Men continue to outnumber women in tech, finds study

The gender imbalance which already existed in the tech industry is becoming even more pronounced over the last couple of years. According to the 2023 Women in Tech report, a report published on Thursday by cloud-based educational technology company, Skillsoft, nearly half of women technologists saying men continue to outnumber them at their organisation by a four-to-one ratio. 

The report, which surveyed over 1,300 women tech executives across 160 countries including India, found that 45% of women technologists saying that they are outnumbered by men in the workplace, a significant increase from the 25% in the previous year. 

The report showed gender disparity is even more noticeable at the executive and senior levels of leadership and found that among technology professionals with at least 26 years of experience, 15% of men hold executive-level positions compared to just 4% of women.  

Meanwhile, there is a decline in job satisfaction with nearly 30% of female technologists reporting dissatisfaction with their current growth potential and 36% are considering leaving their jobs due to a lack of equity in opportunities.  

“Despite the efforts of organizations to make diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace a greater priority, our research shows that the gender gap remains quite wide and significant work is needed to achieve true parity at all levels,” said Orla Daly, chief information officer for Skillsoft.

This coupled with the ongoing tech layoffs are further impacting women at a much higher rate than men, with women 65% more likely to lose their jobs than men, according to a research published by talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI in November 2022.

Despite these obstacles, career growth remains a top priority for females in tech, the Skillsoft report found. Ninety-two percent said professional development and training is an extremely or very important benefit, and when asked about ways employers can better support them, the top three responses were by providing professional development and training; more coaching, mentoring and career counselling and equitable pay.

Additionally, female technologists are actively seeking opportunities to build leadership skills and move into senior roles. More than a third (34%) have earned certifications in leadership and management over the past year, up from 27%. 

“Women in technology are calling for more opportunities to advance their careers via leadership development, technical training, coaching and mentorship,” Daly said. “Meanwhile, organizations are facing a critical need for technology and leadership competencies. This presents a mutual growth opportunity that helps organizations thrive and empowers women to increase their impact by filling these critical gaps.”

Meanwhile, a study done by IT firm NTT DATA and staffing firm NLB Services released earlier this month found that around 62% of companies plan to hire more women in the field of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in FY24 than they did in FY23, with 38% saying they will expand the number of women in STEM by 11%-20%. It also said that 57% of women enrolling in STEM courses felt confident in finding a suitable employment upon graduation.

The report further stated that the Indian female workforce (almost 56%) is also preparing for promising career options, as the country provides roughly 31.7% of the world's total STEM graduates and reaffirms its position as one of the largest STEM employment marketplaces in the world.