Adapting to a Changed World

2020 tested every organization’s resilience, and WomenHack was no exception. When COVID-19 made in-person gatherings impossible, we faced a choice: pause our mission or find new ways to connect women with tech opportunities. We chose to innovate, transforming our signature format for virtual delivery while maintaining the personal connections that make WomenHack effective.

The Early Days

February 2020 saw some of our last major in-person events before the pandemic. Sun Life hosted over 80 women in tech at their Toronto offices—an event that would prove prescient as companies accelerated digital transformation in the months that followed.

By March, we had suspended in-person events globally. The question became: could WomenHack’s magic translate to video screens?

Virtual Innovation

We spent the spring developing virtual event formats that preserved what made WomenHack work:

• Speed interviews: We adapted our 5-minute conversation format for video, creating breakout rooms that enabled the same focused interactions
• Company showcases: Virtual presentations allowed companies to share their culture and opportunities with larger audiences
• Networking: We created virtual spaces for peer connection among candidates
• Technical reliability: We invested in platforms and processes to minimize technical issues

What We Learned

Virtual events brought unexpected benefits:

• Geographic reach: Candidates and companies could participate from anywhere, removing travel barriers
• Accessibility: People with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or other constraints could more easily attend
• Efficiency: Some companies appreciated meeting candidates without travel time and expense
• Flexibility: We could offer events at various times to accommodate different schedules

Challenges included:

• Connection quality: Video conversations lack some nuance of in-person interaction
• Technical barriers: Not everyone had ideal setups for video interviews
• Zoom fatigue: As the year progressed, participants faced increasing screen exhaustion

Industry Response

Companies adapted alongside us. Many organizations accelerated diversity commitments as the year highlighted systemic inequities. The demand for diverse tech talent remained strong—arguably stronger—as companies needed varied perspectives to navigate unprecedented challenges.

Some companies that had hesitated to invest in diversity recruiting before 2020 became committed participants as they recognized the competitive advantage diverse teams provide in crisis response.

Resilience of Our Community

Our community proved remarkably resilient. Participants adapted to virtual formats, companies maintained their commitment, and new members discovered WomenHack through our increased virtual presence.

The shared challenge of navigating 2020 created bonds within our community. We were all figuring it out together, and that shared experience strengthened connections.

Looking to 2021

As 2020 closes, we’re planning a hybrid future. Virtual events will remain part of our model, expanding access. In-person events will return when safe, offering the irreplaceable value of face-to-face connection. The lessons of 2020 will make us stronger and more flexible going forward.

Thank you to our community for adapting, persisting, and believing in our mission even when everything else changed.