New ISACA Research Shows Nearly a Third of Men Mistakenly Believe Women Just Aren’t Interested in Technology Jobs
Announcement posted by Established Media 08 Oct 2019
Study looks at tech workforce retention and motivation by age and gender
Sydney, Australia (8 October 2019) – A new ISACA study released today reveals that men and women both agree that women are underrepresented in the technology sector globally. However, their opinions vary as to the reasons for the disparity and on matters of equal pay.
According to the survey of more than 3,500 IT governance, risk, assurance and security professionals:
The study also found additional gender nuances regarding the negotiation of salaries and job promotions. The results show that while men feel they are confident negotiators and women feel less confident, women are the ones who are more successful in obtaining raises and promotions.
Specifically, men reported slightly higher confidence levels in having a clear understanding of what they need to do for career advancement. However, more women (74%) than men (64%) claim to have been offered a salary increase or job level promotion in the last two years. This may be a result of organisations actively addressing gender pay gaps.
Tech force well compensated, but burnout common and job-hopping hindering business
The Tech Workforce 2020 research also shows that, given the current demand to fill positions, employees and job seekers are in the drivers’ seat. Seventy percent of the workforce can be considered “in-play” in terms of being recruited, saying they “definitely” or “may” foresee changing jobs in the next two years.
The majority of business technology professionals are getting rewarded with raises and promotions (66%) and have very high job satisfaction. However, compensation rewards do come with trade-offs. The majority (over half) of the business technology workforce report experiencing stress or burnout - prompted by heavy workloads, tight deadlines, long hours and lack of resources.
Interestingly, the perspectives on career satisfaction and mobility vary according to age, with younger professionals more likely to job hop and less likely to tolerate workplace stress:
Five Steps for Better Retention
The findings do suggest some actions organisational leaders can take to shore up business technology talent. According to ISACA, organisations must:
To learn about ISACA’s SheLeadsTech program, including its ambassador and mentorship programs, visit https://sheleadstech.isaca.org.
About ISACA
Now in its 50th anniversary year, ISACA (isaca.org) is a global association helping individuals and enterprises achieve the positive potential of technology. Today’s world is powered by information and technology, and ISACA equips practitioners with the knowledge, credentials, education and community to advance their careers and transform their organisations. ISACA leverages the expertise of its 460,000 engaged practitioners—including its 140,000 members—in information and cybersecurity, governance, assurance, risk and innovation, as well as its enterprise performance subsidiary, CMMI Institute, to help advance innovation through technology. ISACA has a presence in more than 188 countries, including more than 220 chapters worldwide and offices in both the United States and China.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISACANews
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/isaca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISACAHQ
Instagram: www.instagram.com/isacanews
Contact:
Julie Fenwick, jfenwick@daylightagency.com.au +61 468 901 655
According to the survey of more than 3,500 IT governance, risk, assurance and security professionals:
- Over half of female respondents (56%) believe the lack of female role models in the sector is the primary reason for underrepresentation of women
- Respondents over the age of 50, including men and women, believe the primary reason for underrepresentation is due to educational institutions needing to do more to encourage women to enter the field
- In matters of pay disparity, female respondents from the tech workforce are twice as likely as their male counterparts (44% vs. 20%) to believe that pay inequity exists between men and women in the IT sector
- Startlingly, 32% of the male respondents believe women find employment in the technology field less appealing than other sectors. Overwhelmingly, women say this is not the case.
The study also found additional gender nuances regarding the negotiation of salaries and job promotions. The results show that while men feel they are confident negotiators and women feel less confident, women are the ones who are more successful in obtaining raises and promotions.
Specifically, men reported slightly higher confidence levels in having a clear understanding of what they need to do for career advancement. However, more women (74%) than men (64%) claim to have been offered a salary increase or job level promotion in the last two years. This may be a result of organisations actively addressing gender pay gaps.
Tech force well compensated, but burnout common and job-hopping hindering business
The Tech Workforce 2020 research also shows that, given the current demand to fill positions, employees and job seekers are in the drivers’ seat. Seventy percent of the workforce can be considered “in-play” in terms of being recruited, saying they “definitely” or “may” foresee changing jobs in the next two years.
The majority of business technology professionals are getting rewarded with raises and promotions (66%) and have very high job satisfaction. However, compensation rewards do come with trade-offs. The majority (over half) of the business technology workforce report experiencing stress or burnout - prompted by heavy workloads, tight deadlines, long hours and lack of resources.
Interestingly, the perspectives on career satisfaction and mobility vary according to age, with younger professionals more likely to job hop and less likely to tolerate workplace stress:
- Nearly half of respondents under 30 have changed jobs in the last two years and almost 40% foresee changing jobs or employers in the next two years.
- Respondents also suggest that the older segment of the workforce is more willing to weather career stress and burnout conditions. The under 30s are more likely to leave a role for a less stressful environment than their older colleagues.
Five Steps for Better Retention
The findings do suggest some actions organisational leaders can take to shore up business technology talent. According to ISACA, organisations must:
- Understand why staff depart. According to ISACA’s data, the reasons in ranked order include more interesting work, better compensation, better culture and more upward mobility.
- Understand why staff stay. ISACA data shows tech employees stay for work-life balance, location, interesting work and, compensation.
- Demonstrate opportunities for advancement. Organisations may not be doing all they can to create ambitious career paths for professionals. In an industry that is chronically workforce-constrained, two-thirds of business technology professionals believe they are limited in accessing career opportunities and have reached a seniority that prevents an upward career path.
- Keep compensation in regular review. Compensation is an important factor that staff consider when weighing whether to stay or leave their current job – second only to interesting work.
- Continually offer training and skill development, as they’re critical for career advancement. As the threat landscape continuously evolves, ISACA survey respondents noted that insufficient skills, limited access to career opportunities, lack of resources for training and lack of certifications were among the top obstacles facing their direct reports.
To learn about ISACA’s SheLeadsTech program, including its ambassador and mentorship programs, visit https://sheleadstech.isaca.org.
About ISACA
Now in its 50th anniversary year, ISACA (isaca.org) is a global association helping individuals and enterprises achieve the positive potential of technology. Today’s world is powered by information and technology, and ISACA equips practitioners with the knowledge, credentials, education and community to advance their careers and transform their organisations. ISACA leverages the expertise of its 460,000 engaged practitioners—including its 140,000 members—in information and cybersecurity, governance, assurance, risk and innovation, as well as its enterprise performance subsidiary, CMMI Institute, to help advance innovation through technology. ISACA has a presence in more than 188 countries, including more than 220 chapters worldwide and offices in both the United States and China.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISACANews
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/isaca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISACAHQ
Instagram: www.instagram.com/isacanews
Contact:
Julie Fenwick, jfenwick@daylightagency.com.au +61 468 901 655