Diversity in Technology? Sure! But First, Let's Define It

Diversity matters, doesn't it? We often find ourselves celebrating during company wide meetings,where diversity takes center stage to showcase amazing programs, KPI improvements, and success stories from our “diverse” workforce. But going deeper than the generally acknowledged significance, what do we truly know about diversity? More importantly, why is it so important in the world of technology?

We hear things like:

• "We are incredibly proud to have achieved gender parity in our leadership roles. We've worked to increase the representation of women in these positions and are committed to maintaining this equality as we move forward"

• "We are thrilled to announce that we have achieved a 6% increase in LGBTQ+ representation in our team over the last year. This reflects our commitment to promoting inclusiveness and ensuring our company is a welcoming space for everyone in society"

Companies take pride in sharing initiatives and achievements across various media. So, it seems like it does matter, doesn't it? But why? 

Numerous studies focus on various aspects that demonstrate the effects of diversity in workplaces. Companies that prioritize diversity are more likely to outperform their competitors. How, you ask? Diversity enhances their social reputation and image, which in turn attracts financial support. Companies with a strong commitment to diversity are also more likely to attract and retain top talent. Internally, it has a significant impact on retention, turnover, and development. Quite intriguing, isn't it?"

But we wanted to understand what diversity means for those with different roles, industry backgrounds within tech, and various locations, all of whom have been part of the tech industry.

• "I believe that diversity in backgrounds, skills, locations, and cultures is what enables us to build teams with creative talent that bring different experiences. A highly diverse team, where ideas come from different parts of the world, enables constant innovation"

• “'Diversifying the viewpoints represented in a sector that has a history of being exclusive. Diversity can help the tech industry understand an underserved or untapped niche, as they would be able to employ a new approach, thanks to people who completely understand that target market or customer."

• "It is ideally defined by balanced populations in the predominant aspect of immutable characteristics and the smaller aspect of beliefs and opinions." 

• “Diversity in the industry needs to be taken seriously, but sometimes the more we force it results in a huge contradiction; for me, it is mostly to avoid doing things than  actually doing things.”

The definitions of diversity in the industry reveal a spectrum of perspectives, with some emphasizing creativity, others highlighting responsibility, and even cautioning against forcing diversity. However, all of them agree on this: It matters, and the industry needs to pay attention as part of its progress and success. What's even more significant is the responsibility toward society as a whole, as society is  ultimately the most  impacted.

In retrospect, the outlook is optimistic. Both public and private organizations have made substantial progress, building a positive idea about the future to come.

Public agencies work with local communities to introduce tech-related activities and workshops, making technology more accessible and encouraging underrepresented groups to explore tech careers. Some firms engage with local communities and schools to encourage underrepresented groups to pursue careers in technology. They may offer internships, scholarships, and coding programs for youth. Today, less than 20% of women choose to study computer science or pursue careers in technology, while 50.5% of the world's population are women.

Numerous tech companies provide paid family leave and flexible work arrangements for work-life balance, helping bridge gender-related disparities, which remain a central concern on the agenda. Approximately 30% of women are represented in the industry.

Some companies have invested in research and development to reduce biases in algorithms used in their products as studies have shown that algorithmic biases disproportionately affect minority and marginalized communities. 

Some tech organizations actively recruit and support neurodiverse talent, acknowledging the valuable skills and perspectives that individuals on the autism spectrum and with various neurological differences can offer. This group comprises approximately 15-20% of the population, which includes individuals with conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, among others.

And, naturally, the list goes on...

We are passionate about discussing how technology is transforming the world and shaping our lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) simplifies our daily routines, remote collaboration tools connect us with colleagues across the globe, online education and telemedicine enhance access to knowledge and healthcare, and social media keeps us connected, perhaps at times, more than necessary, with friends and family, creating and recreating a new digital world. But, who will have a place in that new world?

Diversity can be so many things, And you know what, everyone is right: it is gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, physical or cognitive abilities, religious beliefs, or any other aspect that makes each person unique.

What if we create the best healthcare app for managing medical emergencies, but it relies on voice commands for navigation and communication? What will happen to those with speech or hearing impairments?

What if a virtual reality platform is designed to heavily rely on physical movements, without considering individuals with mobility limitations?

What if the best health and fitness app is created but focuses solely on visual content? How can users with visual impairments use them without text or audio descriptions?

Maybe diversity as a concept is so hard to define because it is more a feeling and sometimes feelings are hard to put into words. But everyone agrees that diversity creates a feeling of union, richness of perspectives and creativity that has a positive impact on each individual and group of people. 

We need to take it seriously, even if there is no magic potion; we need to understand and redefine what diversity is and why recreating the world that we live in without thinking about all the people who inhabit this world not only lacks logic, but it also leads to the loss of a huge and important part of it. Technology is an opportunity to change lives and recreate the world we habit, all of it. It may seem better to do it  faster, and in a user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing way, and it may even be prettier, but we are missing out by not just simply doing it better.

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