NEW YORK -- Jopwell (www.Jopwell.com), the leading recruitment and hiring platform for building a more diverse workforce, today announced the results of a commissioned study to examine diversity challenges among underrepresented ethnic minority engineers in the technology industry. Only 2-3% of all engineering roles at technology-based companies are held by Black, Latino/Hispanic, or Native American talent.* That gap prompted the study, which polled 300 Black, Latino/Hispanic and Native American engineers from US technology companies between February 17-26, 2016.

85% Say a Fair Workplace is Diverse
Among all underrepresented minority engineers surveyed, 85% agreed that “a fair workplace includes people from every race.” 11% were neutral and only 4% disagreed.

“This is an important point for companies challenged with recruiting and hiring underrepresented minority professionals,” said Porter Braswell, CEO and cofounder of Jopwell. “Inclusivity in the workplace – an authentic sense of diversity and inclusion – helps attract, recruit, and hire the best and brightest talent.”

Broken down by gender, more female respondents (93%) agreed that a fair workplace includes people from every race versus male respondents (81%).

36% Have Experienced Workplace Bias
Providing personal insight into their experiences in the technology industry, more than one third (36%) of survey respondents agreed that they have personally witnessed some form of identity-based bias or have been the victim of such bias at their company. 39% of female respondents witnessed or experienced identity-based bias versus 34% males.

Additionally, when asked what the bias seemed to have been based on, 69% indicated race or ethnicity, 16% said gender, and 11% said sexuality. Among men and women, the numbers for race and ethnicity-based bias were essentially equal at 70% men versus 69% women. However, more women (18%) experienced gender-based bias versus men (15%). Sexuality-based bias was three times as high among men (15%) than women (5%).

“We’ve seen some progress in the workplace in recent years, but there is still unconscious bias that can manifest within organizations,” added Ryan Williams, president and cofounder of Jopwell. “There are a number of tools that companies can use to counter workplace bias – everything from quantifiable performance standards to bias trainings to technology-driven platforms.”

70% Say Their Company Should Do More When asked whether or not they thought their company could be doing more to promote multicultural understanding, which can work towards reducing workplace bias, 70% of survey respondents agreed that this represents an area of need within their organizations. 77% of female engineers surveyed said that their company could be doing more to promote multicultural understanding versus 67% of male engineers.

“Within leading tech companies, Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American engineers typically make up 2% or less of the overall engineering teams,” said Williams. “Diversity is not an accomplishment, but a commitment,” he explained. “Building a diverse culture – like building any culture – doesn’t happen overnight. But for businesses who commit to it, it will reap tangible business rewards in breadth of talent, culture, and business outcomes.”

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