Tech sec, be more gender-savvy

The matter of gender pay gap across sectors in India is well known. But what is liable to raise eyebrows is that even a ‘modern’ sector like technology, with its sturdy linkages with the global economy and young cohort of workers, suffers from the same malaise. A new Aon PLC report shows that the unadjusted gender pay gap in the tech sector in 2023 is 28-30%, while in junior management, it is 18-20%. Another study by Xpheno for ET shows that the percentage of female engineers in the higher salary bracket is significantly lower than that of male engineers in the same experience level and identical job roles. So much for tech being savvy.

The gap is high by international standards. The 2023 Global Gender Gap Index report puts India at No. 6 in South Asia and 127th among 146 countries worldwide. India is behind Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives, and ahead only of Pakistan and Afghanistan. While lower levels of education, skills or experience explain part of the gap, much of it can be attributed to plain old discrimination. Gender-based discriminatory practices include lower wages paid to women for work of equal value, undervaluation of women’s work in highly ‘feminised’ occupations, and enterprises, and lower wages for mothers compared to non-mothers.

The tech sector carries many of these burdens because the social ecosystem from which it draws its employees across ranks is the same. But it has a good chance of fixing this legacy problem. Many companies are doing this with equal pay policies, flexible working arrangements, and providing training and growth opportunities for women. This must be sustained at all costs. A more equitable and diverse workforce will pay handsome dividends, especially from women.