Diversity and inclusion in the tech sector is unquestionably poor, and the sector needs to recognise it is missing a trick by shoving DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) to the bottom – or off – the priority list.
Why is it important for tech to reflect society as a whole? When you consider that tech currently exists in every corner of our lives – and is becoming yet more ubiquitous – it is vital that the people behind the tech reflect all the end users. If the people who write programmes, who teach AI and who develop new devices are not diverse, the result will be useful only for the end user the creators have in mind, who will largely reflect themselves.
According to the Tech Talent Charter’s 2023 Diversity in Tech Report, the UK tech industry still has a long way to go. 28% of tech workers are gender minorities, but only 22% of senior tech roles are held by them and only 35% of companies even bother to measure non-binary gender diversity. When it comes to ethnicity, the same survey found that while 25% of tech workers are from ethnic minority groups, only 14% of senior tech roles are held by them. Ethnic diversity almost halves in senior roles.
Also, while 20% of the UK working population has a disability, only 10% of IT specialists in the UK do. Social mobility is also low in tech – with only 9% of tech employees reported to be from lower socio-economic backgrounds, compared to 29% in finance and 23% in law.
The report states that the crux of the problem lies in DE&I being swept under the carpet – or shooed out of the room – as other business issues take precedence and cutting it is seen as a way to save funds. The report goes on to warn that painstakingly won D&I progress is at risk of being lost, and if the tech sector continues with the current trajectory, saying, ‘it’s going to get worse’. It continues: ‘What we need is for business leaders to commit to sustained, intentional effort that shows they are serious about diversity and inclusion, not for the optics, but because they truly care about people and they know that D&I has a powerful impact on the productivity, competitiveness and resilience of their business.’
Lexie Papaspyrou, product director, Tech Talent Charter (TTC), notes that software engineers are usually one the earliest hires new tech startups will make – and that these early hires set the culture in a new business, and these companies in turn set the culture of the UK’s tech ecosystem. “It’s no wonder that the tech industry faces criticism for exclusionary ‘brogrammer’ culture, when the people who influence tech company culture the most are often the least diverse,” she says.
In 2022, TTC and Working with Code First Girls, co-produced a report, D&I For Tech Leaders, that surveyed 1,200 women on their experiences of attempting to enter the UK tech workforce. The women surveyed had an interest in undertaking a new tech role, were taking steps to obtain tech skills, and were not already in such roles. The findings included 73% reporting a lack of confidence, 59% saying there is a preconception that tech is for men and 55% said there was sexism in the workplace. When it came to reasons as to why women were leaving tech, work-life balance was ranked number one, with 72.5% agreeing that it was an issue.
Whether it’s sex, disability, social class, or ethnicity, tech needs to examine what it is missing out on without diversity and inclusion at its heart. Employment Law Review says that the reported backtracking by Google on its DE&I initiatives raises broader questions about the status and importance of the latter. Meta has similarly deprioritised DE&I.
“The repercussions of such decisions extend beyond the workplace,” states Employment Law Review. “Experts argue that this retreat from DEI commitments comes at a crucial juncture, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence. If diverse talent is excluded from the development of AI, it risks perpetuating deeper inequities in the tech industry, affecting both employees and consumers.”
Dan Robertson, Global MD, FAIRER Consulting, agrees. He says: “Deprioritising DE&I in tech, or any other business sector, shows that organisations do not fully appreciate the proven benefits that diversity and inclusion bring to a business. When a group of diverse people feel psychologically safe, consciously included and their leaders are properly equipped to recruit and work without bias, and have the skills to build a cohesive team, they outperform all other iterations of teams.
“DE&I is not a nice-to-have. It is a cornerstone of success. Tech is an area that is growing apace and if you consider how many opportunities are being missed, simply through employing teams that are not diverse and not backed by recruiters or leaders who understand how to make the most of their people, it is mind-boggling. The good news is that there is so much room for improvement in tech and that the results of the latter, once achieved, will be tangible and lasting.”
To find out how FAIRER Consulting can help your organisation to recruit fairly and to lead with inclusivity, please get in touch. FAIRER Consulting is the DE&I arm of Hays UK.
