Why women leave tech and how to keep them

Did you know over 70% of our speakers for tech week were women ? Hear local educator speak on her thoughts on tech week and why it’s important to think about the future workforce.

I’ve been reflecting on Women in Tech Week and the conversations sparked by the Lovelace Report, which made headlines last week for highlighting how many women are leaving the tech sector. As someone approaching 30 years in software, I wish I could say things feel very different — but I’m still the only woman in my team today. That’s not about capability or ambition; it’s about culture, inclusion, recognition, and how we structure careers in tech. We can’t afford to lose the experience, creativity, and leadership that women bring to technology. To all the women in tech — those just starting out, those hanging in there, and those who’ve stepped away — your presence and your stories matter. Let’s keep pushing for workplaces where we don’t have to be the only one in the room. 💬 I’d love to hear from others — how have things changed (or not) in your part of the industry? Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/er24dvzi #WomenInTechWeek #WomenInTech

Why do we need more women in tech? Not just because the lines are too short for the ladies' room at conferences, but because we are looking for camaraderie and shared experiences over which to bond and grow on a personal and professional level. Read about the journey of Zuzana Samaj, Director of Emerging Business at Cloudinary, who states, "The most important (and a bit selfish) reason I encourage women to get into tech is simple: I want more female friends in the office! It makes a huge difference to have someone you can chat with over a coffee in the kitchen about both work and all the other things in life. That kind of camaraderie is incredibly valuable." Statistically, while the pipeline of women entering STEM fields, including computing and engineering, is slowly improving, there's a serious problem around retention, as new 2025 data reveals a critical issue for #WomenInTech: High attrition. Half of women in tech leave (or are pushed!) by age 35. This "broken rung", not to mention a glass ceiling, prevents many from reaching leadership. It’s time to move beyond the pipeline and address the systemic barriers that push women out. Read about Zusana's experience and comment below with your thoughts on #WIT #Diversity #EquityInTech https://lnkd.in/ecEQqC-Q

Between 40,000 and 60,000 women leave UK tech roles every year; that is £2–3.5 billion in lost talent. This is at a time when the UK is trying to position itself as a global AI leader. Yesterday’s Women in Tech session at Birmingham Tech Week highlighted a critical point: it is not just confidence gaps or representation. It is invisible, systemic barriers that shape who stays and who leaves. Women still feel they must adjust their behaviour, ask more questions to prove competence, or work harder to be seen. Workplaces reward visibility over impact, rigidity over results, and sameness over diversity. As HR leaders, we cannot keep fixing women to fit broken systems. We need to fix the systems. We do not need grand gestures. We need practical leadership choices: • Flexible work based on trust and outcomes, not hours. • Safe spaces to speak without career repercussions. • Male allies who amplify, not overshadow. • Visible diversity so women feel they belong before they join. Mentorship is not enough. Mentees must own their agenda; mentors must open doors and share networks, experience, and credibility. It is encouraging to see TechWM stepping up as a supporting member of this movement. But if representation truly drives innovation, we have to move past panels and hashtags. We need measurable outcomes, visible female leadership, equitable promotions and a shift in workplace culture. The talent is there. The ambition is there. Ninety percent of women in tech want to lead, but only 25% believe they can. That is not a pipeline problem. It is a confidence and cultural problem. And it is costing billions in economic value and innovation. Huge thanks to Alexandra Bellingham, Lin Lowdon, Davina Schonle and Rebecca Bignold for lending their voices. #WomenInTech #BirminghamTechWeek #InclusiveLeadership #FutureOfWork #BTW2025

