By: Maria-Paula
The U.S. tech industry continues to grapple with gender and racial discrimination, particularly affecting Black women. 
Tech companies, including giants like Zoom and Meta, recently scaled back their DEI efforts, eliminating programs designed to address systemic barriers to equal opportunities in the industry.
Generally, 57% of women working in tech have experienced gender discrimination in the workplace, compared to just 10% of men while nearly half of women also reported seeing discrimination in terms of their technical abilities, which was double that of men.
At 48%, Black people are most likely to have experienced racial discrimination in the tech sector more than all other races with the Hispanic/Latino at 30%, Asian/Pacific Islanders at 25%, Asian Indians at 23% and White people at 9%.
To the contrary, the situation worsens for underrepresented women of color, who comprise only around 4% of technical roles in tech firms.
On renumeration and pay negotiation, women are less likely to positively negotiate their salaries in new jobs contrary to their male counterparts. 35% of women are dissatisfied with their current compensation in comparison to their male colleagues at 29%. Black women earn 36% less than their white male counterparts and 12% less than white women. 48% of women in tech and STEM roles encounter discrimination during recruitment processes.
42% of Black women also feel isolated since socializing with colleagues negatively affects perceptions of their competence.
Efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial to address these disparities and create a more inclusive tech industry.
Companies are scaling back their DEI efforts by eliminating programs designed to address systemic barriers to equal opportunities in the industry. They are fast implementing initiatives to address gender and racial disparities in the tech industry through Diversity and Inclusion Programs, Bias Training and Awareness, Pay Equity Programs, and Community engagements amongst others for the good of all.
The collective efforts ensure sustained change and ongoing commitment for overall inclusion in the work environment. 
Kiranbir Sodhia, a tech leader in the DEI space, reiterates that a decline in diversity among tech professionals underscores the importance of sustained DEI efforts.
“Reducing DEI initiatives not only risks losing diverse talent but also damages company culture and invites backlash,” said Sodhia. “As we face challenges in maintaining diversity in the workforce, it’s crucial for organizations to prioritize DEI efforts.
Sodhia highlights that companies must cultivate a diverse environment by offering flexibility, encouraging authenticity, and having diverse role models in leadership positions to inspire career growth. The tech leader also added that diverse teams are 87% more likely to make better decisions and experience an increase in cash flow per employee.
Sodhia encouraged teams to:
·         Commit to Sustained DEI Efforts: Remain dedicated to building diverse and inclusive workplaces, improving DEI communication, and ensuring team participation is mindful and inclusive.


·         Build and Maintain a Diverse Talent Pipeline: Acknowledge that building diversity takes time, recruits from broader sources, and openly communicates DEI intentions.


·         Enhance AI Training: Ensure AI models used in selection processes are trained with unbiased data to avoid inadvertent biases.

 

“You can’t solve the DEI issue in one year since it takes years and years, and if you try to rush it, you’re going to get it wrong. We must continue to champion diversity and inclusion to drive innovation and success,” added Sodhia.
Individuals can play a crucial role in supporting diversity and inclusion efforts in the tech industry by:
·         Understanding the impact of bias, stereotypes, and systemic barriers by learning about the challenges the underrepresented groups in tech face.

·         Amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals by sharing articles, research, and success stories related to diversity and inclusion.

·         Advocating for colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds through challenging discriminatory behavior and language.

·         Aspiring tech professionals, especially women and people of color by advocating for their career advancement.

·         Supporting employee resource groups focused on diversity in events, workshops, and discussions.

Since creating an inclusive workplace culture by leaders is essential for fostering diversity and promoting collaboration, strategies like integration of inclusivity into the institutions core values, using model inclusive language, creation of safe spaces as well as equal recognition and rewarding performance would ensure an inclusive workplace.