One in three women in the tech field say they experience gender bias at their workplace, according to a getyournewview.com study. The organization surveyed 1,000 women employed in technology roles to better understand their experiences working in a historically male-dominated field. The findings were alarming:

  • 38 percent of the respondents said they witness gender bias at their workplace;
  • 38 percent also said that men are assumed to be more capable than women in their tech-based workplace; and
  • not only are women experiencing or witnessing gender bias, but almost half (46 percent) say their organizations are not actively prioritizing gender equality within their hiring or culture.

Within a workplace, a gender bias may show itself in many ways, such as a pay gap where women are paid less than a man for doing the same job. Forty-three percent of survey respondents believe there’s a gender pay gap at their workplace. However, only 24 percent of women have discussed a pay gap with their co-workers, according to the study.

More than half of women (52 percent) said their workload has increased since the start of the COVID pandemic, and about a quarter (27 percent) now find themselves less optimistic about their career. The pandemic has also impacted women and their career plans, as 38 percent said they plan to leave their jobs in the tech industry within the next two years.

Nearly half of the women surveyed (46 percent) said they got into the technology field because of compensation, while 33 percent said they did it for job security. Other reasons included a passion for the industry, flexibility, and a prevalence of jobs. The biggest challenge of being in the industry, according to the women surveyed, is the lack of opportunities for advancement. Other challenges include a lack of mentorship, lack of training resources, and a pay gap. According to the women surveyed, only 13 percent said their organization offers training specifically for women. This compares to the 54 percent that believe their tech company should offer specific training just for women.

According to 81 percent of survey respondents, the biggest perk of working in a technology role is the flexible work hours. Nearly three-quarters of women (74 percent) say PTO is also a perk, while 55 percent cited paid maternity leave. Other perks women are finding in the tech field include the ability to work remotely, 401k matching, training, stock options, and paid paternity leave.

The women surveyed were in the tech industry in general; they were not specific to travel and hospitality companies. For insight into the experiences of women in the tech sector within the travel and hospitality industry, download Women Leading Travel & Hospitality’s latest report, Women in Travel Tech: Innovators Leading Us Into the Future.