Making employees feel valued is about company culture and work-life balance, a survey found. Remote work and diverse recruitment efforts can make a difference.
Of women in tech, one in four don’t feel valued at work, according to a study sponsored by ARRIS Composites of 1,000 workers in America.
With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way many of us work, remote and hybrid schedules have offered more freedom and more uncertainty for many U.S. tech workers. Competitive company culture helps drive talented people to hard-to-fill tech jobs regardless of gender, but what exactly are employees looking for?
What do women in tech look for in their workplace?
Businesses need to see gender diversity as a business problem, not only a social problem, Gartner noted in 2022. Women in tech want to be heard rather than talked over. Gartner added that pay equity is also key, with women being paid less on average than men in tech and quitting their jobs at more than twice the rate.
Organizations that want to successfully retain women should consider advocacy and networking groups.
“We know how important it is for younger women to see that progression is possible,” said Christie Struckman, vice president analyst at Gartner. “Let them see you and feel your impact by being a vocal champion of making change happen in your organization.”
It’s important to focus not just on recruitment but on retention and “a pipeline view of the lifecycle of female employees in their workplace,” she said. Women also see bias in promotion, with 40% noting it.