Jaimie Green, Human Resources Executive in the technology space.
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The world is changing at a rapid pace, making us witnesses of a thrilling, tech-fueled era that humanity dreamed of reaching for decades. Even though the Fourth Industrial Revolution already took off in the mid-20th century, the Covid-19 pandemic intensified its momentum.
A 2020 McKinsey Global Survey of executives found that the tech transformation accelerated by seven years due to the novel coronavirus. As a result, companies had to fill gaps for technology talent, use more advanced platforms and speed up experimenting and innovating. Tech-related skills, knowledge and capabilities are in high demand, giving job seekers who possess them a head start compared to those who don’t. The AI takeover will continue transforming how we live and work, creating millions of new jobs. It is no surprise that technology compromised 10% of U.S. GDP in 2019. Thanks to that, tech talent will encounter various opportunities and get a chance to build the world of tomorrow.
However, male technology candidates might have more success in landing a job than females. Women are still outnumbered in the tech industry in 2021, as the most influential figures in this area are led by men, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos.
Gender Disparities in Tech Industry
Before the pandemic, females were already struggling to secure their places in the tech industry and reach the positions they deserve. A 2021 “Women in Tech Report” revealed that Covid-19 has made it worse by overwhelming women with household responsibilities and hindering work-life balance with remote work. For instance, 57% of women feel burnout at work compared to 36% of men. They are also twice as likely compared to men to lose their jobs due to the pandemic.
The report also found that females have to work harder to prove their work and face more obstacles to promotion. Moreover, what’s colloquially referred to as “bro culture” remains pervasive in this industry. The exclusion extends to business meeting attendance as 72% of women are regularly outnumbered by men by, at least, a 2:1 ratio. But, 26% report even higher gender disparity, with the ratio being 5:1.
Although the percentage of females who work across all job sectors in the U.S. has grown to nearly 47%, the five most powerful tech companies in the world (Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft) average a workforce of only 34.4% women. Women are highly underrepresented in STEM jobs due in part to what’s referred to as “the broken rung.” That refers to the substantial barrier between women and promotions to manager-level positions, putting them at an instant disadvantage. But the situation is even worse for females of color, who in 2019 only made up 18% of entry-level job roles compared to 30% for white women and 35% for white men.
The reality in tech is dire for females, and 78% of women surveyed believe that companies should promote more women in leadership positions to support their presence and progress in this industry. They also suggest mentorship opportunities, flexible scheduling, unconscious bias training and equal maternity and paternity leave as potential solutions.
Why Is Gender Diversity Critical?
The paramount importance of diversity is no longer a secret. But it’s not enough to implement inclusion and equity initiatives as a compliance response nor marketing strategy. Businesses should understand the essence of DE&I and what it means for job seekers, employees and the workplace. It is how they can establish procedures that foster and leverage differences.
For example, 76% of employees and applicants believe workplace diversity is a critical factor concerning employment opportunities. But marginalized groups perceive it as even more significant, suggesting that many women wouldn’t consider working with a company that doesn’t nurture DE&I values. High representation is a competitive benefit that helps recruiters attract more qualified talents, but that’s not the only advantage. Companies where women are in leadership roles continuously outperform businesses with fewer C-suite level roles filled by females. If that is not enough to highlight diversity as beyond significant, organizations with higher-than-average DE&I had 19% higher innovation revenues.
Diversity has numerous benefits for businesses, such as increased employee engagement, retention and profits. But it also helps foster a positive work environment where workers feel respected, welcomed and motivated to achieve the best results.
How To Support Women In The Tech Industry
Female leadership and workplace diversity are beneficial for business, but it’s also inspiring for the youth and girls who aspire to work in the tech field. Building a world where children see representation is critical as it mitigates a mindset that conditioned women to believe they are inept for technology.
That’s why it’s essential to implement procedures, initiatives and opportunities that help support females in tech and their progress. Business leaders can achieve that through various solutions that provide women with equal chances and nurture their professional development. Here are a few suggestions on how to make that happen.
• Business leaders can evaluate gender diversity in their companies and ask employees how they would rate DE&I in the workplace.
• Organizations can expand their knowledge concerning the roadblocks women encounter in the tech industry. With that, they can better understand what they can do to make it easier for their female employees and job seekers.
• Companies must nurture equal job promotion between men and women — in leadership positions in particular.
• Businesses should offer to mentor and help women pave the road in the tech industry. Thus, it’s essential to provide valuable professional development opportunities.
• I also recommend leveraging social media to share posts about inspiring and successful female leaders and women in tech.
• Finally, companies can collaborate with educational institutions to share awareness and ensure girls know what kind of opportunities await them in the technology field.
Women In Tech Create A Path To A Better Future
Businesses shouldn’t aim to support women in tech to improve team performance or company revenues. Representation is critical for cognitive diversity, happy workplaces and motivated employees. But females who have equal chances of succeeding in tech are also a path to a better world where future generations can grow, thrive and innovate the industry.
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