For generations, women have been fighting their way up at all levels of society. While there has been a lot of discussion around the inequalities faced by women in all spheres, the progress made is not significant. Despite efforts to increase gender diversity and inclusion, the gender gap in the IT industry still exists. Women remain underrepresented in the field of information technology, particularly in technical roles. The numbers drop further when it comes to leadership levels.
Women account for only 16% of senior-level tech jobs and 10% of executive positions globally, according to the "Quantifying the Gender Gap" study by Entelo. These numbers are a wake-up call for businesses to implement the change that has been voiced so far.
Global Gender Pay Gap Persists: Women Only Make 0.84% of What Their Male Colleagues Earn Globally
While it's true that the pay gap between men and women in the IT field is slowly shrinking, women still only make 0.84 percent of what their male colleagues globally earn in the industry. Today, more and more women are delivering highly specialized skills in contrast to the stereotype belief that women can do only mediocre jobs and not the skill intensive ones.
In a twist that could only be described as ironic, studies have shown that women with skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields are hired into entry-level jobs at a lower rate than men, even though women traditionally perform better in schools and university examinations. Nevertheless, when it comes to attrition, this difference suddenly changes into equality. Yes, while women make up just 39% of global employment, they account for 54% of global attrition!
Bridging the gender gap helps to create a more inclusive and innovative workplace, but more importantly, it is key to creating a stronger, more productive, and more resilient economy. By promoting gender diversity, companies and economies can benefit from a wider range of perspectives, skills, and ideas, leading to greater innovation and economic success. Research has proven that diverse workforces outperform those that aren’t. According to an industry research report, companies with a 25% or more diverse workforce in their executive teams were expected to experience greater profitability than those with a less gender diverse workforce.
Cultivating a Culture Which Values and Recognizes Efforts by Women Employees
To close the gender gap in the IT industry, you need to address both cultural and systemic barriers. Education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can be a key part of promoting gender diversity in organizations by encouraging more women to pursue careers in these fields. By increasing the representation of women in these fields, organizations can benefit from a more diverse and inclusive workforce, which has been shown to lead to improved performance, creativity, and innovation. Also, a culture of valuing and recognizing the work will go a long way in achieving success. When women employees are valued and recognized for their contribution, they would go beyond their potential to accomplish their goals.
Addressing the unconscious bias in hiring and promotion practices. When it comes to hiring, mentorship, merit-based promotions, and acknowledgments, an equitable and transparent gender equality framework should be implemented at every stage. As a rule of thumb, the hiring mandate should make sure a diverse group of women are considered for every open position, from internships to full-time positions, by using both on-campus and off-campus interview methods. Special recruitment drives to target women who have taken time off from their careers to support and raise a family.
Organizations can also set-up an internal support system where we support our tribe and come together to help each other, be it work-related or emotional support, embracing sisterhood. In every organization, a forum should be established with the primary goal of supporting female colleagues. This initiative should provide mentorship, encouragement for potential female leaders, and foster a safe workplace environment that values diverse perspectives and ensures freedom of thought. Additionally, it should aim to offer support for achieving a healthy work-life balance. Creating an equitable, enjoyable and inclusive workplace must definitely be on the agenda of all organizations who believe in Women power and their unmatched potential.
According to a report by McKinsey in collaboration with LeanIN.org on Women in the Workplace, women at all levels are more likely to switch jobs than ever before. The reasons indicated are women employees are feeling undervalued and overworked, having experienced microaggressions that make them feel that it will be difficult for them to advance, wanting a more flexible work culture, and looking for a company that is committed to employee-well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Organizations need to act beyond just talking about gender equality in the workplace if they want to see lasting results.
Author bio: Sangeetha Govardhan is currently working as the Associate Vice President of Digital Engineering at Indium Software, a leading digital engineering solutions company with over 23 years of experience in delivering cloud engagements and application engineering projects. In her role, she leads the Cloud Services division, overseeing a team focused on cloud engineering, DevOps, machine learning, and data analytics solutions.