Diversity and inclusion in tech companies have grown tremendously over the last decade. In part, because we've had access to talent from all over the world, but also because today's challenges require more than just the brain power and problem-solving abilities of one culture - it requires all of us. Diverse teams are the only way to truly meet the demands of the future. As climate concerns, the production of energy, powering our transportation, and the ability to affordably feed and house 8 billion people strain the collective consciousness, tech companies must leverage the power of diverse ideas to solve these global issues.

Unfortunately, despite the strides made in diversity and inclusion in technology, there still exists a lack of representation in many areas. Some of this is due to the types of roles that individuals prefer, some of it is due to a lack of support for underrepresented groups, and some of it is due to a lack of access to the necessary resources and education. No matter how you define it, tech companies must strive for greater diversity in all areas - from hiring practices to product design and development - as this will be essential in driving our innovation and progress in society as a whole.

Last week, I was reading about how age is shaping the stability of tech. The story was referencing a middle-aged CTO who was hired to run a large sales organization within a tech conglomerate during COVID-19. This individual had never used Zoom and also never worked with a remote team. They'd been hired because of a stellar resume and an Ivy League Education, but the interviewers had failed to qualify their ability to perform the duties of the role in a stay-at-home environment.

After missing his first two meetings on his first day, and being more than 20 minutes late to the 3rd (a meeting that he was supposed to lead), only to be unable to communicate with his team due to an inability to connect his Bluetooth headphones, the CEO called him and asked him to step down.

The fact remains that he probably wasn't a great fit for a role in a tech company (something the interviewers failed to identify in their haste to hire someone with his credentials), but he also has a wealth of skills and knowledge that many other younger candidates don't yet have. Over the last year, we've seen this trend in full force as workforce shortages have led to rapid advancement in tech only to see overspending, overhiring, a lack of leadership, and an inability to keep up with a rapidly shifting world that was being reshaped by C-19.

If tech companies are to remain competitive in the future, they must ensure that their teams include both tech and diversity as skillsets within their talent. The ability to rapidly adopt, iterate, and problem-solve within the tech industry will come from diverse backgrounds, and access to resources that could otherwise be overlooked. To accomplish this, many companies are turning to interview intelligence software.

Interview intelligence software by Pillar gives interviewers, recruiters, and HR teams the ability to identify diverse talent that might not have otherwise been considered. This increases the likelihood of hiring a well-rounded portfolio of candidates with broad industry experience who can keep up with rapid advancement.

Diversity in Technology

Diversity in the workplace is important. Whether is youth and maturity, diversity of skin colors, religious backgrounds, cultures, or genders, representation makes people feel validated and can create an environment of inclusivity.

Why is diversity important? Diversity in technology is essential for companies to stay competitive. Studies have shown that a diverse workforce can lead to improved decision-making, increased creativity, and productivity. It can also lead to higher employee satisfaction rates and better company performance overall. This also leans heavily into a topic I mentioned in the previous paragraph- representation.

Why is representation important in the field of technology? Technology and automation are quickly becoming a core part of how we interact with the world around us. We rely on technological advancements to make our lives easier, more efficient, or just to have fun. It is essential, then, that companies creating technology include diverse perspectives in their design processes. This will help ensure that everyone can feel included and represented when using these products.

However, despite the clear benefits of diversity in technology, there remains a lack of representation from underrepresented groups in the tech industry. This is due to a number of factors we mentioned before, primarily access to education or resources, cultural or religious restrictions, and bias within hiring practices.

To address this issue, companies must look at ways to actively recruit for diversity. This means looking at diverse talent pools, job boards aimed at creating a diverse workforce, and even creating mentorship programs within the company to encourage young people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue a career in technology or even within their own company.

Creating a diverse culture is essential for companies wanting to remain competitive and ahead of the curve when it comes to problem-solving, innovation, and meeting customer needs. By leveraging different life experiences, backgrounds, and views, we can create products that make everyone feel represented and create a better future for us all - and the best time to begin is right now.

Companies that are looking to hire diverse teams need access to resources that will help them on their journey. Pillar offers a video interview platform built with diversity and inclusion in mind. It uses AI-driven technology to help interviewers ask the right questions, while also creating a space for objectivity. This can help reduce bias in the hiring process and ensure that companies are getting a diverse pool of candidates for their roles.

Diversity in the Tech Industry

Diversity in tech statistics in 2023 appears to be promising as Ai hiring technologies built by Amazon, Walmart, and Google have been shown to be biased, leading to a reformation in hiring and refocusing on creating great teams. We've already talked about why diversity in tech is important, but let's further explore why this is critical.

To start, diversity in the tech industry increases productivity and innovation, as companies can benefit from the unique perspectives of team members from different backgrounds. When there is a diverse range of employees, it also reflects better on the company overall- customers are more likely to trust and buy products from a company that respects their differences and values inclusion. Diversity and inclusion in technology have also made software companies one of the most profitable categories, and diverse teams were shown to be 35% more likely to outperform their peers.

In addition, diversity creates a better working environment and can increase the morale of employees. A study found that 78% of participants agreed that workplace diversity had a positive effect on their job satisfaction, which in turn increases productivity. Finally, studies have also shown that diverse teams are less prone to groupthink and make better decisions overall.

It is clear that diversity and inclusion in technology are essential for businesses to remain competitive and have a successful future- with the right resources, such as Pillar's AI hiring software, companies can ensure they find the best talent for the role.

Lack of Diversity in Tech

With numbers like the ones mentioned in the previous section, wouldn't you want to take advantage of the benefits that diversity in tech can bring? Unfortunately, despite its obvious advantages, there is still a lack of diversity in tech is still prevalent. We've talked about companies in previous sections, so let's discuss how this could shift at an educational level and in the home.

Gender diversity in tech could come from biases, and those biases need to be addressed, but they can also come from a perspective in the home or their education that told them tech wasn't the place for them. Maybe they were told that they weren't smart enough, or maybe they were teased for being different from all the rest of the kids. Maybe their parents weren't there to help with homework and the school was underfunded and understaffed with teachers who truly cared about them.

This is the conversation of nature vs. nurture, and it's a conversation that needs to be had. We need to invest more in preparing our children for a future in a world that's very different than the ones we grew up in, and this starts with their education- making sure they have the resources they need to succeed if they want to pursue a career in tech.

We also need to make sure our homes are supportive of those dreams, not discouraging them due to age-old stereotypes or fears about what the future may hold. If we can create a culture in which everyone feels they have the opportunity to reach their goals, then perhaps we can begin to close the diversity gap in tech and create an industry that truly reflects the world around us.

In conclusion, it is clear that diversity and inclusion in technology are essential for any company looking to remain competitive and stay ahead of the curve. Pillar's interview intelligence software isn't the only option, but it's one of the best. To see how our software can help you make better hires, book your demo to chat with someone from our team. We'd love to show you how companies are lowering their cost-to-hire, decreasing time-to-hire, and building better teams!