Why is tech getting diversity so wrong?

When I say the word tech, what comes to mind?

If you’re like me, it’s words like innovation, progress, invention, forward-thinking.

So let me ask you another question: Why is tech getting diversity so wrong?

26 percent of technology-related positions are held by women. That’s just one-fourth. Out of all the available tech jobs.

To put that into perspective,

Half of the labor force is female.

And more than two-thirds of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women.

But somehow, women aren’t breaking into tech.

And that’s not all. If we dig a little deeper, we find that...

Blacks make up 12 percent of all workers but only 8 percent of computer and math workers.

Hispanics make up 17 percent of all workers but only 7 percent of computer and math workers.

For people of color, tech is going in the wrong direction and their numbers have actually slipped a few percentage points in recent years.

For women, tech is so toxic, the industry is "bleeding women."

Rather than staying in the field past the ten-year mark, they’re leaving because they’re tired of fighting the bro culture, and there is simply no opportunity for advancement.

Meanwhile, white men of similar rank and experience are NOT leaving, and they continue to move into those coveted leadership roles that remain elusive for women, Blacks, Hispanics, and LGBTQ people.

Here’s why this is such a disturbing trend.

Studies have found that diversity is a key to innovation. Diverse teams actually produce 19% more revenue. They make better decisions 80% of the time — and they do it more efficiently, with fewer meetings.

So we have an industry that’s known for innovation and high profitability.

But they resist the one culture change that would drive more innovation and profitability.

Houston, we have a problem.

Anytime an industry refuses to take action that would improve its bottom line, it exposes the truth.

Lack of diversity isn’t just a social problem or a cultural problem. It’s a business problem.

And it’s a business problem that many businesses don’t want to fix.

The truth is, lack of diversity at any level is unhealthy. We need more diversity.

We need to embrace diverse hiring and promoting practices. We need to fix the internal culture that makes it hard for women and minorities to thrive.

This isn’t a change that would slow growth or hurt the bottom line.

It’s a change that would make successful businesses even more successful — that could turn small players into industry leaders.

Let’s be honest. Let’s call it what it is.

Lack of diversity is the real problem, and it’s time we start implementing changes to fix it.

I talk about this issue in-depth in my new book, The Cure: How Diversity & Equity Can Improve Culture and Boost Profits , available for pre-order at Amazon.

Let’s commit to making modern business the profit house it ought to be. And let’s do it the right way.

Are you with me?

#WomeninSales #TheCure #Inclusion