A significant 52% of CEOs acknowledge that their organisations are falling short in terms of workforce diversity, with 37% of chief HR officers concurring, according to a recent study by The IN Group.
To address these shortcomings, 76% of executives have confirmed the implementation of a diversity and inclusion strategy specifically aimed at hiring technology talent. However, 38% of companies still believe they are behind overall, with this figure rising to 48% in the United States.
The issue is particularly acute within technology teams, where 38% of respondents admitted their companies are not meeting diversity targets. According to a report by the BCS, it could take an astonishing 283 years for women to achieve equal representation in the tech workforce if current trends persist without intervention.
Beyond diversity, other top priorities for executives include sustainability, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, prompting many companies to realign their strategies to address these concerns. Notably, 73% of executives consider sustainability a key component of their technology strategy, with efforts focused on reducing carbon emissions to mitigate environmental impact.
Rich Lewis Jones, CEO of Sigma Labs, emphasised the importance of broadening recruitment methods: “Top-performing talent exists throughout society and can be harnessed through education, training, and belief. Winning this battle means higher loyalty, greater commitment, specific skill sets, enhanced team engagement, and of course, higher ROI on your talent.”
Prof Alexeis Garcia Perez, Professor of Digital Business and Society at Aston Business School, remarked on the challenges in achieving effective diversity: “Despite successes in tech talent recruitment strategies, a significant number of executives believe their companies are lagging in fostering a diverse workforce. This disconnect highlights the complexities of implementing effective diversity and inclusion policies and the need for more focused efforts in this area.
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Over half of CEOs admit their businesses are lagging in diversity efforts