Anuva Bhagirath
The advent of digital technology has completely transformed our society. Technology businesses are significantly impacting the course civilization is headed in and the creation of solutions for the problems we will encounter in the future. It can be seen in everything from the goods we use daily to the information we consume online.
The difficulty, however, is that there are not enough women working in these innovation-oriented companies, particularly in positions of authority at the highest levels. Since women only make up 25% of the tech workforce, this situation can potentially exclude half of the world’s population from discussions about our future. Some tech organizations are making concerted efforts to reduce these numbers. But, women are still facing many obstacles, including a lack of technical skills and loss of opportunities owing to discrimination based on gender, colour, or appearance, which prevents marginalized but well-informed female experts from giving their best.
What is causing this gap?
Well, the problem does not start today; it dates back to their educational level. We all are very familiar with the fact that females are discouraged from participating in related STEM fields since they are young. In addition, even those who have expressed an interest have not been motivated to pursue it.
According to experts, only 3% of female students consider building their careers in technology as their first option. That’s presumably due to a widespread shortage of knowledge among females about what it’s like to work in the tech business or pursue a STEM-based career.
Those few women who choose STEM fields often find themselves in hostile work environments where their colleagues do not support them. Many women talk about how difficult it is to be heard and considered for promotions in the corporate tech sector, as employers do not trust them with work.
Significance of Gender Diversity in Tech
The incorporation of diverse perspectives into company practises is beneficial. Creativity will likely be accelerated when there is gender, racial, and age diversity on a team. To solve the problems that certain populations face, it’s helpful to have input from various sources.
Strengthens the Workforce
The technological sector is one of the most rapidly expanding in the globe. As a result, there is a higher demand for additional labour supply. Nearly half of the population that is employed comprises women. If they are not included, this sector may be deprived of the essential human resources it needs to continue expanding.
Boosts the Performance
When more women are in leadership positions, the companies hiring policies are less likely to discriminate against female applicants. Therefore, the hiring process placed a greater emphasis on candidates’ abilities than their gender. Consequently, these businesses had a greater number of skilled employees.
Creation of Balanced Products
Increasing the percentage of women working in the tech industry can encourage the production of more products geared toward women. Men in technology are less likely to design “gender-neutral” goods. However, women who are skilled in technology can contribute to the creation of more well-rounded technological products.
Close the Gap
The first step in resolving the technological disparities is to focus on women’s strengths, particularly those of women who want to make a late-career transition into the field. For instance, since coding is a skill that improves with practice, a 12-year-old who has been doing it for three years has a huge advantage over an adult who has just started learning it. In these situations, the experience of the older population can help develop innovation to the age-old challenges.
Organizations need to create a neutral environment that motivates women in the corporate world. As an additional incentive, businesses should pay women the same as men in similar positions. If major tech companies increase the number of women holding executive roles, it could inspire more women to enter the field.
Conclusion
All-in-all, we can only say that the demand for tech experts will keep increasing as time passes. Diversity in technology enables a more comprehensive analysis of challenges and the development of efficient responses to those issues. Including women in this field can assist in the re-emergence of balance and accelerating innovation.
Although it is encouraging that the number of women is increasing daily, there is still a lot of improvement in these numbers. Fortunately, many women have found a better work-life balance, all thanks to the flexible work rules since the pandemic.
To all the women working in technology-related roles – speak for yourself, and remember that venturing outside your comfort bubble with the assistance of the right mentor can take you very far in your career. We have had many examples of women who excelled in this sector. Women in the tech industry are certainly not an unseen topic but are a bit of an untouched one.
And, all of us working together can make the tech industry a place where our voices are heard, and our skills are recognised.
“Let’s aim at becoming an integral part of our future.”
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