One in Five Women in Tech Considering Leaving Their Jobs

According to a new study, one in five women in tech are thinking of leaving their jobs. With just 21% of women working in the tech industry, (according to ONS data 2019), this would have a significant impact in terms of female representation in the sector.

The research carried out by WeAreTechWomen with Ipsos MORI and the Tech Talent Charter, which explored the barriers women face in the tech industry, highlighted that 58% of women said that visible role models are one of the things that attract them to organisations; but noted the lack of female representation at the top of their organisations. The other key finding was that only a third felt that processes and systems were in place to prepare women for promotion.

LACKING SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Mentorship was highly attributed to aid career progression; however, sponsorship opportunities appear to be lacking, with only one in five stating they have access to sponsorship programmes. Of those who did have access to sponsorship, 55% of them said it has greatly benefitted their career.  With regard to male allies, over 75% of survey respondents stated that at least some men are not allies; and two thirds of whom finding that men talk over them or don’t listen in meetings.

Only 19% of those surveyed see all or most men as allies, with 85% citing the best way to demonstrate allyship is by giving credit for achievements. It is no surprise that 29% of women also stated they have experienced sexism or gender bias in some form. It is also interesting to see that salary has now become the main driver in terms of women joining a tech organisation (84%); followed by supportive managers (83%) and an inclusive culture (76%).

 “The research data shows mixed results. There is good news that those tech women surveyed are attracted to organisations by higher salaries and supportive managers. And while one in five are considering leaving their current roles, this is broadly in line with other current data across sectors around the “Great Resignation”; and 80% actually intend to remain in a tech role or in the tech sector,” highlighted Vanessa Vallely OBE, CEO of WeAreTechWomen. “That’s positive for organisations, which are being proactive about their gender balance efforts; but it still has the potential to cause significant damage to the overall sector representation which is starting from such a low base.”

GROWING TECH TALENT GAP

The report highlights that the tech women surveyed are flagging issues about a lack of clarity and transparency around career paths in their organisations. “While mentoring appears to be of some benefit, it’s not enough; and only 49% are aware of what sponsorship relationships are. Depressingly in this day and age, more than half of respondents (52%) still feel that their gender limits them in their careers,” added Vallely.

While it is deeply frustrating to see the numbers of women in tech at a plateau, there is much in this report to be optimistic about, according to Debbie Forster MBE, CEO of Tech Talent Charter. “If you are an employer who is willing to act on it. We can see that women can be attracted to tech, can love tech, can be very successful and will want to stay in tech if we as employers get it right,” said Forster.

“It is great to see that salary is being called out as a key factor, emphasising the positive impact and ongoing need for gender pay reporting. It is also positive to see other things that employers with smaller budgets can do to get it right in terms of transparent promotion structures, mentoring and sponsorship as well as good management and culture. The talent gap continues to grow and women are key to filling it. There are great actionable insights here, but it requires leadership, commitment and action. Every company willing to do this will reap the benefits.”

Click here to download a copy of the report.

According to another recent report, around 50% women abandon tech careers by the age of 35. Click here to read more.