Tech leaders are increasingly acknowledging the persistent gender gap in the technology sector - with only 22% of women holding tech jobs in Europe (McKinsey) and a decline in enrollment in computer sciences education by female students. It is evident that groups with underrepresented identities face barriers to entry, and hinder progress in the industry. While the rate of women working at tech companies is closer to parity, the rate of women who are actually working in tech roles (such as developers or data engineers) is much lower. 

But, hold on. What’s wrong with that? Aren’t women and men choosing their career paths freely and striving towards achieving their full potential? Well, not necessarily. We know for a fact that girls and women globally, especially in Cyprus, still face stereotypes and biases that are usually communicated in subtle yet debilitating behaviors from their family, classmates, teachers, colleagues, etc.  This holds them back from choosing careers that are typically male dominated. Internalized stereotypes and prejudices make them see themselves as less capable, and if they ultimately join the tech industry, they face a series of barriers that prohibit them from fully accomplishing their potential and contributing to the tech sector.

The statistics paint a concerning picture. Women hold positions in the tech sector that are projected to have the lowest demand and impact in the coming years. For example, while 19% of people in software engineering and architecture functions overall are women in Europe, they make up only 10% of cloud solution architects and 13% of Python developers, two roles that actually have the highest demand in the job market (Eightfold AI). The new generation of advanced technologies, from low code solutions to generative AI, are becoming more common and we anticipate an important need for skilled engineers and developers not only for these technologies but also for the next generation of tech as a whole, including quantum, Web 3, and more (McKinsey).

The absence of women not only perpetuates economic disparities and worsens the gender pay gap, but also hampers the development of the tech sector. Tim Cook once said, “Technology’s a great thing that will accomplish many things but unless you have diverse views at the table that are working on it, you don’t wind up with great solutions.” Data shows that when it comes to work performance, companies with high gender diversity outperform those with low diversity by as much as 48% (Tek experts).

The absence of women not only perpetuates economic disparities and worsens the gender pay gap, but also hampers the development of the tech sector. Tim Cook once said, “Technology’s a great thing that will accomplish many things but unless you have diverse views at the table that are working on it, you don’t wind up with great solutions.” Data shows that when it comes to work performance, companies with high gender diversity outperform those with low diversity by as much as 48% (Tek experts).

Addressing this shortfall is not just the right thing to do; it is an economic necessity. Instead of focusing solely on the economic impact of the tech talent gap though, it is crucial to consider the human aspect of the issue.

To understand better why at a European level (and beyond) we struggle to identify and retain tech-talented women, and to determine how best to address the issue, McKinsey undertook a detailed analysis of the entire development pipe in Europe, from primary school to the workforce. Two critical points were revealed where women’s participation drops significantly: the transition from primary and secondary education to university and during the transition from university to the workforce. 

If we focus on the second transition, it better explains why more and more women are leaving the tech sector. Data show that women are more likely to feel isolated in tech roles as they usually have to fit in a “brogrammer” culture. Women often face higher expectations to prove their competence compared to their male counterparts, walking a fine line between being perceived as too “feminine” to be effective and too “masculine” to be likable. One of the classic “feminine” problems women face is undertaking loads of “office housekeeping,” which includes planning parties and conferences, ordering lunch, taking notes, and welcoming interns. Other more subtle forms of bias are equally hurtful, such as receiving promotional giveaways ordered only in men’s sizes or not being invited on a guys-only coworkers outing. 

In addition, the transition to parenthood disproportionately affects women in their tech careers. In a study that evaluated female pairs who were equally qualified candidates with identical resumes and one of whom was a mother, concluded that the subjects who were not mothers were 79% more likely to be hired, 100% more likely to be promoted, received an offer of average $11,000 more in salary and were held to lower performance and punctuality standards. Despite the industry's provision of flexible work arrangements, the "maternal wall bias" and other forms of bias continue to push women out of tech.

Redressing this imbalance is not easy, and a multifaceted approach is required as there is no single solution that fits all contexts within the tech industry. If you are working in the tech industry and are feeling overwhelmed by this information, let’s be clear: it’s simply not possible to know every form of bias that your colleagues face, and no one expects you to anticipate the needs and expectations of everyone in your company or industry. 

The challenge we must encounter is to constantly be curious and to listen when people around us voice those needs and expectations. We can be eager to assimilate new information and be ready to alter our ideas, behaviors, policies and practices if needed. We must be agile and flexible to re-evaluate “the way things are done around here”. But what does that mean in action? For starters, it means to learn how to create room to discuss discrimination that you may have never experienced with someone who experiences it on a regular basis, in different forms. 

The gender gap in the tech industry is a complex issue that demands attention and action. Over the next few months, I will walk us through some strategies for initiating such conversation and implementing concrete measures.  Until then, let’s reflect on how these issues exist in our daily work culture and lives. 

Panagiota Polykarpou is a Gender Equality Specialist & Non-profit Leader. Her interests focus on gender and equality, diversity and inclusion in organisations. In 2020, she co-founded the first digital content platform for gender equality in Cyprus called “Thkio Logia” (Θκυο Λόγια) and furthermore co-authored the book “A book about equality – A few words for a big change”. By 2022, the campaign had received the NGO CSW65 Young Feminist Award as one of the top 20 initiatives globally committed to gender equality, reached 500k+ people, and sold over 2,000 copies of the books translated in Greek, English and Turkish.

She is also the co-founder of “Girls in STEAM Academy” in Cyprus, which is an initiative that strives to close the gap in the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) fields. 

The combination of these efforts resulted in the launch of Be an Ally Foundation, an organisation which Panagiota runs today. Βe an Ally Foundation is a social catalyst for equality, diversity and inclusion and aims to change the discourse of equality in Cyprus by implementing initiatives that focus on inclusive practices and serve civil society as well as public and private organisations.

In 2022, Panagiota was one of the members of the Youth Parliament serving on the Committee of Human Rights & Gender Equality. She has also served as a mentor for students and young girls in Junior Achievement Cyprus and STEMi Africa. She is a Board Member of AIPFE - Women of Europe and Gardens of the Future.

Panagiota is currently based in Vienna working as a Consultant for Gender Equality at Yellow Window Belgium. She is also pursuing a master’s in Social Innovation & management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, WU Executive Academy.