Dive Brief:
- Nearly 1 in 4 technology professionals experienced racial discrimination last year, up from 18% in 2021, according to a report from Dice released last week. The job marketplace surveyed 2,500 U.S. tech professionals.
- More than half of Black tech professionals believe racial inequality occurs "very frequently or frequently," a far higher proportion than their Hispanic, Asian or White peers.
- Gender discrimination also increased year over year, with 26% of tech professionals reporting discrimination experiences related to their gender last year, up from 21%.
Dive Insight:
Despite efforts from tech leaders to reduce bias in the workplace and diversify the ranks, discrimination in the sector — a decades-long problem — worsened last year.
Part of the problem is related to a disconnect between how employers and employees perceive the situation, according to Art Zeile, president and CEO of DHI Group, Dice's parent company.
"There's almost a blind spot that is very evident in how companies view their success and how the technology workforce views the success," Zeile said.
While nearly one-third of tech professionals think racial inequality occurs frequently or very frequently, just 15% of HR professionals shared the same response.
Embracing training initiatives, employee resource groups and other strategies consistently is key to effectively address discrimination, Zeile said.
Representation is critical, too. The top technology leadership positions have long been male-dominated, with women occupying fewer than 1 in 5 CIO roles, according to a 2021 report from T200.
As IT experts remain in demand, addressing cultural issues within an organization can improve its chances of retaining and attracting workers.
"Technology workers know they're in high demand," Zeile said. "They know that they can not only get the compensation that is valid for their skill set, but they can go to a company that has the right culture and the right fit for them."
