International Women’s Day: Why do women still only make up a quarter of tech workers?

When it comes to representation, how far is far enough? 

Women are underrepresented in the tech industry – and realistically, always have been. So much so, that they only contribute to just over a quarter (26%) of the workforce. Of these, only 3% are Black and Hispanic, while 5% are Asian women.

What’s more, a recent survey from Women in Tech found that only 8% of these women believe they receive equal pay. 

As the list of stats highlighting the gender disparity is seemingly endless, we wanted to get to the bottom of the problem by talking with two women pioneering the industry: ServiceNow’s Kelley Steven-Waiss, and Asana’s Sonja Gittens Ottley. 

In exclusive interviews, we discover their personal experiences, as well as learning what they believe HR leaders can do to tackle these challenges.

Hiring talent from diverse backgrounds

With a head count of more that 22,000 employees, ServiceNow is an American software giant in the technology industry. As the business’s chief transformation officer, Kelley Steven-Waiss has emerged as a fierce voice encouraging women to join the sector.

She tells UNLEASH that although the sector has made great strides in becoming more diverse over the past few decades, there’s still a long way to go.

“In the early 1990s, when I started in the tech industry, there were very few women in senior leadership positions,” Steven-Waiss says. “This has gradually shifted, and we are now seeing female leaders directly influencing the direction and strategy of tech companies at a global level.

“This being said, STEM careers continue to be dominated by men, which is holding businesses back. By nurturing a diverse environment, the tech industry can enjoy the benefits of new perspectives and improved employee experiences.”

To progress this, HR leaders need to ensure that they are hiring candidates with diverse backgrounds, with Steven-Waiss explaining that employees with the same backgrounds limit creativity, ideas and experiences – therefore hindering innovation. 

“Smashing down this barrier and opening up to a wider range of perspectives will always translate into business growth,” she adds.

“That is because this approach creates a workforce culture that is feeding off different ideas and learning from each other, while encouraging continuous learning and development. 

“The more reflective a company is of the wider population, the better it can also understand its customers.”

Boosting representation and encouraging greater opportunities for women in tech

A lack of representation is just one of the many challenges women face in the tech sector, with figures showing the imbalance is present in companies of every size – not just the tech giants.

What’s more, Women in Tech’s data also found that a main deterrent for women joining the tech space is the belief that there’s a lack of opportunities.

In fact, one in three women are considering leaving their career in tech.

To change this, girls and young women in particular need to have their perceptions challenged, while employers also need to ensure they’re creating promotion opportunities. 

What’s more, this data highlights the importance of showcasing female role models in the industry, while also sharing success stories to encourage others to follow in their foot steps.

Sonja Gittens Ottley, head of diversity, inclusion and belonging at Asana, supports this idea, highlighting that technology can actually be used to advance women’s careers.

“There is rightly an onus on leaders to create a more inclusive environment for women that prioritizes belonging and empowerment,” she tells UNLEASH in an exclusive interview. 

“With the right approach, technology can actually support, rather than hinder, these goals.”

In fact, research from Asana’s Work Innovation Lab shows that women (71%) are more likely than men (64%) to say that collaboration tools are crucial to their work. 

While women may prefer such tools, it’s also true that they’re shouldering a disproportionate share of collaborative burdens. Meanwhile, Asana’s own findings demonstrated that more women (67%) than men (62%) experience some level of digital exhaustion. 

“While designing tech stacks with employee needs and preferences in mind is important, this research speaks to the fact that giving women the tech tools they prefer is not the entire answer,” Gittens Ottley adds.

“We also need to be sure that women aren’t picking up extra work – like effective collaboration – that can be hard to quantify, and can ultimately lead to exhaustion or burnout if unchecked.”

She explains that this is why businesses must prioritize technology that is data-driven, providing a fully-connected, accurate, and up-to-date map of work within an organization.

“Only by having this data, which can quantify activity like collaboration that women take a disproportionate role in, can businesses be sure that technology is being used in a way that is supportive of women’s wellbeing and working styles,” she notes. 

Steven-Waiss, who has recently launched her new book focusing on the unique obstacles female founders face in the tech industry, concludes: “Attitudes towards gender representation and diversity have become ubiquitous in business, with DEIB initiatives now commonplace across all sectors. 

“This has opened the door for a more empathetic, inclusive and creative workplace that will pave the way for a greater level of innovation in the future.”

So, which all this in mind, is this enough to reach equality in the tech industry?

And if so, when will we see it?