Two-thirds (68%) of businesses feel there’s a lack of diversity in their technology workforce, but less than half (46%) are actively addressing the issue within tech teams, according to a WILEY survey of more than 2,000 early career tech workers and 270 business leaders released earlier this month.
Half of young tech workers reported leaving or wanting to leave a tech job because the company culture made them feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. Among women of color surveyed, the number increases to 57%.
The discomfort among underrepresented tech workers starts early in the hiring process. Six in 10 (64%) survey respondents believe the technology job recruitment process discriminates against people from minority backgrounds.
Why do we care?
Several stories this week have been about the workforce, and this is one more dimension… and not one siloed off. Workers aren’t just concerned about only one thing… it’s the death by a thousand cuts that get you. Ignoring this dimension adds another reason for a worker to leave… or excelling here, even if other areas are still works in progress, may make a difference. Consider this not in isolation, but as part of bringing substance to why individual humans choose to work at your organization.