Diversity in Tech: Why is Closing the Gap for Women and Racial Minorities Important?

In today’s increasingly diverse and ever-changing job market, it may seem a given that
employing a diverse group of people is an important aspect of running a business. It seems,
however, that some industries are struggling to embrace diversity and break free of the traditionally homogenous employment strategies that have plagued the United States since, basically, its formation. 

The field of tech has been one of the most unvaried industries for a long time. Women and
people of color have struggled to break into the industry for ages and even when they do, they
are oftentimes mistreated and/or underpaid.

The fact of the matter, however, is that things are changing – the industry is evolving. Slowly, albeit, but companies such as MoMo are making great efforts to build a team of highly skilled and diverse members.

What Does Employment in the Tech Space Look Like Right now?

Yes, the tech industry is mainly white and male. In fact, the Pew Research Center reports that
only 25% of jobs in computer science fields are women. Women that do hold jobs in tech often
report underpayment and unequal treatment.

According to a 2021 survey conducted by Hired, a whopping 59% of hiring in the tech industry saw men receiving higher salary offers than their female counterparts – for the SAME role. These statistics are even worse for women of color. Only 15% of entry level positions in the industry were held by women of color.

With these discrepancies, coupled with the fact that women in tech often have no female managers to look
up to, and are often treated unfairly by their male co-workers, there is little room for happiness
and satisfaction for women in tech work environments.

Even mega-corporations such as Microsoft see sparse numbers for racially diverse employment
as well. In fact, only 4.6% of employees employed by Microsoft were Black and only 6.4% were
Hispanic/Latinx, as of 2020.

Just as with women in the field, many people of color are also subjected to mistreatment and unequal pay, according to a study done by the Pew Research Center. This harmful rhetoric employed by tech companies may lead to further dissatisfaction and low productivity for people of color in the workplace.

Why is diversity in the workplace so important?

There are many reasons why employing a diverse group of people is important to companies,
not just in the tech industry, but in the job market as a whole. Of course, it is ethically and
morally right to want a diverse group of people on your team, and to supply them with the same
opportunities as the rest of their colleagues.

Besides that, the tech industry is filled with work that requires people to be intelligent, but also creative. When you disregard certain groups of people, you are disregarding pools of knowledge waiting to be used. A diverse team ensures that different life views and experiences are being brought together to create a collective mindset and present unique ideas. Diversity means improvement and success!

There are statistical studies that back up the advantage of an inclusive workplace. According to a
study conducted by McKinsey and Company, companies that employed a higher volume of
female executives were 25% more likely to achieve above-average profits.

The Bottom Line

The tech industry still has disappointing diversity numbers, even though many companies have
pledged to revamp their hiring practices to be more inclusive. It’s just not enough. In order to widen perspectives and broaden consumer understanding, it’s important to have a diverse array
of people working for your company.

At Modernized Mobile, we value diversity and inclusion because we know that it leads to success. We have a team of educated, bright individuals of many races and genders working together in an efficient and successful environment which is what all companies should do. We are proud to set the example for other businesses to follow and hope that they will see the benefits of a diverse workforce as well.

It’s time to leave the traditional, homogenous workforce in the past and focus on celebrating
people that come from all walks of life.

-MoMo