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All right, so I'm talking about diversity in tech. My Twitter handle is @jessrudder if anyone cares, and my premise is that it's about more than just the hiring process.
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Right now, it is very popular to assert that everyone should learn how to code, as suggested by luminaries like Steve Jobs and scientists like Stephen Hawking. Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe or not, you have to learn to program. But if everyone is supposed to learn how to code, why is it that programming is such a non-diverse field?
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We have many different kinds of people in the world who could be learning to code. Yet, it's as if all we've got are red Skittles in a bag of many colors. I've got some Australian statistics for you: 56% of women in Australia are pursuing undergraduate degrees, meaning more than half of the students are women. However, they obtain only 15% of computer science degrees and occupy just 20% of programming jobs.
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In the United States, the numbers are similar, with 58% of undergraduate degrees being awarded to women, a mere 13% obtaining computer science degrees, and about 20% working in programming jobs. The situation in Silicon Valley is even worse, with only 12% of women occupying these desirable developer jobs. It's as if they don't realize that we too enjoy playing ping pong!
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Now, ethnic diversity is even tougher to address from two fronts: Firstly, it is hard to find applicable statistics; I couldn't even find anything on the ethnic diversity of people in tech in Australia. But regarding the United States, 30% of programmers come from Asia, 5% are of African origin, and 3% are Hispanic. One alarming observation is that there’s limited data on Indigenous populations in Canada, the United States, and Australia, either because it isn’t tracked or simply because the numbers are too small to be statistically significant.
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This lack of representation means we’re losing out on the potential contributions from a large group of people who could be building amazing things. A lot of people are focusing on getting more people into the pipeline. They want to know how to recruit more women and community members of color while overcoming systemic biases. These efforts often include initiatives like blind hiring, non-traditional recruiting, and different outreach strategies to attract more women into computer science degrees.
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One of the Google initiatives has been to reach out to Hollywood to improve the representation of non-traditional programmers in tech. An example is their involvement with a Disney Junior program where a female programmer character was added, which has turned into one of the most popular characters on the show. While these steps are fantastic, we face a troubling reality: women and non-traditional programmers are leaving tech at a faster rate than their counterparts. This creates a leaky bucket scenario where diverse candidates enter the field only to leave quickly. Hence, it is essential to address the reasons behind the attrition.
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It's imperative to recognize that burnout can crush the dreams of those who aspired to work in tech. As we seek to increase diversity, it’s important to consider how we create an environment where individuals want to stay. There are indeed things that can boost diversity in tech, such as making your tech team more welcoming and an easier place to thrive.
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I’ll address three key areas because three is a nice number, and we don’t want to be here all day. The first area is language. Everyone has experienced the 'language police' at some point. I remember a prominent member of the Ruby community tweeting a message about setting a culture where racist and sexist jokes are not tolerated. Even if someone on your team laughs, they may feel they have no choice but to go along with it.
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This tweet led to an extensive discussion where many people shared their experiences of uncomfortable jokes in the workplace. Many felt they had to stay silent or risk being labeled as someone who has an issue with their colleagues. The communication here reflects that most people won't voice their discomfort; they will instead start searching for another job. Conducting a 'thought experiment' can be helpful: if a voice in your head tells you not to say something, it’s best to halt and refrain from saying it. This rule can help prevent many inappropriate remarks.
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However, this rule must be nuanced because it heavily depends on one's cultural context. Throughout history, it has often been socially acceptable to make disparaging remarks about marginalized groups. We need a better algorithm when it comes to our interactions. The first step is the rule I previously mentioned—checking if that inner voice is indicating to 'stop.' If the comment is generic and targets people you do not know, it’s best to keep it to yourself.
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The way we communicate shapes the culture of our teams. From my own experience, breaking my rule about discussing politics was difficult. For instance, imagine a colleague dismissively referencing people who oppose cat pictures online. Regardless of your stance, the act of openly ridiculing others sends a message that dissent is unwelcome. Encouraging open dialogue allows team members to express themselves freely—which, in turn, fosters a productive working environment.
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In the past, a measure called Ing emerged, where individuals hide their true selves, particularly evident among women and minorities in tech. We should strive to foster an environment where all team members feel safe to reveal their authentic selves. For this, the focus of your team culture can greatly benefit from prioritizing structured thinking and problem-solving, two critical aspects of engineering.
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Another important aspect of increasing diversity in tech involves mentorship. Studies have shown that mentorship is essential for success in tech careers, but the quality of that mentorship matters. Research from the Harvard Business Review reveals that women receive mentorship focused on understanding their operating styles and behavioral adjustments, while men often receive mentorship focused on advancing their careers which tends to include sponsorship. This disparity often results in women not being promoted proportionally.
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Ultimately, sponsorship is the key to advancement because it emphasizes having advocates within various corporate tiers. However, female mentors are often chosen based more on similarities, making it vital to actively mentor individuals who differ from you, even if they belong to distinct demographic or skill-based groups. I recall an insightful experience with Dr. Dora Patel, someone vastly different from me, who guided me in my programming journey.
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Despite our diverse backgrounds and experiences, Dora's mentorship led me on the path to becoming a programmer. His willingness to trust my capability, despite my lack of a technical degree, and his consistent support encouraged my pursuit of technology. The lesson is that mentorship should be about investing in those from various backgrounds, as it can drastically change lives and broaden both our perspectives and enhance our teams.
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Lastly, the culture in your tech team is critical. When asking individuals about their company culture, they often describe fun activities like ping pong or casual events, often indicative of a cultural hegemony that favors certain norms over others. While these activities can be enjoyable, they can alienate those who do not participate in such pastimes. Real inclusivity should encourage participation from all demographics, not just from those fitting a specific mold.
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It's crucial to recognize the experiences of all employees, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. For instance, a graduate contacted me expressing anxiety about her workplace's drinking culture, fearing she wouldn't fit in due to her not drinking alcohol. This situation demonstrates how cultural norms can inadvertently create feelings of isolation. We must acknowledge the implicit pressure to conform and strive to create an environment that embraces diverse experiences.
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This sentiment ties into a phenomenon characterized as 'Ing,' where individuals suppress their true selves in their working environments. We must work towards eradicating this behavior, allowing individuals to be authentically themselves on our teams, which can only strengthen our collective performance.
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As we look to build better and more diverse tech teams, we need to focus on how we can address these key elements: priority towards problem-solving, structured thinking, and acceptance of diverse experiences. It is not a matter of reducing the presence of one group to enhance another but creating space for everyone. A future with increased diversity can lead to a larger pool of talent and creativity in tech, which we desperately need to fill the growing gaps in the industry.
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If we can successfully boost diversity, our teams won't just be filled with 'red Skittles'—we'll cultivate a spectrum of colors that's representative of the world around us, which will foster open discussion about our shared love for coding.
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I'm Jessica Rudder, and I create videos about coding on YouTube. You can find me at youtube.com/compchomp. I welcome any conversation on learning tech, diversity, and everything related. Feel free to tweet me at @JessRudder. I also have a bit of company credit to spend tonight—before dinner, we’ll meet for drinks at the lobby bar after the conference. Thank you so much!
