We hear a lot about the "pipeline problem" in tech, which supposedly limits the percentage of minorities who make their way into the industry. Yet many believe that the phrase might actually be BS, according to CIO Dive. On a panel, Girls Who Code COO Tarika Barrett said the consensus was that the issue comes down to workplace culture, not education or desire to work in tech. While women and racial minorities may enter the industry, they don't necessarily want to stay in it. The heart of the issue lies in workplace culture. "You don't want to stay at a place where you don't see your trajectory, or you don't feel that you belong," Barrett said. Aarti Shah, SVP and chief information and digital officer at Eli Lilly & Company, continued, "Diversity is when you get invited to the party, but inclusiveness is when you actually get invited on the dance floor." (See WiCipedia: How to be a better ally.)

The COVID-19 pandemic created additional issues for women in the workplace (since we needed more) by pulling them in multiple directions that had little to do with the pipeline or workplace culture, CNET explains. As primary caregivers, many women had to take time away from work or leave entirely in 2020 as they were needed by their families. In fact, the latest Intel diversity report shows that the numbers of women at the company and in tech roles specifically fell slightly this year. While we can't conclusively say why that happened, it's likely pandemic related. "In September, McKinsey published its annual Women in the Workplace report, sounding the alarm about women considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce to compensate for the added responsibilities and stressors brought about by the pandemic," the article explains. While flexible work arrangements may certainly help, they don't resolve the cultural issue of women primarily being in charge of family affairs and care. (See WiCipedia: Coming back stronger post-COVID.)

Yet that doesn't mean it's any less important for women to work in tech roles right now. TechRepublic spoke with Advancing Women in Product's (AWIP) CEO, Nancy Wang, who explained that it's never been more important to ensure that women enter the industry and stay there – both for the benefit of individuals and companies. There's no question that diversity positively impacts the bottom line of businesses, but it's certainly more difficult during a global pandemic to network, find a mentor and find balance. If you're interested in some expert-level tips from AWIP – from creating affinity groups to sharing responsibilities with a partner to advancing into leadership roles when you're the only one in your demographic, make sure to give this interview a read. (See WiCipedia: Is there an alternative to imposter syndrome?)

— Eryn Leavens, Special Features & Copy Editor, Light Reading. Follow us on Twitter @LR_WiC and contact Eryn directly at [email protected].