Several studies and research data suggest that diversity is extremely critical in tech. The companies that are diverse often perform better, hire better, and are able to retain their workforce better than the companies not focusing on diversity and inclusion.

However, getting more women into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) still remains a challenge. The situation is more grave for women who are planning to join back after a sabbatical.

The gender diversity across technologies is about 25:75 females to males on average, reveals a report by AI-driven HR Tech platform Instahyre, clearly showing that the tech talent market is notoriously male-dominated.

According to the data analysis, backend developers have the widest gender diversity gap, witnessing a 17:83 ratio. Such a gap signifies a lack of gender diversity in tech, which makes it alarming for the industry as a whole.

Eliminating the gender diversity gaps in technical roles is imperative for industries to create more beneficial products for their customers.

Instahyre’s report also highlights other technical roles that face gender diversity gap in Indian talent.

Technical roles – Data Science and UX Designers - are dominated by 70% males outpacing 30% of females. This highlights the need for Indian startups as well as big companies to create a better gender diversity balance in the workplace.

Furthermore, women make up a small percentage of technical roles in frontend, artificial intelligence, mobile app development, and product management. They account for only 25% against 75% of men occupying these technical roles.

Companies across industries integrating technology as an integral part of their operations are instituting a systematic approach to be more inclusive towards women and hence build a high-performing workforce.

Lastly, the survey highlights that quality analysis shows the narrowest gender gap with 42% female profiles against 58% males. The role provides a unique opportunity to women in synthesising their complex experiences of life and utilising their decision making. It is the only role that does not struggle to draw women like other technical roles. It retains women’s interest through favourable training and resources provided to them to overcome challenges.

The onset of the pandemic brought about a dramatic change in the employment scenario. The application of new technologies across industries emerged as a game-changer in the talent war. This further widened the gender diversity gap, as women (who were already outpaced) faced a heavier brunt, due to the lack of learning and development opportunities.

Women in tech are already accustomed to a lack of representation. The report notes that companies should create a supportive environment where they feel comfortable, deserved and appreciated. They should make sure the female workforce gets equal rights for necessary upskilling and reskilling opportunities to help them seize better opportunities, despite low gender diversity.