Career Choices of Female Engineers A Summary of a Workshop (2014) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix E: Women in IT: RECRUIT THEM & RETAIN THEM
Appendix E: Women in IT: RECRUIT THEM & RETAIN THEM
Pages 38-60
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From page 38... ...
Bureau of Labor Statistics' cat in IT positions within small businesses, the conclusions of egorization of Computer and Information Technology posi this literature review were derived from studies conducted tions will constitute our definition of the IT field and related in larger corporations. occupations.2 They include the following occupational titles: Table E-1 Guiding Questions for Literature Review • Computer Hardware • Computer Network Architect For Recruitment For Retention • Computer Programmer 1.
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Barriers to Recruitment ment while men reported much lower rates at 3.8 percent. By 2012, the unemployment rate for women in IT dropped Relevant literature suggests that gender bias in the workmarginally to 4.7 percent, but the rate for men remained place is a result of social inequalities that are perpetuated by even lower at 3.3 percent.
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that situational cues affect a women's sense of belonging especially in math and science fields. Women prioritize a Job Posting Bias sense of belongingness as important in employment.13 Cur Literature reveals that there is subtle gender bias in IT rent literature indicates that cue words in job postings that job postings, deterring women from seeking technical posi- motivate women convey a greater sense of belonging than tions.
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2009. Ambient Belonging: How Stereotypical Cues Impact Gender Personnel Research.
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mentorship programs and female role models can be highly This theory might explain why women gravitate towards effective in mitigating the daily pressures encountered in communal careers and eventually exit the IT workforce.36 the IT field (such as the constant need to acquire new skills, While men are more likely to pursue careers that grant them adjust to new roles, and manage competing priorities) , ulti- agency, usually in the form of status and financial gain, mately enhancing work satisfaction and increasing the over- women instead seek positions that enable them to make a all retention of women in the field.30,31 contribution and tend to prioritize helping society.37 Con Women, who are in an IT environment that actively sequently, women can perceive IT-related careers as being promotes such collaborative initiatives, have been shown to incompatible with their communal goals, whereas men are benefit greatly.
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Relevant literature reveals that there is a bias pres- able by small businesses as they are more readily able to ent in current job posting language which has the effect of make changes in the work environment, and have more deterring women from applying to IT occupations. As online flexibility implementing initiatives when compared to larger job postings are the most prevalent place to find jobs, and the companies.
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. practices, organizational culture, and investment in their Of the three companies employing approximately between 150-175 employees total, one company reported employing 48 The Small Business Administration (SBA)
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Attracting Applicants Through Job Postings Each company described their recruitment process and For the larger companies: two of the three compathe specific strategies that they employ to attract talent. The nies with approximately 150-175 employees demonstrated four companies with 10-30 employees all described pro- greater numbers of female applicants, citing that 22 [50 cesses where they post open positions on trusted job sites.
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stated they do not offer maternity leave, adding that no one has requested such a leave. When asked what would happen Interview Results for Medium Sized Companies if a potential new female hire were to ask about maternity We interviewed one company with just under 900 leave, they responded, "I'm pretty sure that would be one of employees, that we are calling medium sized to compare to their questions, and that would obviously be one consider- the small sized companies included in the study.
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within their physical environment, they were more likely Steele. "Ambient Belonging: How Stereotypical Cues Impact Gender Par ticipation in Computer Science." Journal of Personality and Social Psyto respond positively concerning their workspace.
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Survey responses indicate that all of the companies provided Comparison across companies demonstrated that employat least one type of work-life balance initiative (telework or ees at small businesses were 21 percent more likely to feel alternative schedules) , while employees at the non-profit their work environment was inclusive than at nonprofit or reported that such initiatives were not offered.
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Three recommendations to small businesses have on the internet. As the research has shown, job postings for been identified that are feasible for employers and employIT jobs can be problematic in that they tend to favor syntax ees to implement into their work environments.
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The concept of ambient belonging explains the con- Integrating IT employees into the physical space is nection between physical environment and fitting in.59 The a feasible and cost-effective application that small busiemployers that participated in the case studies all valued ness can execute. Half of the participating companies in fit among their employees.
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An initiative that can be undertaken outIT field and that they do not belong. The more they perceive side of the work environment, it is a resource that does not the environment to be masculine, the less interested they require many inputs and can be an effective tool for women are in it.62 These effects can be mitigated however, by link- in IT.
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Methodology allows for a comparison between individual experiences at a Appendix E-7. Literature Review – Databases large business versus a small business could provide unique insights into why women leave their current position.
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Your survey responses will be kept anonymous. Individual survey responses will not be shared with your fellow employees or your employers.
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John Heinz III College at Carnegie Mellon University are working on a capstone project for the National Academies. The purpose of the project is to identify Promising Practices for the Recruitment and Retention in the IT Workforce.
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APPENDIX E 55 Appendix E-3. Online Survey
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a. For example, mentoring, alternative work schedules, daycare, etc… 6.
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Employer C, based near Los Angeles, provides services such as software development, web hosting, web development, and e-commerce web design. The company is 12-15 years old and has fewer than 20 employees, 11 of which are considered IT employees.
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Small businesses were grouped together and compared to the medium size business and nonprofit. Analysis tried to highlight questions in which responses differed between male and female employees or between employees from small businesses and employees from the medium sized business or nonprofit.
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Each Survey Team Contact will fill in data in the Analysis Template (to be made)
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60 APPENDIX E Appendix E-7. Literature Review – Databases • EBSCOhost • ProQuest • Scopus • Sage Journals Online • ProQuest Engineering and Science • ProQuest Business • ACM Digital Library • ACS Publications • Wiley Online Library
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