Half of European IT staff believe that women are well represented in tech leadership positions, despite just one fifth of senior tech roles being occupied by women, according to the annual Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT salary survey.
Data from the Tech Talent Charter reveals that women constitute only 21 per cent of senior tech leaders in the UK among its signatories, while a study by Frank Recruitment Group found that women held just a quarter of CIO positions in FTSE 100 companies last year.
Despite increasing discussions about diversity and inclusion in the technology sector over the past decade, 10 per cent of IT workers in Europe reported that their companies are currently doing nothing to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their tech teams.
“The gender gap in tech remains far too high and it is concerning to see the disconnect between the perception and reality,” said Sheila Flavell CBE, Chief Operating Officer for FDM Group. “Progress is still slow and there is still a lack of representation of women in senior technology roles, in particular, causing an imbalance in the boardroom. Businesses must take action to address the gap, providing pathways for women to rise through the ranks, support through mentoring schemes and training to enhance digital skills, bringing through the next generation of female tech leaders.”
Regarding gender diversity, 62 per cent of respondents stated that their IT departments are successfully growing and maintaining the number of women in their tech teams, while five per cent admitted the opposite.
In fact, one-fifth of respondents revealed that their tech teams comprise less than 5 per cent women, and only seven per cent said that women make up half or more of their tech teams. However, over a third indicated that there are plans to hire more women into tech roles.
Wendy Stonefield, London Hub Executive at tech consultancy AND Digital, said: “While there has been progress in bringing female talent through in organisations, that progress is forced in some cases due to client demand. Women however, remain underrepresented from senior tech roles. Our recently released Rewards & Resilience report found that women in the tech sector face a dual reality, loving the work they do but, unfortunately, still facing bias in the workplace which has clearly contributed to the lack of representation in senior positions.
“People need to be much more aware of the cultures they create and recognise that bringing real diversity to the table is no longer optional,” Stonefield concluded.
