While progress has been made in addressing the underrepresentation of women in the technology workforce, a significant disparity remains in many tech fields. ISACA’s recently released Tech Workplace and Culture survey explores gender dynamics in the tech workforce, as well as recruitment and retention challenges, the role of educational institutions as a pipeline for job candidates, and more.
“More needs to be done to increase the representation of women in the IT and technology sector—and more needs to be done to welcome their leadership and influence,” says Julia Kanouse, Chief Membership Officer at ISACA. “This will not only help to address the global skills gap and boost productivity in the sector—it will also create a more inclusive and diverse working environment.”
Here are five of the key findings from the survey, which had 7,726 respondents from tech professionals around the globe:
- Around 9 in 10 respondents say women remain underrepresented in the tech sector: 87% of respondents think a disparity continues to exist, although there are differences between men and women in assessing why that is the case.
- More than twice as many women (43%) as men (21%) view a shortage of women IT leaders as a driving factor in women being underrepresented in technology roles. Similarly, 43% of women say there is pay inequality in the tech workforce compared to 15% of men who believe that to be the case.
- Less than half of businesses (41%) have programs in place to hire more women.
- The survey also surfaced some promising data points. Seven in 10 women (71%) have received a salary increase and or/promotion in the past two years. That’s slightly higher than the 69% of men who reported an increase or promotion during that span. Meanwhile, two-thirds (67%) of women respondents report being extremely or very satisfied with their career progression.
- Overall, nearly three-quarters of respondents say attracting and retaining talent is a challenge.
Maria Koslunova, Director, Privacy and Data Protection, Turner & Townsend, said women can make further headway in the technology workforce with support from mentors and sponsors.
“An important topic that is often forgotten is sponsors," Koslunova said. "You can have a mentor in your organization or outside your organization, but you do need a sponsor to help pave your way forward. So my advice to anyone starting in the industry is to find mentors and sponsors that can help guide your progression. Find people that have careers that inspire you and learn from them."
More insights from the survey and information about ISACA’s SheLeadsTech program, which empowers women to enhance their professional skills and advocate for their career advancement, can be found at www.isaca.org/sheleadstech.
