Recruiting and retaining experienced women in our industry is of paramount importance, and is fundamental to the future competitiveness of the UK’s IT industry.

In an industry that regards itself as leading-edge in the value it delivers to the UK economy and society, companies can no longer avoid addressing their failure to create a working environment that attracts and retains senior, qualified women.

The number of women working in the IT industry fell from 27 per cent in 1997 to 21 per cent in 2004.  And even though the number of women employed in the IT industry has stabilised, the sector is still losing experienced, senior women fromits ranks.

Unfortunately, there are still organisations, or senior individuals, within the technology industry that believe talk of diversity is a meaningless diversion from the conduct and professionalism of everyday business life.

Much has been written in recent months about the issue of professionalism. Trade body Intellect, the BCS and the eGovernment Unit are all embarking on programmes designed to improve levels of professionalism in our industry. But more work needs to be done.

Professional organisations create confidence and trust in their customers. They attract the best people to work for them, reflect the diversity of their customers, and have loyal and dedicated workforces.

Professionalism is an essential component of a successful enterprise. And professional organisations also recognise the value of senior staff, and understand how to keep them.

During the past two years, Intellect’s Women in IT Forum has been working to promote the business case for diversity in our industry, and to identify why women leave the workforce.

The forum works to uncover, and to share, examples of best practice on diversity among stakeholders. And the group has been working closely with the Department of Trade and Industry to commission a two-phase report.

Phase one, published earlier this year, focuses on the business case for diversity. The second phase of the research is released this month.

To seasoned observers of this subject, the reasons why women leave the workforce are not novel. But those unfamiliar with the issue may be surprised to learn that, based on the experience of our members and based on the findings of the report, the majority of women leave for one of the following reasons. Long and inflexible hours balancing responsibilities at home, and at work, becomes increasingly difficult as a woman takes on more senior responsibilities.

The availability of flexible working practices often falls short of what is necessary. And, despite its reputation for innovation, the technology industry has an unenviable reputation for long hours.

People working in IT can be expected to work early mornings, late evenings and weekends, and to travel significant distances.

For individuals with children or care responsibilities, the culture of the industry inhibits their ability to take up or to stay in more senior roles, and to become role models for the next generation of young female IT professionals.

Management appreciation

Given the sacrifices they make for their careers in terms of hours and responsibilities, women can sometimes feel unappreciated by their managers when compared with their male counterparts.  Women have also felt alienated when confronted by aggressive styles of management.

For many women, putting themselves forward and promoting their talents and achievements can be uncomfortable. But they have particular skills and approaches that bring enormous value to our industry, and they would like to be recognised for this.

Lack of inclusion

A decline in the proportion of women employed can lead to an increase in the number of men working in the industry – and a lack of female role models at senior level.

Women find it increasingly difficult to work and progress in an environment where the old boys’ network introduces inequalities in the promotions and ambitious projects being offered to females.

The challenge for our industry is that these are cultural difficulties, rather than practical ones.

Tackling each problem requires a long-term commitment from the IT industry’s most senior figures.

In some companies, where management commitment is offered, measures have already been adopted to counter the cultural norms.  For example, business mentoring, creating networking opportunities and monitoring career progression can dislodge some of the practices that the old boys’ networks can encourage.

But such tactics will take time to deliver the retention rates required by the industry.

The technology sector needs to convince some of the most talented members of its workforce that their contribution is needed, appreciated, and rewarded; that it can accommodate their desire for a successful career as well as a home life.

Professional IT workers are an essential prerequisite of a professional IT organisation. And professional companies do not trust to luck, manage by the seat of their pants, or wing it. They seek out advantages where they can to deliver increased value to their customers and their shareholders.

The future development of our industry is dependent on creating and retaining a diverse workforce, where employees feel supported, comfortable and able to succeed regardless of their orientation or sex.

It is a significant challenge, but one that we cannot fail to meet. It is time to stand up and be counted.

Gillian Arnold is chairwoman of Intellect’s Women in IT Forum. The forum was set up to encourage more women into the IT industry and, once in it, to stay. The forum has more than 100 members from the private and public sectors, networking groups and academia. Intellect is the trade association for the IT, telecoms and electronics industries in the UK.

Research: why women are leaving the technology sector

THE DTI and Intellect’s Women in IT Forum commissioned primary and secondary research to help develop the business case for diversity and identify best practice strategies for retaining women in IT professions.

The recently completed second phase of the project sought to establish why women have left the technology industry, and presents the five most commonly-cited reasons for women leaving, or thinking of leaving the IT sector.

As many as 32 per cent of women refer to a lack of flexible working and the consequences of working part-time. Just over a quarter (27 per cent) feel undervalued.

A further 24 per cent of women are unhappy with the IT industry, because of its culture of long hours, while nearly a fifth of women (19 per cent) believe their management has been unsupportive.

In addition, 16 per cent of women say they have suffered from a lack of inclusion in the male-dominated technology sector.  Other reasons include lack of company values, time spent commuting, and the need for training.

The research also focuses on changes which could have helped persuade women to stay in the technology industry.  These include addressing issues with management confidence and feeling more valued, altering the IT industry’s culture of long hours, and improving equality.