How diverse is the Digital industry?

Madeline is not only a social media expert but also a talented writer with the ability to craft compelling content that captivates audiences. With a passion for blogging and PR, Madeline is the voice of TechNET, using her communication skills to elevate the company’s image and reputation.

Madeline was heavily involved in the creation of TechNET’s 2023 Digital Salary Survey, leveraging her knowledge to generate insights and analyse the results effectively.

The 2023 Digital Salary Survey from TechNET Digital – the Digital recruitment agency – has highlighted a concerning trend in the digital industry: a lack of female representation.

DIGITAL DEMOGRAPHICS

According to the comprehensive report, only 24% of digital respondents are female, with 74% being men and 2% being transgender or gender neutral. Additionally, the survey found that men hold the majority of positions at all levels, including Junior, Mid-Level, Senior, and Director/C-Suite positions. Addressing these disparities is crucial for how to encourage more women to enter the tech industry.

The fact that only 17% of Digital Directors are female is particularly alarming, as it suggests that women are being excluded from leadership positions in the digital industry. This lack of representation is not just a problem for gender equality, but also for the industry as a whole. Diverse teams tend to perform better, and including more women in leadership positions would bring new perspectives, as well as providing necessary role models for young, aspiring tech professionals.

Despite these numbers, 63% of survey respondents believe that their company represents gender equality well. This discrepancy between perception and reality highlights the need for more education and awareness around the issue of diversity in the digital industry.

One potential reason for the lack of female representation in the industry is the shortage of women pursuing STEM degrees and careers. However, this explanation only goes so far, as women who do enter the industry often face barriers to advancement and discrimination in the workplace.

LEADERSHIP DIVERSITY

Furthermore, the report also shows that on a scale of 1-10, digital leadership teams are rated 4.8/10 for diversity by digital employees, which is underwhelming. Some of the respondents made some interesting improvement suggestions…

“Companies should be smarter about finding talent from underrepresented groups and promote, instead of mandating hires to be a certain colour, gender, etc.”

“Companies should allow parents, and particularly employees who became parents during the pandemic to be able to work remotely full-time.”

To address these issues, companies in the digital industry need to take concrete steps towards increasing diversity and inclusion. This could include implementing blind hiring practices, providing mentorship and leadership training for women, and promoting flexible work policies that accommodate the needs of working mothers. Additionally, companies should be transparent about their diversity statistics and goals, and actively work to create a culture that values and celebrates diversity – this will also support an effective internal hiring strategy that attracts a more diverse range of digital and tech talent.

In order to make progress, it will take long term commitment from companies to move towards a more inclusive future that benefits both employee and employer.