Cybersecurity and data protection company Acronis has released its 2025 Women in Tech Report, uncovering gender gap perceptions in career development and leadership opportunities. Strikingly, over two-thirds of women believe they must work longer hours to advance in their careers, compared with 56 per cent of men who think the same.
Among the key findings, the report found that only 60 per cent of women believe men and woman have equal access to career development and growth, compared to 75 per cent of men. Work-life balance offers a similar story when it comes to perceptions, with 63 per cent of women saying work-life balances challenges significantly impact career progression for women, while only 49 per cent of men agree.
The 2025 survey of 650 global IT professionals highlights a consistent perception gap between men and women on the state of career opportunities in technology. While men generally view the industry as more equitable, women report significant barriers tied to bias, work-life balance, and leadership opportunities.
European respondents showed particularly strong awareness of gender bias as a barrier to women’s participation in IT. The United Kingdom stands out with 46 per cent of respondents citing gender bias and stereotypes as the primary reason women are discouraged from cybersecurity careers. This compares to 33 per cent in the United States.
Alona Geckler, SVP Business Operations and Chief of Staff at Acronis commented: “Closing the gender gap requires more than good intentions. Organisations must recognise these disparities and design programs that expand leadership opportunities, confront bias head-on, and create environments where work-life balance doesn’t present any barriers that may potentially derail women’s careers.”
Despite progress, inequities remain deeply embedded in workplace culture, particularly in technology fields. Women see greater value in targeted initiatives such as leadership development and advocacy, while men tend to underestimate the weight of systemic barriers. These contrasting perspectives not only reveal where organisations are falling short but also point to clear opportunities for companies to close gaps, strengthen inclusivity, and unlock the full potential of their workforce to build more inclusive workplaces that fully leverage diverse talent.
“This report highlights the critical need for companies to listen more closely to women’s experiences in technology career paths,” said Melyssa Banda, Senior Vice President, Edge Storage and Services at Seagate Technology. “For companies across the tech sector, highlighting women role models, addressing bias directly, and fostering inclusive cultures can benefit the entire industry. The opportunity now is to turn these insights into action that can drive innovation and create a workplace where everyone can thrive.”
The “FOMO at Work: The Opportunity Gap Between Men and Women in Tech” report is based on a global survey of more than 650 IT professionals across eight countries – the U.S., U.K., Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Singapore, and Japan. Women represent just 29 per cent of the global tech workforce, a figure mirrored in the survey’s methodology to ensure accuracy and relevance.
The 2025 report builds on Acronis’ 2024 Women in Tech Report, “The New FOMO: Females Fear Missing Opportunities in IT”, which first explored women’s fear of missing out (FOMO) on technology-focused career opportunities. This year’s study broadened its scope by including both men and women, covered more countries for broader global insights, and doubled the overall respondent pool to more closely reflect the realities of today’s tech workforce.
To view the full report, visit: https://www.acronis.com/en/resource-center/resource/fomo-at-work-the-opportunity-gap-between-men-and-women-in-tech/
