K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
A new study* has found that just 19.2% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) working at Fortune 500 companies in 2021 currently identify as female.
The findings also show a difference in tenure between men and women working within those roles, as the average length of service for women was calculated at around three years and three months, a full year and a half shorter than male CIOs.
The data supports the idea that women are not reaching executive level as the average age of individuals working in CIO positions is 55. In contrast, an alarming 50% of women are dropping off the tech career ladder by the age of 35. That’s a 45% higher rate than their male counterparts and 30% higher than in other types of tech roles.
Revolent also highlight similar studies which suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown may have accelerated gender inequality in tech.
The bigger picture: diversity and AI The company joins the growing group of experts to have voiced their concerns over gender equity in tech, particularly as a lack of diversity can have a dangerous impact on the technology our world runs on.
“Similar concerns were raised around the AI used on Google phones when it failed to recognise black males because black communities were not involved in development,” said President of Revolent, Nabila Salem. “Or in 2019, when Apple’s credit card system was found to operate algorithms that were inherently biased against women after Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) was offered a credit limit almost ten times higher than his wife.”
“With fewer women sitting at the table when it comes down to designing and creating these new technologies, we can’t feel confident that, ultimately, they will not be biased against women in some way or another.”
The “missing middle” of women in tech roles The result of 50% of women dropping off the tech career ladder before 35 is what Revolent and others call the “missing middle”. In other words, where senior tech roles are male-dominated because women are less likely to reach this point in their careers.
Salem believes that “while we’ve made progress when it comes to gender equity in tech, the numbers we’ve found suggest there’s a lot more work needed before we truly level the playing field for women.”
Continue reading: https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/diversity-and-equality-inclusion/less-than-one-fifth-of-ftse500-cios-are-female-research-finds/
The findings also show a difference in tenure between men and women working within those roles, as the average length of service for women was calculated at around three years and three months, a full year and a half shorter than male CIOs.
The data supports the idea that women are not reaching executive level as the average age of individuals working in CIO positions is 55. In contrast, an alarming 50% of women are dropping off the tech career ladder by the age of 35. That’s a 45% higher rate than their male counterparts and 30% higher than in other types of tech roles.
Revolent also highlight similar studies which suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown may have accelerated gender inequality in tech.
The bigger picture: diversity and AI The company joins the growing group of experts to have voiced their concerns over gender equity in tech, particularly as a lack of diversity can have a dangerous impact on the technology our world runs on.
“Similar concerns were raised around the AI used on Google phones when it failed to recognise black males because black communities were not involved in development,” said President of Revolent, Nabila Salem. “Or in 2019, when Apple’s credit card system was found to operate algorithms that were inherently biased against women after Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) was offered a credit limit almost ten times higher than his wife.”
“With fewer women sitting at the table when it comes down to designing and creating these new technologies, we can’t feel confident that, ultimately, they will not be biased against women in some way or another.”
The “missing middle” of women in tech roles The result of 50% of women dropping off the tech career ladder before 35 is what Revolent and others call the “missing middle”. In other words, where senior tech roles are male-dominated because women are less likely to reach this point in their careers.
Salem believes that “while we’ve made progress when it comes to gender equity in tech, the numbers we’ve found suggest there’s a lot more work needed before we truly level the playing field for women.”
Continue reading: https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/diversity-and-equality-inclusion/less-than-one-fifth-of-ftse500-cios-are-female-research-finds/
