Dear Sabrina, please introduce yourself briefly.

Hi, my name is Sabrina. I am 35, married, based in Berlin and Munich and I am the Chief People Officer for valantic, one of the fastest growing Digital Consulting, Solutions and Software Houses in Europe.

Valantic has a women’s network and you are committed to hiring more women. What is the relationship between female empowerment and leadership?

Diverse teams make better decisions. Here’s why: Women in leadership bring unique perspectives that challenge the status quo, inspire innovation and drive change. Their representation ensures that decisions are inclusive and reflect a wider range of experiences. This diversity isn’t just good ethics – it’s smart business, fostering an environment where creativity and productivity thrive.

At valantic, we have reached a remarkable milestone where 30% of our workforce is female. This is a quarter above the industry average. 34% of our new hires in the last 12 months are women (despite the fact that only one in seven applicants in the IT industry is female). These figures have risen steadily over the last few years to create a balanced and flexible working environment.

How can you attract employees, particularly female employees?

Of course, the employer has to offer attractive conditions: For example, are salaries competitive, can working hours be organised flexibly, is there the possibility of mobile working? Many aspects play a role: a positive and inclusive company culture, well-trained leaders, exciting activities and projects are just as important as personal development opportunities, for example. Of course, a strong and positive employer brand also helps.

What are the key factors that contribute to an appealing employer brand?

First an foremost: Be authentic! The essence of good employer branding lies in the authentic representation of a company’s culture, values, and environment. It’s about effectively communicating what makes the company unique and desirable as a workplace, and how employees can grow and fulfill their potential within the company. For me, attractive employer branding means that employees live the employer brand so much that they are proud to promote it. This can be seen, for example, in the classic way through social media traffic, but also through the effectiveness of employee recruitment programmes.