Nimmi Patel
Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity, techUK
Explore how businesses can address gender disparity in the tech industry, and celebrate women’s achievements year-round. Join the movement for equality today.
On each International Women’s Day, we honour the remarkable achievements of women in the tech industry. However, that should be a year-round commitment.
Gender gap persists in tech
techUK is acutely aware of the stark gender disparity within the tech sector. Shockingly, in the past year alone, 43,000 women have exited the workforce to fulfil caregiving responsibilities within their families.
According to a study by PWC, three out of five women returning to the workforce will move to a lower-skill role, which immediately reduces their earnings by a third. According to 2022 UK Government data, the gender pay gap across the UK is 14.9%, in favour of all male employees.
Addressing gender barriers for inclusive tech
Tackling gender disparity requires us to confront and dismantle the numerous obstacles that women often face in the tech field. From implicit biases to workplace stereotypes, we must identify and address these challenges to foster a truly inclusive environment. Equally, we need to shed light on the progress being made.
Encouragingly, several initiatives have emerged to support women’s progression in tech. Mentorship programmes, networking events and educational initiatives are empowering women to pursue technology-related careers.
The gender pay gap across the UK is
14.9%, in favour of all male employees.
Invest in women: accelerate progress
What we have found to be most successful is celebrating and sharing stories about women in the industry. By sharing these stories, we aim to showcase the endless possibilities and inspire more women to enter and persist in technology careers. techUK’s TechTogether campaign aims to do just that. By championing inclusion efforts and including allies in this conversation, we can contribute to building more equitable societies and dismantling systemic barriers to opportunity for all.
As we mark International Women’s Day, let’s not only celebrate the achievements of women in tech but also acknowledge the work that still lies ahead. Together, we can continue to break down barriers and empower women to thrive in the dynamic world of technology. The United Nations theme for International Women’s Day for 2024 is ‘Invest in women: accelerate progress.’ Sharing women’s stories is how we do this.