Only 41 percent of companies have initiatives to hire more women in tech, ISACA research shows.
87 percent of IT professionals believe women are underrepresented in the industry. Yet less than half of companies have programs to hire more women. Just 41 percent of companies are committed to initiatives to hire more women within the technology sector. That’s according to a survey by ISACA, an international professional organization for digital trust functions.
Causes of gender gap
The Tech Workplace and Culture report is based on a survey of 7,726 IT professionals worldwide. In the report, ISACA identifies several reasons for the underrepresentation of women. For example, 43 percent of female respondents cited a lack of female role models and leaders in IT as a major cause. The pay gap was cited by 42 percent of women, compared to only 15 percent of men.
Men tend to rate their importance and influence in their current positions higher than women. That difference is greatest in purchasing decisions (13 percentage point difference) and contributing to business strategy (10 percentage point difference).
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According to ISACA’s Chief Membership Officer Julia Kanouse, structural changes are needed. “Having more women in leadership positions not only helps solve the global skills shortage in the industry, but also contributes to a more inclusive work environment,” she states.
Role of educational institutions
Educational institutions have an important role to play in gender inclusion, according to respondents. Among other things, they can offer mentors or role models (52 percent believe), create networking opportunities through tech clubs (42 percent), and hire more female tech teachers (31 percent).
Despite these challenges, the report reveals positive signs. For example, women are almost as satisfied with their career development as men. Moreover, 73 percent of women have received a salary increase or promotion in the past two years, compared with 71 percent of men.