Improving diversity and inclusion in the tech industry

Without adequate support and representation, diversity in tech will always be at a low-level standstill

UK businesses have made significant progress when it comes to diversity, but the tech industry is falling behind - according to research from Tech Nation, just 19 per cent of the sector employees are female. Given that women make up 49 per cent of the UK workforce and the technology sector is growing at triple the rate of the rest of the economy this should raise alarm bells.

Meanwhile, non-white representation sits at 15 per cent in both the tech workforce and the UK population. At first glance, this might lead us to assume that ethnic diversity in the tech industry adequately mirrors our society; however, this figure is deceiving because it doesn't account for regional variations. For example, in London - the UK's largest tech hub - just 3 per cent of technology workers are from Black, African or Caribbean backgrounds, despite making up 13 per cent of London's population.

As the digital skills gap continues to widen, so do the barriers preventing under-represented backgrounds from applying for jobs in the technology sector. It is imperative for change to occur, as there is also a wage premium to consider: junior roles that require digital skills pay 29 per cent more than roles which don't. With this in mind, it's clear that, with the correct D&I strategies, the technology sector could be instrumental in solving issues such as the gender pay gap.

The Catch-22

So, in order to achieve better diversity, it is vital that good senior role models are available to represent the minority groups who need them but are currently simply not enough senior-level staff members to act as role models for diverse employees. Note, for example, a report by Campus Technology, which showed that the two greatest barriers holding back women in tech are a lack of female mentors (cited by 48 per cent of respondents) and a lack of female role models (cited by 42 per cent). Research has also suggested that women may be put off working in the technology sector due to fewer opportunities for senior roles and promotions. This is a Catch-22 situation at its finest: without adequate support and representation for female employees, gender diversity in tech will always be at a low-level standstill, due to the uncertainty it creates for those who would like to enter the sector in the first place.

In the long term, we should be aiming for diverse senior boards. However, in order to pave the way for this to be possible, we must find a solution to the problem right now, by acknowledging the existing barriers facing by under-represented employees and how this stops them reaching the top roles in the tech industry.

The solutions:

Tackling inequality in tech involves recognising why it exists in the first place. It is imperative - although often difficult - for employers to address the notion that their unconscious biases are likely influencing their decision to recruit people of a certain nature. Employers' tendencies to lean towards people they relate to most is one of the primary drivers for inequality in the tech industry, as it means that businesses hire the same types of individuals over and over again. Overcoming this mindset may feel risky, but the strategic benefit of having teams made up of different personality types is too great to be ignored: consider McKinsey's Diversity Matters report, which found that highly diverse companies were 33 per cent more likely to outperform their competitors.

Diverse teams will also help to mitigate embarrassing product failures - such as digital soap dispensers which didn't recognise dark skin, or the HealthKit app by Apple (where only 30 per cent of employees are female), which failed to acknowledge women's menstrual cycles upon its first release. Researchers have identified three issues that cause these problems to occur: bias in data, bias in algorithms and bias amongst AI researchers themselves, who are disproportionately male, affluent, and from a shallow pool of ethnic backgrounds. It's clear that increasing the involvement of under-represented backgrounds in the product design process would lower the risk of such failures.

Another good solution would be to aim for a diverse sub board which can communicate ideas within the business up to the main board. Pinsent Masons did so in 2019, launching a ‘Spark Board' which promotes inclusive working and recognises that ‘no single person or committee has the monopoly on good ideas'.

Such agendas create a stepping stone that will eventually transpire as a means through which enough role models can take senior board positions. This could be instrumental for the tech industry: it will help to combat imposter syndrome amongst diverse employees and in turn improve their confidence, by providing them with visibility within the company and an example of who they can be.

As well as giving a voice to individuals from under-represented backgrounds in the short term, a sub board can also provide a training ground for its members, by helping them to strengthen and develop their teaching, communication and listening skills, giving them company recognition, and adding a new dimension of purpose to their careers. In the long term, sub-boards will equip members with the skills to become mentors on senior boards in the future.

Conclusion

There are a number of ways the technology sector can effectively navigate its way out of its Catch 22 situation. By acknowledging the set-backs that its faces when it comes to diversity, businesses can revamp their systems in a way that transcends unhelpful hierarchies and welcomes a new generation of workforce as well as give a voice to employees across the board.

Stuart Affleck, is Director at Brook Graham, Pinsent Masons' Diversity and Inclusion consultancy