Advancing gender equality in the digital world
#IWD2020, #EachforEqual
We are living through a transformation in the world of work. Automation and “thinking machines” are replacing human tasks and jobs, and changing the skills that organisations need to be successful. In this time of rapid change, how can organisations make sure all their employees – regardless of gender – have the chance to succeed? They will need to keep a relentless focus on gender diversity while upskilling their people. Achieving gender equality is all about equal opportunity. Equal opportunities for people to learn new skills, progress their careers and reach their full potential.
More women than ever before are choosing the fast-growing technology sector as a pathway to career success. But despite efforts by technology companies and governments alike to increase female representation in technology, women occupy only 30% of jobs in the tech industry on average across the G7.
How can organisations promote opportunities for women in the technology industry throughout the career life cycle? We’ve identified four key focus areas:
AI and new technologies such as robotics, drones and driverless vehicles could displace jobs for women, but can also create new ones. PwC analysis finds that fewer female jobs are expected to be lost from automation relative to jobs lost for the male population in the OECD, but the gains from job creation are likely to be bigger for men than women. The health and social care sector, the largest employer of women in the OECD, is expected to experience a net increase in female employment as a result of technology.
As workers are increasingly impacted by automation, a recent PwC global survey found that more than half of workers globally believe that automation will either significantly change or make their job obsolete within the next decade. It is therefore vital that governments and businesses work together to offer more training in digital skills and STEM subjects, and support retraining into other jobs in sectors where the “human touch” is crucial.
Learn about PwC’s New world. New skills. programme which aims to help upskill millions of people around the world.
To mark International Women’s Day 2020, we asked some of our female leaders around the world to share what innovation means to them.
“Policymakers and businesses have a key role to play in helping people, including women, adapt to technological change throughout their working lives. With the right interventions, everyone including women can benefit from the gains in productivity from technology and automation.”
During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos earlier this year, Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, and Bob Moritz, Chairman of the PwC Network, spoke about gender and mental health issues at The Equality Lounge, hosted by the Female Quotient.
Watch the webcast to hear their take on how mental health in the workplace might be different for women than men, and what organisations can do to support their people.