Topic: lack of diversity, women, Tech Companies

Introduction

Considering several industries that have come under criticism for their underrepresentation of women and minorities, diversity and inclusion have gained significant attention. One of the apparent concern is the underrepresentation of women in the tech industry which is caused by biased recruitment and hiring. This essay analyzes the ongoing issues related to gender diversity in tech firms by looking at the gender gap and discrimination, the culture of discrimination, and their counterarguments.

Thesis Statement

Despite research indicating that the discrimination of women is not the primary issue in tech industry’s recruitment and hiring, underrepresentation of women in the industry needs to be revised to address the cultural concerns.

The Gender Gap in Tech

Tech firms have come under increasing scrutiny for their failure to recruit and retain female talent. The persisting gender difference in computer and internet usage worldwide (Galyani, 2010). The gender bias in technology is a global problem, not just in one area. Women are underrepresented in IT-related fields globally, which has a significant impact on their availability in the tech sector. This gender gap is not just a result of women’s lack of aptitude or desire; societal factors also have a big impact (Gillespie et al., 2014).

Additionally, Geert Hofstede’s model identifies cultural factors that affect the adoption of technology. The impact of these factors, which include power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation, on gender roles and attitudes toward technology varies by national context. These cultural aspects play a part in the differences in computer and internet usage between males and females in various geographic locations (Glastonbury, 2021).

Lack of Diversity and Discrimination

The persistent gender gap in tech industries has often been attributed to a perceived diversity issue, where it is assumed that there are not enough qualified female candidates to fill the roles. Recent statistics refute this idea, arguing that the real issue is the persistent cultural prejudices and discriminatory behaviors that exist inside these industries. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show a startling disparity: twice as many males as women with equivalent credentials work in STEM professions. This information refutes the notion that women lack the skills or motivation in STEM fields (Chaudhry et al., 2019).

“Annual event marks Women’s History Month-March 14, 2018” by Aberdeen Proving Ground is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Assessing the diversity data of top tech businesses reveals the gender difference in hiring. For instance, according to Google’s diversity report, only 30% of its employees are women, while 70% of its workforce is made up of men. The tech sector as a whole needs more female representation, not just at Google. Women’s decisions to stay or leave a tech business are heavily influenced by discrimination. Talented female employees are frequently compelled to look for possibilities elsewhere due to age, racism, sexual orientation, gender discrimination practices, inflexible work schedules, and unequal pay. The idea that women are less interested in STEM occupations is disproved by data demonstrating that women perform just as well as males in STEM courses and are excellent in mathematics. However, cultural expectations and prejudices still discourage women from choosing STEM fields.

Culture of Discrimination

The gender imbalance in tech firms is not just a problem with the talent diversity; it is engrained in the culture of the sector. The technology sector still has problems with gender diversity despite high school girls and boys participating equally in STEM electives and a sizable proportion of women enrolling in introductory computer science courses at universities like Stanford and Berkeley. Leading technology businesses graduate minority students in computer science and computer engineering at a rate twice as high as the rate at which they hire them, which disproves allegations of a talent shortage (Lusoli & Turner, 2020). Based on Kieran Snyder’s research, which involved 716 women in IT roles at 654 different companies, there were dissatisfactions reported by 27% of these women as the reason they left the field. Their decisions to leave the tech industry were heavily influenced by discrimination, both explicit and hidden. This prejudice included considerations of parenthood, age, color, sexual orientation, and gender (Marcus, 2015b).

“John Edwards Speaks to Women Employed 5.9.07” by John Edwards 2008 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

In the same way, research from the UC Law SF discovered that all sixty women scientists asked said they had experienced racial and gender bias. Women of color frequently felt pressured to produce more evidence of their expertise than their white male counterparts, and a sizeable percentage of Black and Latina scientists were even mistaken for administrative or custodial laborers (Marcus, 2015b). In addition, many encountered resistance when voicing anger or assertiveness at work, and moms encountered prejudice and gender stereotyping. Companies are under increasing pressure to reveal their hiring data and accept responsibility for diversity goals as public awareness of the lack of gender diversity in technology evolves. Organizations must address their cultural biases and put programs in place focused on retaining women and underrepresented groups (Noble, 2018). Tech businesses can have a beneficial impact on gender diversity in their ranks by tackling bias in workplace practices and providing workers with the resources they need to succeed.

