HR Tech Group releases 2021 Diversity in Tech Dashboard

Report highlights continued need for diversity in sector, with an emphasis on executive roles

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - HR Tech Group today announced the release of their 2021 Diversity in Tech Dashboard, one of several initiatives stemming from the organization's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Tech Project, launched in 2019 with funding from the Province of BC. The Diversity in Tech Dashboard reports year-over-year progress on representation of equity-deserving groups in the BC tech sector. The project aims to improve the attraction, retention and advancement of women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people of colour, newcomers to Canada, and individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQQIA+ in skilled technology occupations throughout the province.

In 2021, 171 tech employers participated in the Diversity in Tech Dashboard survey, providing industry-wide data on DE&I policies and practices and employee representation. Now in its second year, participation in this year's survey was up by approximately 27%, from 134 employers in 2020. This year, 38% of participating organizations reported already having company-wide DE&I goals in place, with an additional 43% considering or currently working on goal-setting.

"It's wonderful to see the enormous lift in participation levels this year, and we're pleased to be able to provide valuable data and insights that highlight the importance of measuring representation within BC's technology sector," said Stephanie Hollingshead, CEO, HR Tech Group. "Tech companies have struggled to build strong representation of equity-deserving populations across the province. It's essential that we invest in the recruitment and development of diverse perspectives to meet the needs of this rapidly growing sector. In order to do this, we first need to understand where our gaps are in terms of representation."

Key findings related to how employees self-identify*: 

• 8.3% of employees self-identified as 2SLGBTQQIA+
• 2.9% representation of people with disabilities (apparent or non-apparent)
• 0.7% representation of Indigenous peoples in BC's tech sector

* Based on survey results

"Supporting more Indigenous, Black, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+, youth, and women enter the tech industry is a critical part of our work to build an inclusive and sustainable economy for everyone," said Brenda Bailey, Parliamentary Secretary for Technology and Innovation. "Our government is committed to removing obstacles facing people from underrepresented communities, so that we can better support our growing tech sector with a workforce that represents the diversity of our province."

Key findings related to employee reporting on their gender identity*:

• 66.6% self-identify as a man
• 33.2% self-identify as a woman
• 0.2% self-identify as non-binary or other
• 81% of the roles in human resources and 76% of the roles in administration are filled by women
• 23% of the roles in technology, design & support and manufacturing are filled by women
• 31% of executive level roles are filled by women

* Based on survey results

While 41% of employees reported identifying as visible minorities, this dropped to just 19% at the executive level. The representation of visible minorities is highest in software engineer and developer roles, with 44.5% representation, relative to the 41% reported across all employees. 

"The second year of HR Tech Group's diversity data once again reveals the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at work. It's encouraging to see the level of employer engagement with benchmarking diversity within the sector and the genuine momentum on the activation of policies, programs and initiatives to enhance inclusion. It's clear that we still have work to do in advancing DE&I in BC's tech sector, but we're headed in the right direction. Through programs like the DE&I Tech Project, we are committed to helping tech companies put programs and policies in place to continue to move the needle," adds Hollingshead.

The Diversity Dashboard showcases data from HR Tech Group's 2021 Tech Salary Survey, which is produced in partnership with Mercer and includes data from 25,353 incumbents at 184 Canadian tech employers. For more information and to explore HR Tech Group's Diversity in Tech Dashboard, visit: https://www.hrtechgroup.com/cpages/diversity-in-tech-dashboard. 

About HR Tech Group
HR Tech Group is a non-profit association for HR, People and Culture professionals in Canada's tech sector. The group produces Western Canada's leading Tech Salary Survey and provides thought leadership, training, collaboration channels, DE&I resources and tech sector data. Our member community is instrumental to tech industry growth, and is connected through knowledge exchange, strong professional and mentoring networks and the sharing of benchmark data. Our 700 members lead and influence the HR, people and culture practices at over 200 tech companies in all tech sectors, including ICT, VFX and animation, interactive and digital entertainment, cleantech, AI, life sciences and more.

SOURCE HR Tech Group

Stephanie Hollingshead, HR Tech Group, [email protected]