Only 1 in 7 women are in middle-management tech roles, and the average length of time women stay in tech jobs is shorter than that of men.
The new research by Revolent, shows that women in tech leave their jobs at a higher rate than men, with an average stay of just 2.5 years. This is compared to men, whose average length of service is 3.7 years.
This is happening even as a 2022 report from McKinsey found that only 52 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men across the tech industry.
In addition to a research demonstrating that diverse teams are generally smarter, more productive, and more innovative than their homogeneous counterparts.
Unless the US fills its digital talent gap, a report by Korn Ferry says it might miss out on $162 billion in yearly revenue.
“Gender inequality’s still a hot topic in tech, and for good reason – progress has remained too slow across the board,” James Lloyd-Townshend, Chairman and CEO, Revolent said.
According to him, the new data on middle management in particular offers further insight into the conversation about leadership.
“If we aren’t supporting women into senior and lead roles, it prohibits their chances of reaching the board level. The shorter average tenure that women currently in those roles have compared to men is also quite significant,” he said.
A breakdown of the report shows that at the senior level, the tenure gap is 1.4 years and 1 year gap at lead level. The findings also revealed that women make up just 22% of tech professionals who have a tenure of more than a decade in their role.
There may be a number of reasons for the lower than average duration and the fewer number of women executives, but women face greater obstacles to a late career than do males. According to a recent government poll, the majority of the 75,000 women with STEM skills who are “economically inactive” and have been for at least a year owing to caregiving obligations would wish to return to work.
To help address the problem a more diverse recruiting process, mentoring and assistance for existing female workers to grow within the company. Mentorship can increase confidence, boost leadership skills, and help women overcome gender-specific obstacles in the workplace. Moreover, employees who receive mentorship are promoted more often and experience greater job satisfaction.
The best course of action is to examine recruiting practises and leadership policies to see what may be done to attain a more diverse staff. The firm claims that companies should make an effort to identify the business sectors where women are under-represented before coming up with a plan to remedy the issues. “Go one step further and review your current employment data, including the information you hold on job applicants,” it said.
Businesses must then provide a summary report that summarises their main conclusions. Create a gender-diversity action plan using the data provided.
As a starting point, educate your HR staff on inclusive recruiting procedures, such as how to handle unconscious bias during job interviews. For instance, by deleting any identifying information, such name, gender, or location, that may be connected to particular prejudices.
Also, there is need to make sure a company has a diverse panel of interviewers as this will not only reduce bias during the hiring process, but also lead to a more objective perspective.
Another way to get more women in the C-suite, according to Revolent is to support those with leadership potential. For example, a company can provide training programmes and networking opportunities to help women thrive in their roles.
Alternatively, businesses may offer internal training or workshops on leadership styles, diversity and inclusion, team performance, change management, and other topics. Leadership boot camps and team-building activities can be just as effective as such initiatives will make your company more appealing to potential hires and help you maximise existing talent.
“No matter your industry or business size, it’s in your power to build an inclusive workplace where women can thrive. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and change the rules of the game,” Revolent concluded.
