The IT and technology sectors have historically lacked diversity, with women, ethnic minorities, and other underrepresented groups significantly underrepresented.
- Women make up only around 16-19% of the IT workforce, compared to 49% in other industries.
- Only 8.5% of senior leaders in UK tech are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
- Just 9% of IT specialists have a disability.
The lack of diversity in IT is problematic for several reasons:
- It limits innovation and problem-solving by not tapping into the full breadth of talent and perspectives. Diverse teams bring more creativity.
- It contributes to the tech skills shortage, as the industry is not attracting talent from the full pool of potential candidates.
- It results in products and technologies that may not adequately serve diverse end-users, as the design process lacks diverse input.
- It perpetuates an unwelcoming culture that discourages underrepresented groups from pursuing IT careers.