The cliché that information technology (IT) is a male domain persists: in a survey by the digital association Bitkom, 43 percent of companies said that men are better suited for IT and digital jobs than women. In almost every second company (48 percent) there is the opinion that IT and digital jobs scare women away. On Tuesday, Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst called on companies, education and politics to break down barriers and make IT careers visible and attractive for women.
According to the survey, none of the companies surveyed employ more women than men in areas such as IT administration, software development, digital transformation or artificial intelligence (AI). In nine out of ten companies, fewer than half of the positions in IT and digital specialist areas are filled by women.
“If you want to make digital transformation and AI successful, you cannot afford to do without half of the talent,” warned Bitkom President Wintergerst. “Mixed teams work more productively and creatively. Companies that promote diversity not only improve their culture, but also strengthen their economic performance.”
Companies see other reasons for the low proportion of women, such as hurdles when women return to work and insufficient awareness among managers with human resources responsibility. They also cite political factors as the cause, such as deficits in the care infrastructure or a clichéd career orientation.
In order to attract more women specifically to IT and digital careers, companies are relying on collaborations with universities and schools, special entry programs such as traineeships, as well as advertising and social media campaigns tailored to women and women-specific career events. There are also measures to improve the compatibility of work and family, such as mobile working and more family-friendly working conditions.
Bitkom surveyed management, decision-makers and HR managers in 603 companies with 20 or more employees; According to the information, the result is representative.
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