From financesonline.com/women-in-technology-statistics/
When most people refer to the digital divide, they're mainly talking about the disparity of access to technology between those in urban and rural areas. But this is only one of the major problems within the technology industry. Another major one that society must tackle is the deficit in women's involvement in technology-related careers. As physicist Vandana Singh cites, women make up only "27% of the workforce in the technology industry." But this isn't the first time historically that women have made up a minority of the workforce in a male-dominated field.
Why Now?
The main question people tend to ask is, "Why?" As society becomes more progressive and inclusive, the decline in technology careers for women seems almost retrogressive, and statistics prove that women are fighting a hard battle. McKinsey's annual report, the “largest study of women in corporate America” states, “For every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level roles to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted”(McKinsey & Co). This provides one reason as to why women might shift their views about going into this difficult and discriminatory field.
How to Solve this Ongoing Issue
The best way to solve this issue as many research studies have shown is to have recruiters be qualified in their job by eradicating any prejudice they may have against specific minority groups by undergoing training. This is the only solution to a problem that affects so many internationally. As UNWomen.org mentions, “Training for gender equality is a transformative process that aims to provide knowledge, techniques and tools to develop skills and changes in attitudes and behaviours”(UNWomen). This solution is the most recommended method of avoiding prejudice in the workplace recommended by international organizations.
Why is Diversity Important in the Tech Workplace
After considering the statistics, most people question how the increase in women in technology, and the increase of diversity in general in the stem field helps the industry. As studies have shown, the increase in diversity of a company correlates to the innovation of their solutions to their clients’ problems. Forbes has analyzed that since companies require “voices and input from all types of people” in order to solve problems that need different perspectives, diversity is the next frontier and largest challenge looming on the horizon that the technology industry must aim to solve to encourage innovation.
Sources:
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace#/
https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/capacity-development-and-training
https://fortune.com/2023/03/03/women-driven-out-tech-industry-tools-support-system-help-retention-professor-says/
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