More than a third of women in tech eyeing the exit in next two years
New survey data highlights the pandemic's continued effect on women in tech, and how it could drive them from their jobs.
- She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
New survey data shows women in tech are thinking of leaving their jobs.
Thirty-eight percent of women in the tech industry are planning on leaving their jobs in the next two years, according to a new survey.
The report from business management consulting firm New View Strategies, out Nov. 4, found that womens' experience with gender inequality in the workplace, as well as with the pandemic, is impacting their career trajectories.
Twenty-seven percent said they felt less optimistic about their careers than before COVID-19 hit. Fifty-two percent said their workload had increased since the pandemic began.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyone's lives over the last year and a half, including women who work in the tech field," the report said.
The report surveyed 1,000 women in tech, ranging in annual salary from less than $25,000 to $100,000, and in a variety of work environments, including in-office and remote and hybrid.
The data reinforces similar recent findings about women at work. Consultancy McKinsey & Company's annual Women in the Workplace report, released in September, found that 1 in 3 women across industries are considering either leaving their jobs or downshifting their careers. It also found that since the pandemic, women managers are taking on the extra work of helping others manage their workloads and navigate work-life challenges.
In another study, from October, AnitaB.org, an organization that advocates for women in computing, found that 53% of women felt the need to prove their worth to their bosses during the pandemic, fearing that having kids or other familial responsibilities might call into question their productivity.
Though the pandemic has introduced a new set of hurdles for women, ongoing issues predate COVID-19.
Of those surveyed, 43% think there's a gender pay gap at their workplace, and 38% say they've witnessed gender bias.
When asked about the biggest challenge women in tech face, respondents cited a lack of advancement opportunities, a lack of female role models, and a lack of mentorship, to name a few.