With more and more companies investing in newer, faster technology and mobile networks, the need for trained IT professionals has never been higher. At the same time, however, the skill gap has never been wider. In a 2016 survey, 65% of CIOs said that recruitment issues were harming IT modernization efforts.
“That’s pretty staggering,” said Bob Miano, president and CEO of Harvey Nash USA. “CIOs may have great ideas, but if you can’t get the IT talent, that’s a growing problem.”
One solution to the problem is to hire more women. Among all the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, technology is the only one where women’s participation has declined over the past two decades. But the lack of tech professionals is not the only reason why businesses should look toward gender diversity. A lack of women in the industry can also lead to decreased performance and profits, as well as a whole host of missed opportunities.
Increasing the number of women in the tech department will only stand to help the organization boost its effectiveness and overall profits. At MyComputerCareer, we offer live online IT training for in-demand certifications that can land you that lucrative career in the IT industry. For more information, contact us today.
The Impact of Women in Tech
Studies have shown that gender diversity in the tech industry can have positive impacts on business’ bottom lines. This is even more significant with businesses where employee engagement and satisfaction are reflected by the quality of the product or service. This applies to technology as well as retail, financial, and business services.
One study, in particular, concluded that companies with a higher degree of gender diversity see roughly 15% higher financial returns than the industry average. When it comes to team performance, a field experiment showed that teams with an equal gender mix generated better sales and profits than male-dominated teams.
When it comes to IT, all of this translates to what’s known in psychology as general collective intelligence, which refers to the groups’ ability to perform better in a wide variety of tasks. What’s particularly interesting here is that this collective intelligence rises based on two main factors: equality when taking turns speaking in a group, and the proportion of females in said group.
How to Attract More Women in Technology Roles
With all that being said, it would be in every IT department’s best interest to attract more women, but this may often be easier said than done. To enhance gender equality, businesses should do the following:
- Pinpoint any unconscious biases – During both the hiring and management processes, there can be certain biases that people don’t know they have. If left unchecked, these can increase the level of unfairness and create defensiveness for employees about the way things are. As such, companies should look for any gender-specific wording in their job postings as well as anything else that might send the wrong message.
- Focus on work-life integration – Fixed work schedules have a tendency to disproportionately affect women, particularly in terms of childcare. Therefore, it’s best if you try to move away from a rigid 9-to-5 schedule and look for a more flexible alternative. Luckily, the IT industry is a perfect environment for less traditional work arrangements such as telecommuting.
- Have more women in the hiring process – Having more women during the interviewing process can mitigate some unconscious biases that their male counterparts may have. Also, a female presence during this part of the process may also encourage more women to join your organization.
Takeaway
Increasing the number of women in the tech department will only stand to help the organization boost its effectiveness and overall profits. At MyComputerCareer, we offer live online IT training for in-demand certifications that can land you that lucrative career in the IT industry. For more information, contact us today.