Why Chic Geek Exists

We see a problem in the world. There are not enough womxn building technology. On top of that, the womxn we do have are leaving. Here are the quick stats:

• Womxn are underrepresented in technology, holding only 25% of computing roles - something that hasn’t changed in the past ten years.

• It’s estimated 1 million womxn are leaving technology roles. Over half these womxn leave technical fields entirely.

• Attrition spikes among womxn ages 35-40 as 56% of mid-career technical womxn leave their companies. That’s twice as likely as their male counterparts.

This is creating a leaky talent funnel for our technology workforce. The diversity womxn bring to the table creates more innovate, productive teams and drive bottom line results. But why are womxn leaving tech?

Some assume that womxn are leaving to start families and are seeking more work-life balance. Our research shows that’s not the case. Womxn are dedicated to their careers, passionate about making an impact in their work. The number one reason womxn are leaving is because they can’t see a path to advancement.

A study conducted by Indeed found that the biggest reason womxn leave their technology jobs is attributed to lack of career growth. This was echoed in our own research where lack of career visibility came up over and over again as a barrier for womxn in technology.

Chic Geek sees that mid-career womxn are most likely to leave technology companies and technology careers because they don’t see a clear path to advancement. Our initiatives are designed to engage companies and help womxn see more career visibility so we can better retain them in technology careers and companies.

 Team