According to a study by WiCyS and Aleria, women's work experience in cybersecurity is dramatically worse than men's in almost every category.
Previous research shows that the representation of women in cybersecurity is much lower than it should be, but it doesn't explain why or how the problem can be remedied.
Women face exclusion at higher rates
Women encounter exclusion at twice the rate of men, demonstrating the urgent need for cultural and procedural changes across the industry to increase inclusivity. The report also highlights that women are five times more likely to report being excluded by their direct supervisors and co-workers, and that organizations should work to create more supportive and inclusive work environments. It points out important areas that need to be addressed.
“Previous research has consistently shown that women are clearly underrepresented in cybersecurity, but the root causes and solutions are unclear. was in the dark.”
“This study changes that narrative. Armed with hard data and compelling first-hand accounts, we shine a light on the specific barriers women face. For the first time, we We have both the quantitative data and qualitative stories needed to identify and eliminate the systemic barriers that prevent women from recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing in the field,” Dohm added.
Top 4 categories of exclusions
The top four categories of exclusion faced by women are respect, career and growth, access and participation, and recognition, and present important intervention points. Women report that they are 350% more likely to be excluded in recognition and 250% more likely to be respected than men.
The exclusion index for women is significantly higher across all categories, with particularly clear disparities in visibility (450% higher) and respect (250% higher).
The data shows a glass ceiling effect, with 48% of women experiencing problems with career and growth, significantly higher than the 26% of men who reported similar experiences.
Individuals with disabilities and individuals with intersecting identities experience levels of workplace exclusion equal to or exceeding those associated with gender, highlighting the combined impact of multiple distinct identity characteristics. I am.
Inclusive practices can significantly increase employee satisfaction, productivity, engagement, and loyalty, while increasing an organization's revenue and retention while reducing costs and risk.
“This report highlights the tangible impact of inclusive policies. Organizations have a clear opportunity to significantly improve financial results and employee satisfaction by addressing these disparities. Yes. Our analysis shows that a company with $1 billion in sales could be losing about $23 million annually due to discriminatory treatment of women and people of color. “This highlights the important financial incentives that come from an inclusive workplace,” said Paolo Gaudiano, Principal Researcher at Aleria.
This report highlights the critical importance of WiCyS's mission and efforts focused on promoting a more inclusive and equitable cybersecurity environment. We recognize that diversity is more than just a metric and serves as a key competitive advantage that directly impacts economic success.
The State of Inclusion in Cybersecurity Assessment benchmark was completed by collecting data from over 1,000 employees, approximately 35% male and 65% female, representing over 20 different organizations.
