Silicon Valley is known for its contribution to the American economy and its cool perks, but reports from LinkedIn and Google show that the technology sector needs to recruit individuals who aren’t Caucasian or male. Both companies felt these transparency reports represented a great step toward achieving a more diverse workforce and positive work environment, but attempts to increase diversity have shown limited results.
LinkedIn for instance, works with multiple organizations to encourage women, minorities and candidates from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities to pursue technology careers. The professional networking website has more than 5,000 employees in offices around the world, but is fully aware that they “have some work to do.”
This blog has touched upon the advantages of working in the technology sector, but multiple reports show that if you’re a minority or female, joining this robust market might be a little more difficult. Companies like Google and LinkedIn and venture capital investors are beginning to see how serious this problem is, but have yet to make significant strides to change the pace.
“True inclusion is something that can only be achieved through a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our member base, and this is something we strive to do in all of our hiring efforts,” Pat Wadors, LinkedIn’s Vice President of Global Talent added.
LinkedIn’s decision to release its employment profile comes days after Google was under fire for its findings. Some of the more controversial results include that 79 percent of leadership and 83 percent of all Google tech workers are men, per USA Today. Across the board, 67.5 percent of the company is male, while LinkedIn’s staff is 61 percent male. Studies have demonstrated the value of a diverse workforce, but a market driven by innovation has yet to take advantage of this opportunity.
When estimates show that the United States is going to be a minority-majority nation by 2043, failing to use HR software solutions to recruit more females and minorities is a problem, Fast Company explained.
“It’s like an episode of Mad Men,” Vayable founder Jamie Wong told Fast Company.
This is partially due to the fact that the number of women pursuing computer science degrees decreased from 37 percent in 1985 to 12 percent in 2012, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology. At the same time, women in this industry aren’t invited with open arms, similar to many other industries historically dominated by men.
Think this is a huge problem? Consider Google and LinkedIn’s ethnicity disparity.
Although Asians comprise of the second-largest minority group after Caucasians, accounting for 32 percent of Google’s employees and 38 percent of LinkedIn’s, Latinos and African Americans represent no more than 4 percent of either organization. Employers who are looking to have a more well-rounded organization will have to use HR software solutions to find applicants from different backgrounds.