In recent years, the conversation around the importance of gender diversity in tech has been gaining more attention, and for a good reason.
While women have made strides in various industries, the tech industry continues to struggle with gender imbalance.
Women in tech are vital to the industry’s success for numerous reasons, and in this article, we will explore some of the key reasons why.
Promoting diversity and inclusivity
The tech industry has long been associated with a lack of diversity, with studies indicating that women are significantly underrepresented in tech jobs.
One of the most significant benefits of having more women in tech is the promotion of diversity and inclusivity.
Women bring a unique perspective to the table, which can lead to more innovative and creative solutions to complex problems.
A diverse workforce leads to a broader range of perspectives and ideas, which can improve products and services, making them more relevant and accessible to a wider range of users.
The STEM gender gap at school and university carries on through to girls’ career choices. Only 27% of our female respondents overall say they would consider a career in technology, compared to 62% of males. And only 3% of females say a career in technology is their first choice, against 15% of males.
A PwC UK research report
Breaking down gender stereotypes
The tech industry has been traditionally male-dominated, and this has led to numerous gender stereotypes that discourage women from pursuing careers in tech.
By having more women in tech, we can break down these stereotypes and promote the idea that tech is not just for men.
This can encourage more women to pursue careers in tech, leading to a more diverse workforce and more innovative solutions.
Gerty Theresa Cori; was an Austrian-American biochemist who in 1947 was the third woman to win a Nobel Prize in science, and the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for her role in the “discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen“
Creating positive role models
Having more women in tech can create positive role models for young women and girls. When young women see women succeeding in tech, it can inspire them to pursue careers in this industry.
This can help to close the gender gap in tech by encouraging more women to pursue these careers.
Doina Precup is a Romanian researcher currently living in Montreal, Canada. She specialises in artificial intelligence (AI). She is associate dean of research at the faculty of science at McGill University, Canada research chair in machine learning and a senior fellow at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. She also heads the Montreal office of Deepmind.
Enhancing collaboration and teamwork
Having more women in tech can improve collaboration and teamwork in the workplace.
Studies have shown that women tend to have more collaborative and inclusive leadership styles, which can lead to better teamwork and more productive work environments.
This can lead to more innovative solutions and a more productive workforce overall.
Psychological research shows women leaders improve businesses. Experts share how to increase the number of women in leadership roles.
American Psychological Association
Source: https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/female-leaders-make-work-better
Encouraging more inclusive product design
Having more women in tech can lead to more inclusive product design. When products are designed by a more diverse workforce, they are more likely to consider the needs and perspectives of a broader range of users.
This can lead to products that are more accessible and relevant to a wider range of users, including women.
Susan Kare is an American artist and graphic designer, who contributed interface elements and typefaces for the first Apple Macintosh personal computer from 1983. She was employee #10 and Creative Director at NeXT, the company formed by Steve Jobs after he left Apple in 1985. She was a design consultant for Microsoft, IBM, Sony Pictures, Facebook, and Pinterest. As a pioneer of pixel art and of the graphical computer interface, she has been celebrated as one of the most significant designers of modern technology.
Improving the bottom line
Having more women in tech can improve the bottom line for tech companies. Studies have shown that companies with more gender diversity tend to perform better financially.
This is because a diverse workforce leads to more innovation and better decision-making, which can help companies stay competitive in the market.
A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the bottom quartile.
Challenging the status quo
By having more women in tech, we can challenge the status quo and promote change in the industry.
Women can bring new ideas and perspectives to the table, which can lead to more innovative solutions and a more diverse and inclusive industry.
This can help to break down the gender stereotypes that have been associated with tech and encourage more women to pursue careers in this industry.
Whitney Wolfe Herd is an American entrepreneur. She is the founder, executive chair, and former CEO of publicly traded Bumble, an online dating platform, launched in 2014. She is a co-founder of Tinder and was previously its Vice President of Marketing.
She is the youngest woman to have taken a company public in the United States, at age 31. According to Forbes, by 2017 the company was valued at more than $1 billion, and the company reported having over 55 million users in 150 countries as of 2019.
Women are critical to the success of the tech industry.
By promoting diversity and inclusivity, breaking down gender stereotypes, creating positive role models, enhancing collaboration and teamwork, encouraging more inclusive product design, improving the bottom line, and challenging the status quo, women can bring numerous benefits to the industry.
It is vital to continue promoting gender diversity in tech to ensure that the industry stays competitive, relevant, and accessible to all.