Counterarguments

Counterarguments against addressing the lack of diversity in tech companies often revolve around the notion of a shortage of qualified female candidates. This argument is made by those who believe that although businesses really want a more diverse workforce, it is difficult to find qualified applicants (BairesDev, 2022). Once the evidence is looked at more closely, a distinct viewpoint becomes apparent. The argument that there needs to be more qualified female candidates lacks the complexities of the diversity problem in the technology sector. The issue is not a lack of available talent; but cultural biases and barriers that make it difficult to find and keep skilled employees. The root of the problem lies in deeply entrenched cultural discrimination and bias, which are pervasive in the field and discourage smart women from entering and remaining in IT jobs. This counterargument highlights the importance of addressing the underlying cultural issues that were mentioned in the earlier sections in order to address the gender imbalance in tech organizations. Essentially, there is a talent pool with the necessary qualifications, but cultural barriers prevent them from being included and advanced. This calls for a determined effort to transform the industry’s culture and procedures.

Solutions to the Lack of Diversity

Companies need to address the underlying cultural issues that support gender bias in order to solve this obvious issue. Conducting thorough culture assessments, which include a look at discriminatory hiring and compensation practices. The success of diversity efforts depends critically on senior leadership’s persistent dedication to resolving gender and racial challenges within the firm (Massanari, 2016). Additionally, all employees should be required to do unconscious bias training, as Pinterest has done. This effort promotes a more inclusive workplace by ensuring that people at every level of the company are aware of and face their biases. For the business to retain outstanding individuals and give them the opportunities they need to advance within it, clear career advancement pathways, coaching, and training programs specifically designed for women and minorities are also important. Additionally, mentoring programs should be developed to assist women and underrepresented groups in navigating the complexities of workplace politics and culture and to provide them with the political skills necessary for success.

Conclusion

There needs to be more than the hiring issue alone to solve the urgent issue of diversity in tech companies, particularly the underrepresentation of women. Women’s ability to be hired and recruited suffers greatly from cultural factors, including discrimination and prejudice. Tech businesses can only hope to achieve true gender diversity and inclusion, which will be beneficial to both their employees and the entire industry, by identifying and resolving these problems.

References

BairesDev. (2022, September 8). Tech firm sees female candidates in industry quadrupling. GlobeNewswire News Room. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/09/08/2512681/0/en/Tech-Firm-Sees-Female-Candidates-in-Industry-Quadrupling.html

Chaudhry, H., Wall, A. E., & Wall, J. L. (2019, July). Exploring the Gender Gap in Tech Companies: Why Aren’t There More Women? In Competition Forum (Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 275-280). American Society for Competitiveness. https://www.academia.edu/download/64517433/2019%20Competition%20Forum%20Vol%2017%20No.%202-1.pdf#page=98

Galyani Moghaddam, G. (2010). Information technology and gender gap: toward a global view. The electronic library, 28(5), 722-733. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/02640471011081997/full/html?casa_token=rKJ1CfoS8tQAAAAA:SmX7uQSvQ1ccwaeUXsMiEUfYb_k6ploJz12eEcQQBOp5ELVaDQZ0A7TfPeFqe5nkP1GDRFsHzouZYS3IWP_zZwHiaVFcuqDBnL4NqPa9kdy4wd0FWkrC

Gillespie, T., Boczkowski, P. J., & Foot, K. A. (Eds.). (2014). Media technologies: Essays on communication, materiality, and society. MIT Press.

Glastonbury, C. M., Bucknor, M., Wall, S. D., & Hess, C. P. (2021). Hiring through the lens of diversity: strategies to create diverse departments. Academic Radiology, 28(12), 1775-1778. https://www.academicradiology.org/article/S1076-6332(20)30485-2/fulltext

Lusoli, A., & Turner, F. (2020). “It’s an Ongoing Bromance”: Counterculture and Cyberculture in Silicon Valley—An Interview with Fred Turner. Journal of Management Inquiry, 30(2), 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492620941075

Marcus, B. (2015, August 12). The Lack Of Diversity In Tech Is A Cultural Issue. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus/2015/08/12/the-lack-of-diversity-in-tech-is-a-cultural-issue/?sh=13821d7079a2

Massanari, A. L. (2016). #Gamergate and The Fappening: How Reddit’s algorithm, governance, and culture support toxic technocultures. New Media & Society, 19(3), 329–346. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444815608807

Noble, S. U. (2020). Algorithms of oppression. In New York University Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9781479833641.001.0001

By Xiaojia Shen