Women’s leadership and equal opportunities in the technology sector

Despite the degree of innovation enjoyed by the ICT sector, there is still a long way to go in terms of female leadership and equal opportunities.

Despite progress, female leadership still faces many challenges. Aspects such as reaching management positions or enjoying equal opportunities and real wages are just some of the aspects in which companies need to evolve in order to support women’s leadership.

Far from what might appear to be the case, the data corroborate several deficits. Although it is true that Spain is not one of the worst off EU countries, as it is not one of the worst off countries in the EU. ranks sixth in gender equality in organizationsbut the report ‘Women in the Workplace 2022′.conducted by McKinsey & Company in partnership with LeanIn.Org, certifies that only 6% of women hold general management positions, 17% are at a lower level and there are only 33% of female directors in Spanish organizations.. All of these figures are lower than the European average of 8%, 21% and 31%, respectively.

What about the technology sector?

Spain does have a strong female presence as CEO or general manager in many of the technology multinationals operating in the country. It may well be the exception that proves the rule when it comes to women’s leadership in business. women’s leadership in the companyThe presence of women in the rest of the layers of the organization’s organizational chart can be significantly improved.

The challenge lies in the fact that the Spanish ICT sector does not have an example to follow: the lack of equal opportunities in the workplace also occurs in the rest of Western countries. Even in those countries that are supposed to be more advanced in terms of equal opportunities between men and women, such as the Nordic countries.

According to data from the ‘Bloomberg Gender Equality Index 2023’, which evaluates female leadership opportunities, equal pay, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies and brand perception abroad, technology is the second best positioned sector.

But there’s a catch: it does so thanks to the good score (72%) in the inclusive culture section, where only the financial sector and the telecommunications sector outperform it. In the rest of the sections the figures are more than improvable, especially with regard to female leadership and the channeling of talent, where it obtains 48%, which means that only the utilities and energy sectors are in a worse position.

11% lower salaries

Nor can the ICT sector boast in terms of salaries. This figure is surprising given that this is an innovative sector that has carried out actions such as the promotion of teleworking, the provision of female leadership courses and the adoption of measures for work-life balance.

But the reality is that the wage gap between men and women exists and, according to INE data, women working in the ICT sector earn on average 11% less than men in the same position. Above other sectors such as healthcare or industry, but far below the hospitality and education sectors.

Keys to boost women’s leadership

Addressing the keys to providing an impetus that guarantees equal rights and opportunities will not only have a positive impact on women, but also on the entire company due to, among other things, the resulting improvement in the work climate in the work environment.

A platform such as BesTalent IA by aggity helps organizations to detect where mismatches in equal treatment in the workplace are occurring and to determine what the needs of all female employees and their expectations are. Based on this knowledge, the solution helps talent managers define the most appropriate career development opportunities and actions for women to reach positions of responsibility that drive female leadership.