The business benefits of diversity cannot be overlooked – having a diverse workforce produces better business outcomes, evidently performing better than those without. Fortunately, the technology industry is experiencing a steady increase in the number of women in leadership, which presents greater potential for long-term equity.
However, while the tech industry is paving the way forward for innovation and technical advancements, it still has a long way to go in terms of fully embracing and empowering women.
The current state of affairs
While research from Deloitte shows that the global tech workforce has seen a 6.9% increase in women's participation and an 11.7% rise in their representation in technical roles from 2019 to 2022, women in tech still encounter obstacles in attaining and retaining leadership positions.Aside from issues like the gender pay gap, McKinsey finds that only 52 women are promoted to managerial roles for every 100 men. With new reports showing that more than 50% of women in the technology industry are likely to quit before the age of 35, organizations need to act fast and implement cultural changes to retain more woman, encourage their ambition, and also promote more balanced promotion and mentoring opportunities.
Actively encouraging young girls into STEM
It's important to acknowledge that businesses aren't solely responsible for tackling unconscious bias. Childhood experiences often contribute to its development and it starts very early in homes and in schools. Therefore, it's imperative for parents, local schools and government authorities to work together in empowering young girls to pursue STEM career paths and eliminate prejudice before they even enter the working world. I grew up with a mother who prized education and accomplishment plus I had natural leadership, aptitude, and resiliency to lean on.Looking back at my own educational journey, I learned to read very early, and was always good at math and science, identified by the time I was seven. My elementary school already had specialized programs teaching biology, algebra, and chess by the time I was eight. While some of my middle school classes were more repetitive to that program when I moved schools, I then in high school had access to Advanced Placement classes where I could take college level STEM classes during my high school years. This positioned me well for a major in international finance and economics and, later, an MBA/ Masters in International Management. Yet, without the encouragement and support I experienced in my home life and developing years at school, I might have chosen another path altogether or not felt that I could achieve something that no one else in my family and no mentors during my younger years had done.
Although girls generally perform as well as, if not better than, boys in science and math standardized tests, women are notably less likely to pursue careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, except for life sciences. It has always been the right thing to do to encourage gender diversity in STEM, but now it is an imperative given resource and talent shortages in our ever-more digital world.
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