Women in tech face the challenge of not being taken seriously

Women facing a glass ceiling in the workplace unfortunately continues to be a reality and a new survey explores what that means in the world of technology.

Topping the list of complaints is the challenge of “being taken seriously due to gender perception.” Of the more than 500 women who responded to the survey, 53.8 percent said this was their biggest challenge.

One piece of good news is that the number of women reporting that issue declined from last year, according to the survey conducted for Specops Software. The company provides password management and authentication solutions.

At the same time, 27.1 percent of women surveyed said that glass ceiling is worse now than ever before. This was the only issue that saw an increase from the 2018 survey.

Other top challenges included the gender pay gap, a lack of female role models, sexism in the workplace and a lack of diversity.

Another question in the survey focused on what women want most in a new role. The top answer was equal pay and benefits, which was cited by 63.7 percent of respondents. “Clear and well documented progression opportunities” was next on the list.

Also high on the list are flexible work policies, including working part-time, mentorship programs, and an inclusive culture.

The survey also asked who are the most influential women in tech. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki topped that list, followed by Jacqueline de Rojas, president of techUK, Marrisa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, Ginni Rometty, IBM CEO, and Sue Black, a computer scientist based in the U.K.

Obviously, the survey was not U.S. or even government contractor-focused. More than 500 women took the survey, but you would have to figure many of the issues cited also connect with challenges women in government contracting face.

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