Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Tech
Are we effectively dismantling the historic barriers to access that prevent women and minorities from staying in high paying tech jobs? On an educational level, more women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial minorities are completing tech degrees than ever before. But is this translating into a higher presence in the workforce? We’re sharing the current statistics and industry trends as tech slowly but surely becomes more diverse.
What Is the Current State of Diversity in Tech?
The current lack of diversity in tech means the workforce leans toward white men and away from women and racial minorities, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In the previous link you will find some statistics from the EEOC and other sources.
Diversity in Tech Statistics
Men hold 75% of all tech jobs, even though they are only 48% of the workforce. (Zippia)
80% of high tech executives are men, compared to 71% of leaders in other private sector industries. (EEOC)
68% of high tech workers are white, compared to 65% of the workforce. (EEOC)
7% of high tech workers are African American, compared to 14% of the workforce. (EEOC)
8% of high tech workers are Hispanic, compared to 13% of the workforce. (EEOC)
62% of Black tech workers and 42% of Hispanic tech workers report experiencing discrimination. (Pew Research)
From 2014 to 2019, the number of women working in tech only grew by 2%. (Zippia)
Why Is There a Lack of Diversity in Tech?
Many leaders in tech argue a shortage of diverse talent inhibits hiring, but this is not supported by data. “Nine percent of graduates from the nation's top computer science programs are from under-represented minority groups,” according to the EEOC. “However, only five percent of the large tech firm employees are from one of these groups.”
The US Census Bureau states that only 28% of STEM-educated college graduates are actually employed in STEM fields. The rest work in industries like law, counseling, or non-STEM companies. To put this in greater context, around 37% of working professionals age 25-64 reported a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering, but only 14% worked in a STEM occupation. What prevents so many qualified individuals from following through on a career in STEM, especially tech?
For women and minorities, this barrier seems by anecdote and study to be wholly cultural, related to unfair treatment of women and racial minorities in STEM roles, especially tech. Toxic workplace behaviors that alienate diverse employees include, but are not limited to, bullying, sexual harassment, micro-management, limiting opportunity for growth, and stereotyping. These cultures and behaviors are often perpetuated by white and/or male dominated leadership.
While tech company cultures are known to be inhospitable to diverse people, change is happening slowly. BuiltIn found that 43% of tech companies plan to put words around a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) manifesto in 2022. A DEI manifesto is a declaration of beliefs about equity and inclusion, and a brief description of the company aims to increase it. Another 40% of tech companies plan to report on DEI metrics like employee retention and diverse leadership. As the benefits of more inclusive thinking and hiring manifest, a growing number of tech companies will have to take a look at their own structures and practices to improve.
Why Is Diversity Important in the Tech Industry?
The reasons why diversity in tech is important include everything from more creative thinking to happier employees and stronger company culture. Benefits of DEI in tech to the bottom line occur as both objective gains and avoidance of risks.
Objective gains from diversity in business show up best when employees at the entry level have a manager or leader at the company who looks like them. A 1% increase in racial diversity similarity between upper and lower management increases firm productivity by between $729 and $1590 per employee per year. Imagine how exponential the impact could be with diverse leaders at all levels of the business! The productivity gains from diversity make this a competitive advantage in the tightening marketplace.
Diverse perspectives also enable tech companies to avoid design bias. This is what happens when a product is only designed and tested by one demographic. For instance, AI is less likely to accurately process a female or ethnic voice if it is only trained on white male data. This is one very practical example of why diversity is so important in tech. Without diversity, you get a product to market and find it only suits or appeals to one segment of the audience. Including all perspectives might not be the most comfortable practice starting out, but the more we can listen to other voices, the more there is to learn.
Ultimately, the push for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion is happening because being an inclusive person is a healthy and kind way of life. This is not a shift tech companies can resist long, nor do they likely want to. Just like the advent of technology itself, what seemed like a trend of the day has become a cultural expectation, necessity, and norm. Those who achieve a diverse workplace culture of inclusion and equity will compete for top talent, keep the respect of clients and users, and maximize potential for the business–as well as simply live the joy of kindness, inclusion, and equity. Early adopters simply reap these benefits longer than the competition who hesitate to admit change.
Moser Consulting Values DEI In Tech
From our app and web design services to our consulting and workforce development, inclusion and belonging are core values at the heart of all Moser’s work.
On our weekly podcast ASCII Anything, we pull in some of Moser Consulting’s more than 200 resident experts. We are honored to share diverse perspectives on all things tech, from cyber hygiene to the best gifts for tech people to the soft skills you need to succeed in tech. Listen in to learn more about the aspects of tech that are interesting to you!
