The tech industry has always been a male dominated field and though there are more women in today’s workforce, less are choosing to join the sector now than 20 years ago. Not only this, but there remains a significant pay gap between men and women and many women report everyday sexism in the workplace, which is off putting for females looking to join the sector.
So what are the main issues holding women back from entering the tech industry and what can be done to make women feel more valued within the field.
Next Generation Recruitment have put together an infographic looking at a few stats, issues and what’s being done to improve the industry for women, as as bid to encourage more females to take on a role in tech.
How many women currently work in tech?
- Less than 7% of tech positions in Europe are filled by women.
- In 2014 only 26% of those working in the tech industry in the US were women, down from 37% in 1991.
- Women are the minority in tech leadership, making up less than 20%.
Some of the most notable women in tech:
- Ginni Rometty – CEO, IBM
- Elaine Coughlan – Co-founder & Partner, Atlantic Bridge Capital
- Anna Christina Ramos Saicall – CEO, B2W
- Cher Wang – Co-founder & Chair, HTC
Why are there so few women in tech?
- Gender stereotypes can discourage girls from studying subjects such as Maths and Science which are typically seen as male subjects.
- Less women are studying STEM subjects so there is a lack of female tech talent.
- Hiring mangers are more likely to hire people who are culturally similar to them, so a team of men are likely to hire more men with similar hobbies, interests, etc.
- 73% of people believe that the tech industry is sexist.
- 52% say that they are aware that women are paid less than men.
Why does the tech industry need more women?
- Gender diversity is good for a company.
- Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women on their board outperformed those with the lowest female representation by 42% return on sales.
- The tech industry needs more women working in the sector to ensure there is future talent.
What’s being done to encourage women to join the tech industry?
- Education is being improved.
- More female role-models being championed.
- Negative stereotypes are being challenged.
- Networking and mentoring opportunities are being strengthened.
Find out more below!
[Image Credit: Shutterstock]
