of years. In 2020, I decided to return to China to work and I needed to take care of my parents. Avanade has always been a well-respected industry leader, so I had Avanade at the top of my preferred employer list right from the start of my job search. What convinced me to join Avanade was the fact that Avanade really values equality and respect.

Avanade’s values are demonstrated starting at the interview process

When I returned to China, my child was only six months old and I was still breastfeeding. During my interviews with other companies, I would always be asked questions such as:

“What is your marital situation?”, “Your child is still so young, do you have any concerns about working overtime?”, “After joining, will your family help you with your child?”.

During my interview with Avanade, the only focus was how my individual competency matched with the role. They have never raised any questions about my personal life, my marital and parenting status – which I was very grateful for. This action alone underscored Avanade’s culture of respect.

Smashing stereotypes of traditional gender roles

The diverse, inclusive and egalitarian culture at Avanade truly is a joy to experience. Their understanding and compassion continue to surprise me. For example - a year of maternity leave and flexible working conditions enabled me to care for my family whilst continuing to pursue my career. When I was working on a project in Tianjin (a city located in the northern part of China), my parents and child joined me. This allowed me to work with peace of my mind. We were there for each other, and I took them on trips during my free time.

In addition to extending support to women, Avanade shows it empathizes with the role fathers play too. For male employees, if your child is still young and you would like to spend more time with them, the company will look to reduce or cancel business trips as well as provide the option to work from home. This has broken the stereotypes of the traditional roles men and women play in respect to work and family. To me, this is another way the company espouses its values for inclusion and gender equality.

Inclusion and diversity is everyone’s responsibility

We can see brilliant female leaders everywhere in the company. This is a great sign and is a testament to the opportunities that Avanade provides to women. Since I joined Avanade, I have had the opportunity to work with clients from different industries – allowing me to learn a variety of technical skills, professional knowledge and stay relevant.

At Avanade, we focus on capability, innovation and growth to help our clients solve complex challenges. We appreciate every employee’s uniqueness and encourage everyone to use their talents and realize their full potential. We are responsible for breaking the bias and building a diverse and inclusive working environment. Let’s continue to explore more innovative and sustainable ways to help every woman to shine confidently – and to help every employee realize their ambition!