Technology companies are among the worst when it comes to promoting women into positions of power, according to a Thomson Reuters survey of women in management between 2005 and 2010. What’s even more troubling is that the companies surveyed seem extremely reluctant to reveal the numbers or discuss them. Only nine of the 254 tech companies surveyed shared the breakdown of women in their management teams, and from that data, researchers found that in 2010, only 15 percent of management positions in tech companies were held by women, compared to 33 percent in financial services and 34 percent in healthcare and consumer goods companies. Some notes from the survey: The glass ceiling still exists. There are many disparities, geographically and by industry, as to the extent to which companies track progress on breaking through the glass ceiling and the rate of that progress. Three industries—financials, healthcare, and energy—do far better than most of their peers when it comes to offering women managerial posts. The most striking progress in breaking through the glass ceiling within the five-year time frame studied appears to have taken place within the financial services industry, where women have moved to 33 percent from 28 of executive positions. Compare that to tech, which had women in 13 percent of executive positions in 2005 and just 15 percent in 2010. Tech ties for lowest female executive success of all the sectors covered by the study. High-profile female leaders at companies like HP, Facebook, and Google are the exception, not the rule. It seems clear that the traditionally male-dominated tech industry needs to take a good long look at that glass ceiling. The full report is available here. (Free registration required.) Tech Industry Needs to Promote Women Faster
Technology companies are among the worst when it comes to promoting women into positions of power, according to a Thomson Reuters survey of women in management between 2005 and 2010. What’s even more troubling is that the companies surveyed seem extremely reluctant to reveal the numbers or discuss them. Only nine of the 254 tech companies surveyed shared the breakdown of women in their management teams, and from that data, researchers found that in 2010, only 15 percent of management positions in tech companies were held by women, compared to 33 percent in financial services and 34 percent in healthcare and consumer goods companies. Some notes from the survey: The glass ceiling still exists. There are many disparities, geographically and by industry, as to the extent to which companies track progress on breaking through the glass ceiling and the rate of that progress. Three industries—financials, healthcare, and energy—do far better than most of their peers when it comes to offering women managerial posts. The most striking progress in breaking through the glass ceiling within the five-year time frame studied appears to have taken place within the financial services industry, where women have moved to 33 percent from 28 of executive positions. Compare that to tech, which had women in 13 percent of executive positions in 2005 and just 15 percent in 2010. Tech ties for lowest female executive success of all the sectors covered by the study. High-profile female leaders at companies like HP, Facebook, and Google are the exception, not the rule. It seems clear that the traditionally male-dominated tech industry needs to take a good long look at that glass ceiling. The full report is available here. (Free registration required.) 
