Women In Technology Statistics: The Hard Truths Of An Uphill Struggle

Despite national discussions on gender diversity in IT, data show that women are still underrepresented, underpaid, and discriminated against regularly in the sector.

Diversity is critical in the IT business because it helps firms to create better and safer products that benefit everyone, not just a select group of people. Furthermore, according to a 2020 McKinsey study, diversified firms succeed, attract superior talent, have more engaged workers, and retain employees better than companies that do not value diversity and inclusion. Despite this, women in tech remain underrepresented.

The scarcity of labor

Women make up 47% of all working persons in the United States, but just 25% of computer positions, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology. (NCWIT). Asian women make up just 5% of the 25% of women in tech, compared to 3% and 1% for Black and Hispanic women, respectively. Despite the fact that, according to Pew Research Center data, STEM occupations have increased 79 percent faster than total employment in the US since 1990, while overall employment has climbed 34%. Despite national debates about the lack of diversity in the computing sector, women are disproportionately left out of this expansion.

Degrees of separation

According to the National Scientific Foundation, more women than ever before are acquiring STEM degrees, and they are catching up to men in gaining bachelor's degrees in scientific and engineering (S&E) subjects. Women got just 19 percent of bachelor's degrees in computer science in 2016, compared to 27 percent in 1997, when the data was broken down by subject. Despite the fact that women are underrepresented in computer science departments at the undergraduate level, those who do pursue computer science degrees are more likely to pursue further degrees, with women getting 31% of master's degrees in computer science in 2016, up from 28% in 1997.

Problems with Retention

After earning a diploma, the actual work begins, and the numbers for women in IT are likely to be substantially worse. According to NSF data, just 38% of women who majored in computer science are employed in the field, compared to 53% of males. Similarly, just 24% of women with a bachelor's degree in engineering continue to work in the area, compared to 30% of males. This is part of a bigger issue known as the "leaky pipeline," in which it's difficult to maintain women in STEM fields after they graduate.

Workplace culture inconsistency

For a variety of reasons, women are not pursuing technology occupations at the same rate as men, one of which may be traced back to male-dominated workplaces. According to a 2017 Pew Research Center study, 50% of women reported they have experienced workplace gender discrimination, compared to only 19% of males. Women with a postgraduate degree (62%), women in computer positions (74%), and women in male-dominated firms all had higher percentages (78 percent ). When asked whether their gender makes it difficult for them to achieve at work, 20% of women said yes, and 36% said sexual harassment is an issue at work.

Male-dominated businesses, according to Pew's 2017 research, not only raise the danger of gender-related discrimination against women, but they also pay less attention to gender diversity (43 percent) and make women feel the need to prove themselves all or part of the time (79 percent). Only 44% of women in companies with a stronger gender-diversity balance said they had faced gender-related discrimination at work, 15% thought their company paid "too little" attention to gender diversity, and 52% felt a need to prove themselves.

While these findings show that more work needs to be done, it is clear that women who work on more gender-diverse teams are less likely to notice workplace injustices. They were less likely to feel that their employer would pass them up for a promotion or an opportunity because of their gender, and that their gender was preventing them from succeeding in business. Women working in male-dominated situations were more likely to report gender discrimination and unfriendly workplaces.

Representation is lacking

Women's capacity to flourish in technology might be stifled by a lack of female presence in the sector. It can restrict their opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship, as well as create "unconscious gender discrimination in company culture," according to a TrustRadius report, leaving many women "without a clear way ahead." According to the report, 72 percent of women in IT believe they are outnumbered by males in business meetings by at least 2:1, with 26 percent saying they are overwhelmed by at least 5:1.

Unfortunately, women in tech are used to being underrepresented — 72 percent of women said they've worked at a company where "bro culture" is "pervasive," compared to only 41 percent of men. TrustRadius defines "bro culture" as everything from a "uncomfortable work environment to sexual harassment and assault." The gender discrepancy in reporting, according to the research, is due in part to a difference in perception, as it "may be difficult for those in authority, or those who are not negatively impacted, to notice issues within the prevailing culture."

The majority of women in technology (78%) feel they must work harder than their male counterparts in order to establish their value. Furthermore, women in IT are four times as likely as men to believe that gender prejudice is a barrier to success. Women of color in computing are even less hopeful than white women about their chances for promotion; 37% of women of color in IT feel racial bias is a barrier to success.

The chasm of pandemic

Women in IT have reported feeling more burned out this year than males. According to the TrustRadius study, 57 percent of female respondents reported experiencing more burnout than normal during the pandemic, compared to 36 percent of male respondents. This might be due to the fact that 44 percent of women, compared to 33 percent of men, claim they have taken on more job duties. In addition, women (33%) are more likely than males (19%) to take on additional childcare responsibilities at home. Women in the IT industry were nearly twice as likely as men to lose their jobs or be furloughed during the outbreak (14 percent vs. 8 percent ).

As a result of the epidemic, women are less likely than their male colleagues to seek a raise or promotion. According to Indeed's study of 2,000 computer workers, 67 percent of men indicated they would be comfortable asking for a raise and promotion in the following month. Only 52% of women said they'd feel confident asking for a raise, while 54% said they'd feel confident asking for a promotion. In addition, women were less likely than males to say they felt comfortable asking for work location, schedule, or hour flexibility. The gender wage disparity in the computing business would widen even further if women are discouraged from asking for a raise while their male colleagues are not.

The divide that existed between the founders

Despite the fact that startups are known for their unconventional work environments, women nonetheless encounter obstacles there, especially if they are the founders.

According to Silicon Valley Bank study, just one out of every four businesses has a female founder, 37% have at least one woman on the board of directors, and 53% have at least one woman in an executive capacity. Gender diversity is directly influenced by the gender of the creator, according to the study. Only 5% of firms with no female founders had a female CEO, but 50% of startups with at least one female founder had one.

Disparity in wages

Women are not just underrepresented in technology, but they are also underpaid; according to Dice, 38% of women are unhappy with their salary, compared to 33% of men. A pleased woman in tech earns $93,591, compared to $108,711 for males. Women who are unsatisfied with their salary, on the other hand, earn an average of $69,543, while males make an average of $81,820.

Women are also more worried about remuneration than most preconceptions would have you believe, according to a 2019 IDC report on Women in Technology. Women are more concerned about pay and wages than men, contrary to popular belief. In addition, 75% of men feel their company pays them equally, but just 42% of women do. Because women in technology are paid less than males, salary is a big problem for them.

A leadership vacuum in IT

According to IDC, women in senior leadership roles climbed from 21% to 24% between 2018 and 2019. That's excellent news, because studies have shown that having women in high-ranking roles increases female employee retention and engagement. In firms where women occupy 50% or more senior leadership roles, female employees are more likely to stay for more than a year, have better job satisfaction, and perceive the company is trustworthy.

Despite the fact that these statistics are improving, women remain less confident than men about their potential for senior leadership roles. According to the research, 54% of males expect they will be promoted to senior management within their company.