Hays: Balancing the gender scales in technology
March is a month when diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of our minds. With International Women’s Day (IWD) and Neurodiversity Celebration Week, it’s a great time to reflect on progress made, whilst acknowledging that there is so much more to do.
In 2025, that could not be more true. DE&I is a hot topic in the world right now, with some companies pulling back their inclusion initiatives, and others reinforcing them, firm in the belief that diverse teams with an inclusive culture make for better organisations.
Regardless of any noise from outside their business, one sector has struggled with gender diversity for many years. According to a report by The World Bank, women make up less than a third of the world’s workforce in technology-related fields. In the USA, women make up 35% of employees in STEM, whilst in Europe, women make up just 19.1% of the ICT labour force.
Why is this? “A lack of female leaders and role models within the tech industry is a big factor and has a knock-on effect,” said Jade King, Recruitment Director, Queensland Technology, Hays Australia. “This means less females choosing technology as a career early on, as well as not having the knowledge of the sector to explore further.”
This is a sentiment shared by Jade’s colleague in Australia, Louise Betteridge, Business Director – Client Engagement: “The low representation of women in tech in Australia is due to several factors, including a lack of women leaders, gender pay gaps, and workplace cultures that can feel unwelcoming to women due to the large number of male colleagues.”
The situation is similar across the world. Sarah Köhl, Head of Technology, Hays Germany commented: “In Germany, there are still relatively few women starting their careers in STEM professions, both in vocational training and university studies. Many schools now offer subjects like crafts or technology, which may change the situation. However, as of now, there is a lack of female role models in STEM professions.”
The Chartered Institute for IT predicted that it would take nearly 300 years to close the gender gap in tech without intervention. Sarah touches on one of the solutions. Education. However, this is just one piece of the puzzle. James Milligan, our Global Head of Technology, Engineering and Contracting, also sits on the board of Teen-Turn, an Irish charity that aims to provide teenage girls, particularly those from underserved areas, the opportunity to gain hands-on STEM experience.
James commented: “As well as education, government and industry need to join forces to bring that date forward, significantly. In education, we must ensure that girls have equal access to courses as boys, by encouraging them to pursue careers without bias. In the era of skills-based hiring, it can’t all be degree led.
“For the governments, it’s about policy. We need policies that support people who wouldn’t normally pursue a career in tech, and help people who need income from an early age.
“Finally, for the technology industry, there needs to be a shift in mindset on where we find talent. I mentioned skills-based hiring earlier. This will open the talent pool and make us more inclusive.”
With all of this in mind, let’s dive into how organisations can create gender-inclusive environments.
Future focus: How to improve gender equity in your business
Research from Women in Tech has laid bare the problems the industry faces. Men on average earn $15,000 a year more in tech roles than their female counterparts in the US. At the current pace, it’s predicted to take over 130 years to close the economic gender gap.
On top of this, women are 1.6 times more likely to be laid off than men, and they’re 1.5 times more likely to change jobs because they desire more dedication to DE&I from their employer.
So, what can organisations do? For James, rethinking maternity leave is crucial. “Society fails without children, and yet many organisations punish women for being on maternity leave. Maternity leave should be seen as time served, so if someone is due a promotion whilst on leave, they still get it. This would help to close the salary gap.”
Sarah agreed: “At Hays in Germany, I co-founded the Diversity Council five years ago. My biggest personal milestone was being able to promote an employee during parental leave, which included a very good salary increase.”
On top of this, pay transparency will help to close that gap. We’ve written previously about legislation across the EU, US, Canada and Australia which are designed to tackle this global issue, but there is still more that needs to be done within organisations to increase transparency.
However, for Jade, there is more to it than this: “Transparency goes some way to enable the management of it more effectively but it’s not a way to fix it entirely. You need all the other programs and incentives in place to have a big effect, such as flexibility, training and mentorship.”
For organisations to truly act, they need to first understand where they are on the DE&I maturity curve.
Whilst it may seem daunting to find sustainable ways to create meaningful change, there are great examples to follow. At Hays, we work with clients across the world to remove barriers for girls and young women looking to enter the industry.
“Toyota have a very successful grad program,” said Louise. “Last year they hosted a Grad Girls Day where 60 girls came for the day to explore opportunities and career pathways. They also partner with Women In Stem and Hays Australia with Her Tech Circle, non-profit organisations building out better and more diverse networks.”
Jade further commented: “Her Tech Circle is a key partner of Hays. They hold many events focused on Women in Technology and are known for creating safe spaces for them, inviting females interested in the industry and recent graduates who are actively seeking to meet likeminded people and grow their network.”
In Ireland, Hays introduces our clients to Teen-Turn, so they can give opportunities to girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to work in technology. As James put it: “Being authentic is key. Money doesn’t solve the problem, instead, providing access and opportunities is more important. Teen-Turn gives girls the chance to have exposure to clients, which gives them the chance to decide if they like it and want to pursue a career.
"This is a critical part of the journey as it gives them a chance to see other women doing exciting jobs, which acts as an inspiration.”
Career corner: Staking a claim in the future of work
Without a doubt, the future world of work will revolve around STEM fields. However, women are likely to be left behind unless action is taken. So, what can female jobseekers do to increase their chances of success?
For Jade, the importance of a network cannot be understated: “Join a women in technology network to meet likeminded people. If there is no one in your current network that could be a role model or mentor, it is likely you will find one there.”
It’s also important to learn AI skills, however, research from Harvard Business School shows that women are far less likely to use AI than men. Their research found that 54% of men were using AI in “either or both their personal and professional life, while women (35%) are adopting AI at a much slower pace.”
If the future of work is going to be impacted by AI as much as we think it will, women need to upskill on these tools as much as men, otherwise further gaps will appear.
For success within an organisation, you need to be at the right organisation. Research a company’s ethos and dedication to DE&I before interviewing with them, and ask questions relating to these issues during the hiring process. Ensure you look at their leadership. Are they female-led, or have good gender balance in senior positions? All of these will act as strong indicators to the culture once you join them.
And finally, it comes down to the individual pushing themselves towards roles they may feel are out of reach. As Louise commented: “Women need to be bold, be brave and go out into the world and get educated in the subjects that will make them employable. There is no reason why a women cannot do exactly what a man can do, however studies have shown that women often feel the need to meet all the listed qualifications before applying for a promotion. Men on the other hand are more likely to apply even if they meet only a portion of the criteria.
“This difference in self-assessment and confidence can contribute to the gender gap in promotions and leadership roles.”
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