When I studied physics at King’s I expected to be in the minority, but I was shocked by the ratios - women made up around 10% of the cohort. I went on to have a career in data, and in almost every tech team there were 4 or 5 men to every woman. The number of times I was assumed to be less technical than my colleagues is hard to count.. I’ve been asked many times ‘who wrote this code’ when I share the underbelly of an analysis. Meanwhile men with abit of SQL and a dream proclaimed themselves Data Scientists and were rarely doubted. The reason isn’t hard to guess, our culture evolved (quite recently) from open misogyny and oppression, in which women were actively excluded from certain professions, and we still live with some of the vestigial organs. I’ve noticed that organisations are more comfortable promoting women based on their pastoral, managerial and artistic qualities - presumably because these qualities play into feminine archetypes. But promoting women based on their technical leadership is still hard to stomach for some, and it’s often a deeply unconscious bias that is held by men and women alike. Needless to say I’ve had many fantastic, supportive colleagues and managers along the way, but a mid-career woman in tech often ends up in a conundrum: seen as less technical than their male colleagues, and less managerial than female colleagues who came up through people-focused roles. I’ve recently moved into a strategy team, still using my technical skills but not defined by them, and for the first time in my life don’t feel the need to push against stereotypes. It’s a huge relief and I’m in no way surprised that this is a common route. What did surprise me in this article was the estimated cost to the economy of this attrition at scale. The first step in reducing bias is naming it and listening to the people who experience it. The hard part is acting on what you learn, and Imperial is doing amazing work to support underrepresented groups at critical points in their STEM careers through initiatives like our Leadership Academy, and Early Career Researcher Institute. But as professionals in STEM we all have to keep listening, sharing our experiences and driving the change we want to see.

Women are stepping away from tech at a critical stage in their careers. At Make TechPurple, we’re committed to creating pathways that help women stay, grow, and thrive in the tech industry. Let’s change the narrative together. #MakeTechPurple #WomenInTech #TechCareers #WomenEmpowerment #TechLeadership

“Tech is done with women.” That’s what Baroness Martha Lane Fox was told by a tech CEO at a recent business event, a stark reminder that misogyny still has a firm grip on the industry. Despite three decades of progress elsewhere, women remain underrepresented in tech, with only 2% of businesses founded independently by women. As Lane Fox warns in a recent report in The Times, this isn’t just a question of fairness. The rise of AI makes inclusivity in tech more urgent than ever. If the future of work, products, and services is being built almost exclusively by men, they will never fully reflect the needs of society as a whole. Diversity is fundamental to innovation, resilience, and growth. If business leaders deprioritise inclusivity, they risk narrowing perspectives and missing opportunities. Tech needs more voices at the table. Read our blog about creating a fair and equal working environment here: https://lnkd.in/eg6vr4BD Learn how we can support training your teams in diversity: https://lnkd.in/efRPEv9 Read The Times article here: https://lnkd.in/edfnzmVf

Breaking barriers and building skills in tech 💻 This Women in Tech Week, we're highlighting the experiences of women who've built successful careers in technology.  We asked women in our digital, data and technology teams: 💡 What drew them to pursue careers in technology? 💡 What was their biggest challenge and how did they overcome it? 💡 What skills have been most valuable in their careers?  Swipe through to see what they said ➡️  Our women in tech demonstrate that there's no single route into technology. What matters is curiosity, determination, and the willingness to develop new skills.  What draws you to technology? Share your thoughts in the comments.  #WomenInTechWeek #TechCareers #FCDOServices #ItAllMatters #Technology #BreakingBarriers #CareerDevelopment #DiversityInTech 

Your tech career starts the moment you decide to begin. If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect” time, this is it. At African Women In Tech - AWIT-, we believe that curiosity is the first step to innovation. Whether you’re transitioning, upskilling, or just starting out, take the leap today. Let’s keep empowering more women to lead, create, and transform the future of tech. #AWIT #WomenInTech #TechCareers #MotivationMonday #AfricanWomenInTechnology

In recent years, the tech industry has given us artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotech, virtual reality and even smart toilets, but while the sector might be lightyears ahead in innovation, new data suggests it’s stuck in the past when it comes to equal opportunity for women. https://buff.ly/ynsp9yt #tech #womenintech #genderbias Acronis