Empowering women in tech: building a culture of belonging at Xero
At Xero, we believe that empowering women in technology isn’t just about hiring numbers, it is about creating an environment where women can thrive, lead, and feel a deep sense of belonging at every stage of their career. As we acknowledge International Women’s Day, I want to go beyond the surface and look at daily practices of inclusion: how we mitigate bias, how we’re continuously strengthening our Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) initiatives, and how we ensure everyone at Xero has the same access to grow.
Representation as a North Star
Representation matters and we strive to represent our customers and the communities we operate in. We’re dedicated to becoming a gender-balanced organisation, and we’ve set a clear goal to achieve 45% representation of women across all employees by the end of March 2027. We’re making significant strides, in the last year, 46.2% of new starters were women, and today, women make up more than half of our UK workforce.
As we grow our product and technology teams in the UK, we want to ensure we’re reaching more talented women candidates. Last year we partnered with the Women in Tech Forum and it’s been a game-changer, helping us reach a network of incredible women at various stages of their career in tech.
Creating a culture of belonging through community
Hiring is only one component, it then becomes about how you build and maintain a culture of belonging. In 2025, we refreshed our action plan to create a more representative workforce. We wanted to ensure we were acting on real feedback as well as data, so we introduced surveys and focus groups to deepen our insights into the employee experience.
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are the heart of our inclusive culture and a huge part of the employee experience. These voluntary groups offer a space to connect with others who share similar backgrounds, life experiences, or interests, and help to create a greater sense of belonging at Xero. ERGs encourage an exchange of ideas, promote a greater sense of belonging, and enhance professional development.
Now that our people have established our ERGs, we’re building on the impact these communities have on shaping our culture. From sharing ideas, information and inviting open discussion, these groups create a sense of belonging and are facilitating learning and understanding across the wider business.
Visibility is vital, but sponsorship is what moves the needle. At Xero, our senior leaders personally step forward as Executive Sponsors, a role fueled by a genuine passion to advocate for a specific ERG and drive tangible change across the business. As an Executive Sponsor for our Women of Xero ERG, I am determined to foster an environment of advocacy.
My own journey at Xero, which included being hired and then promoted while on maternity leave, truly embodies our commitment to supporting women, especially as they navigate the balance between professional excellence and motherhood. I have been lucky to have sponsors whose advocacy gave me the confidence to progress in ways I didn’t think possible. I am determined to use my platform to create that same environment of genuine opportunity for every woman at Xero.
The power of visibility
Through our Women in Tech Forum partnership, we want to highlight the voices of women who are already changing the game. Take Emily Wright, our Lead Software Engineer. She’s a vocal advocate for women applying for roles even if they don’t check every single box. "Women tend to want to tick 90% plus of the boxes," she notes, but at Xero, she found an intentional effort to make tech accessible.
Then there’s Ellie Przybylo, a Senior Product Manager who was once the only girl in her IT class. Today, she’s solving complex problems for our UK Payroll product. Her story reminds us that a little mentorship can spark a lifelong passion.
Looking ahead
By actively addressing biases and fostering these supportive communities, we are striving to make equality a reality for women in tech. This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to celebrate the women in tech, and those looking to make their mark.
Blog Author:
Kate Hayward is the UK Managing Director of Xero, overseeing a customer base of 1.2 million small businesses. Kate champions the critical role of technology in empowering small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers to thrive. Since joining Xero in 2019, Kate has held pivotal leadership roles across global and UK strategy and operations. At Xero, Kate advocates for small businesses and underserved groups by addressing critical issues such as the digital divide and the need for enhanced financial literacy. She is passionate about supporting women to have thriving careers in the tech industry and beyond.
