The Mad Men are not as far behind us as we thought.
The Elephant In The Valley survey polled over 200 senior women in Silicon Valley, and found that 60 percent of them reported unwanted sexual advances at work.
Of that group, 65 percent said these advances were made by higher-ranking colleagues. Another 60 percent of those who had reported an incident were dissatisfied with the response.
An informal survey we ran on Twitter surfaced the same theme: 63 percent said they have experienced harassment in their workplace, according to combined results from two polls taken in June.
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https://twitter.com/TechPortfolio/status/747827532754358272
https://twitter.com/TechPortfolio/status/748519740532895744
Mistreatment of women in the workplace is an economic as well as social problem because companies with women in the C-suite show better financial performance. When women are treated poorly in technology culture, they leave and don’t return to the industry.
Not that financial performance should be the first consideration in efforts to root out sexual harassment in the workplace.
Still, the situation isn’t completely bleak. Our poll about female founders and role models showed the largest proportion of respondents saying they could name at least two or three in the industry.
https://twitter.com/TechPortfolio/status/745289461274021888
The existence of role models can contribute to increasing female participation in the workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Elephant in the Valley survey find?
The survey polled over 200 senior women in Silicon Valley and found that 60 percent reported unwanted sexual advances at work. Of those, 65 percent said the advances came from higher-ranking colleagues.
Were women satisfied with how their reports of harassment were handled?
No. According to the Elephant in the Valley survey, 60 percent of the women who reported an incident were dissatisfied with the response they received.
What did TechPortfolio's own Twitter polls show?
Combined results from two informal Twitter polls taken in June 2016 found that 63 percent of respondents said they had experienced harassment in their workplace, echoing the survey's findings.
Why is mistreatment of women in tech an economic problem?
The article noted that companies with women in the C-suite show better financial performance, and when women are treated poorly in tech culture, they leave and do not return to the industry, though financial performance should not be the first consideration.
Was there any positive sign in the findings?
Yes. A poll about female founders and role models found that the largest share of respondents could name at least two or three in the industry, and the article said role models can help increase female participation in the workplace.