U.S. technology businesses are changing for the better, with promotions and professional opportunities on the rise, according to 84 percent of women leaders.
The findings, contained in a major new report from AND Digital, the global technology consultancy and published ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) also revealed that women felt increasingly supported and empowered in leadership roles, particularly in the technology industry.
The report, entitled “Doing it for themselves: How women are rewriting the rules of leadership” saw 310 female technology leaders in the U.S. discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in their day-to-day roles.
An impressive 90 percent of women leaders said they agreed with the statement “I enjoy being a tech leader.” Meanwhile, an additional 83 percent said they felt they had succeeded in their role as a technology leader.
Respondents to the survey also highlighted the increased opportunities for flexible working. An impressive 82 percent said their workplace supports and promotes a positive work-life balance.
However, the research also revealed that the majority of women leaders felt more work needed to be done to create a more equal culture in the workplace, citing barriers to progression. For example, 73 percent said they felt their organization could do more to make the workplace better for women in leadership roles.
When asked to explain some of the issues preventing women from progressing in their careers, 76 percent said they had encountered challenges to becoming a leader in the workplace. Examples cited include facing extra scrutiny, a lack of respect from men, struggling to have work recognized, and male colleagues with less experience benefiting from promotions.
The research also revealed that gender discrimination is still prevalent, with 41 percent saying they had witnessed it in the workplace. Meanwhile, 40 percent said they had actually experienced it.
Linda Benjamin, VP, AND Digital says, “It’s clear that the technology industry is finally making huge strides in the way it supports and empowers the next generation of female leaders. It’s one thing to increase the diversity of your headcount, it’s quite another to ensure those new hires remain supported, motivated and happy to continue in their careers.
“These findings should send a clear signal to CEOs and company founders that their hard work building more diverse teams has been worth the effort and that these positive changes will enable them to build more profitable and productive businesses.
With AI shaking up traditional working models, it’s crucial that forward-thinking businesses invest in the latest female tech talent, to ensure they can stay ahead of the competition and deliver better products and services.”
