EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
I
find the Start , Stop , Continue model valuable when evaluating complex topics like technology talent management .
The single biggest thing the technology industry must start doing is making progress on attracting and retaining underrepresented groups .
According to recent survey work from recruiting and talent platform company Lever , eight in ten technology executives is white and only 37 % of tech companies have one or more women on their boards .
Survey after survey of developer communities reveals that 90 % or more of software developers identify as male .
The single biggest thing the technology industry must start doing is making progress on attracting and retaining underrepresented groups .
In open-source communities like the one I ’ m involved in , it is critical to have a code of conduct ( CoC ) that ensures everyone feels welcome and encouraged to participate .
Largely excluding 50 % of the population from the key profession that fuels the tech industry is not a winning strategy if we are to have the best possible talent , let alone enough to fill all the positions .
How do we turn this around ?
As someone who has worked in the tech industry for over twenty years and considers themselves an ally , it starts with listening .
First we must ask and steel ourselves as we face the answers : Why are women dropping out of tech or avoiding the industry altogether ?
The research shows that across the industry , women make less than their male counterparts and they also have fewer opportunities to advance .
But just having one isn ’ t enough . Codes of conduct need to be reinforced at events – when I worked at the Node . js Foundation in 2016 / 17 , we had a pull up banner with the CoC printed at the entrance to all our events – and redress must be available .
For the increasingly common online events , it ’ s important to remind attendees at the beginning of the event that the CoC is in place and provide the link to it .
Allies must speak up when they observe CoC violations . It is well past time that tech got serious about becoming inclusive of everyone .
If we don ’ t , it ’ s very difficult to see how the industry can reduce the talent shortfall . p
Not surprisingly when women make up 10 % or less of development teams , they often feel isolated .
Companies need to proactively and persistently address all of these areas if they wish to attract and retain all the best talent . And many companies do .
GREG WALLACE ,
DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS AND RESEARCH , FREEBSD
FOUNDATION
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