Survey: 71% of women in IT work long hours to climb ladder

“In order to advance gender equality in the tech industry, we must recognize that encouraging women into taking IT roles is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic advantage that presents unique opportunities for both women and the organizations who hire them,” said Alona Geckler, senior vice president of business operations and chief of staff at Acronis, in a statement. “By hiring women into IT roles, companies will gain a wealth of perspectives and innovative ideas driven by creativity and enhanced problem-solving skills. This not only strengthens teams, but positions IT organizations to better meet the diverse needs of their customers in an increasingly complex digital landscape giving them a significant competitive edge.”

The concerns around gender equality aren’t based in a lack of women in the IT workforce, according to an Acronis blog that revealed women are represented on many IT teams. “Half of respondents said their teams were between 25% and 50% female. Almost 17% said their departments were majority female, and in this global survey, a little more than a quarter of respondents said IT departments in their respective countries were just about balanced between men and women,” the blog states.

On the positive side, 32% of respondents believe that men and women are treated equally in the workplace. Still, 31% of those surveyed said they believe that men are promoted faster. Just 34% of respondents “somewhat agree” there are adequate training and development programs for women to further advance their careers.