Managing a work-life balance is the biggest barrier for women working in technology, according to a new survey.
The study, by recruitment firm Lorien, found that nearly half (45%) of women working in the sector reported having experienced issues with work-life balance, making it the biggest barrier faced in their careers.
Nearly a third (30%) said that the biggest barrier facing them in their role was gender bias and discrimination.
Three quarters believe that their current workplace environment is inclusive and supportive, yet only a quarter believe that they have the same promotion and advancement opportunities as their male colleagues.
When considering the help that has been extended to them in technology careers, 31% of respondents felt that in-house training given or sponsored by their employer provided the greatest means of support, followed closely by professional networks.
While just less than a fifth (17%) believed that mentorship programmes had provided the greatest support in their career, 12% cited a lack of mentorship as the biggest barrier they had faced.
Interest in tech more influential than role models
The importance of female role models in STEM subjects and tech careers is often flagged, but the survey found that only 6% of women in the technology sector were driven to pursue their careers by mentors and role models.
Almost half said that it was an interest in technology itself that had influenced them to pursue their careers in the sector.
A quarter were influenced by what they perceived as a large number of vacancies in the sector, while a fifth were drawn by high salaries in the sector.
More than half (54%) believe that women are still discouraged from considering a career in the technology sector, with 49% saying that they would be more attracted to an employer if they were aware of the career stories of other women within that organisation.
56% said that they would be more likely to join an organisation if it could demonstrate a gender-balanced workforce.
Darren Topping, director of enterprise solutions, insights and partnerships for Lorien’s parent company Impellam Group, said that while the number of women in tech was increasing, there was no room for complacency.
“The next hurdle is ensuring that women feel they have equal opportunities for career progression, with greater representation at senior levels,” he said.
TD SYNNEX runs a number of initiatives that support women co-workers including the famous 13-mile Seven Sisters hike over the white cliffs of England’s south coast, which was completed last year to raise awareness of the contribution made by women to the business. Its Elevate business resource group (BRG), which is dedicated to encouraging women to thrive in their careers, has now been running for over four years. Women already make up more than 40% of the TD SYNNEX UK workforce and the company has a goal to achieve male-female parity across all layers of management.
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