Mind the gap: gender, micro-inequities and barriers in software development

Abstract

Gender diversity and equity are known problems in the software industry. However, relatively few studies has examined the everyday work experiences and barriers that software professionals in technical roles encounter through a gender perspective. In this work, we investigate micro-inequities (e.g., interruptions, lack of eye contact, being assigned menial tasks in a project) and barriers experienced by software professionals working in technical roles with a gender perspective. We also analyzed age as a confounding factor. In our study, we surveyed 359 software professionals (50:50, women:men ratio) from globally distributed locations. Our results show that women and respondents in certain age groups encounter micro-inequities significantly more than men and other age groups. Further, women experience and witness sexism and harassment in the workplace in significantly higher numbers. We also found that women report having significantly less support and authority to make necessary decisions in their work, are less satisfied with their pay, and feel less valued and recognized in their teams. Finally, we found that the main barriers reported by women are related to team dynamics and gender biases, while men report most on technical and project related issues. Our results can serve to create awareness in the community about the large disparity and help practitioners revise their training programs and internal policies.