The importance of women in tech in driving a better tomorrow
We need more women coming forward and participating in tech summits, on interview panels, and in boardrooms to demonstrate to our next generation of young ladies that they too have an opportunity to succeed in the tech field.
Technology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the global economy. But the growing skill gap can be filled only with equal participation of men and women in tech roles.
According to a report by 451 Research, women now make up 34% of the IT workforce in India, with a 50:50 gender parity rate in STEM graduates. Do you know what is alarming?
According to the Women in the Workplace 2021 report, women hold 34 percent of entry-level engineering and product roles and just 26 percent of first-level manager positions, compared with 48 percent of entry-level roles and 41 percent of first-level manager positions in the pipeline overall. What’s worse - the gender representation keeps on decreasing at managerial and higher levels.
Women bring diversity to the table
Women's participation in the workforce has been adding immense value to the economic world and the IT sector is no different. More females in technology will bring a balanced view toward closing the prevailing gender gap. A study of data shows an increase in the number of women looking for tech jobs. JobsForHer has observed a 48% increase in women registrations from a tech domain between 2021 - 2022.
Diversity brings in more business
A study by Deloitte has proved that gender-diverse teams have the power to boost your business performance by 31%. We must think about the larger picture where women are needed at both ends of the spectrum - women who play a role in building the product/services and women who use these products/services. Half of the purchasing power lies in the hands of women, and we need to come up with ideas and products which solve the technology issues of both genders, making it directly proportional to business growth. With time, corporate India has realised the importance of diversity in the business and at the workplace. JobsForHer has noted a rise in the number of organisations that are hiring women in tech across channels and levels.
Women think differently and this can save the world
A diverse team translates to a smarter team. Being and working around people who are different from us makes us more creative, diligent, and hard-working. A diverse team tends to have better problem-solving and decision-making intelligence by bringing different perspectives to the table, which can boost performance at the individual and business unit level.
We need more role models
What is holding women back from taking up tech roles? The reason could be attributed to a lack of opportunities or a lack of recognition. Young girls must have strong female role models in STEM to look up to. When women see other women in roles, they aspire for they find it easier to imagine themselves in those roles and are more likely to put themselves forward. We need more women coming forward and participating in tech summits, on the interview panels, and in boardrooms to demonstrate to our next generation of young ladies that they too have an opportunity to succeed in the tech field.
At the same time, we need more and more women tech leaders to be vocal about their journeys, their struggles, their challenges, and their experiences to prepare and inspire a new generation of women to take the plunge into the industry.
If corporate India must close the gender gap, women including those who are looking to return to work after a career break need to be given equal opportunities. After all, they represent a latent talent pool of experienced, capable, recharged, mature professionals who bring a whole new set of life skills to their jobs.
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao slogan needs an extension Beti Ko Badhao to aspire our women to be at the forefront when it comes to their career choices.
The world needs more women in technology today than ever before. Owing to the pandemic, organisations across the world are digitising their operations, making technology an integral part of their day-to-day functions. To keep up with this change, increasing tech competency amongst employees is essential.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)