IT Pro 20/20: Why tech can't close the diversity gap
The 11th issue of IT Pro 20/20 looks at what businesses can do to help create a more diverse workplace

Welcome to the tenth issue of IT Pro 20/20, our digital magazine that brings all of the previous month's most important tech issues into clear view.
Diversity has always been a challenge for the technology industry. It's one of those few industries that struggles to maintain a varied talent pool, with white males still taking the single biggest share of the employee demographic.
This is a problem we've known about for a long time, and even though the figures have improved very little in recent years, awareness has. Unfortunately, there's a very real danger that what work UK businesses have put in to make their workforce as diverse as possible could be entirely undone by the pandemic.
When faced with shrinking budgets, it's easy to imagine companies choosing to sideline or even close some of the newer, more costly, diversity initiatives. We also know from recent research in the US that women are more likely to be furloughed than their male colleagues as, by the nature of recent diversity efforts, women are more likely to be holding those very vulnerable entry-level positions.
In this month's issue, we aim to show why a struggling business should start thinking of diversity as less of a business luxury and more as a route to recovery and, ultimately, a competitive advantage in a fractured post-pandemic market.
We appreciate you taking the time to download IT Pro 20/20, and we hope you enjoy this month’s issue.
The next IT Pro 20/20 will be available on Friday 18 December – previous issues can be found here. If you would like to receive each issue in your inbox as they release, you can subscribe to our mailing list here.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
Dale Walker is a contributor specializing in cybersecurity, data protection, and IT regulations. He was the former managing editor at ITPro, as well as its sibling sites CloudPro and ChannelPro. He spent a number of years reporting for ITPro from numerous domestic and international events, including IBM, Red Hat, Google, and has been a regular reporter for Microsoft's various yearly showcases, including Ignite.
-
Should AI PCs be part of your next hardware refresh?
AI PCs are fast becoming a business staple and a surefire way to future-proof your business
By Bobby Hellard
-
Westcon-Comstor and Vectra AI launch brace of new channel initiatives
News Westcon-Comstor and Vectra AI have announced the launch of two new channel growth initiatives focused on the managed security service provider (MSSP) space and AWS Marketplace.
By Daniel Todd
-
Tech talent shortages mean firms are scrapping traditional recruitment strategies
News With more than half of enterprise leaders worried about future skills shortages, many organizations are turning to a range of new techniques to expand potential talent pools.
By Emma Woollacott
-
Employees are dead set on flexible working arrangements – three quarters would turn down a role that didn't offer hybrid options as work-life balance becomes more important than pay
News New research shows workers are increasingly demanding flexible working arrangements from employers.
By Emma Woollacott
-
How to empower employees to accelerate emissions reduction
in depth With ICT accounting for as much as 3% of global carbon emissions, the same as aviation, the industry needs to increase emissions reduction
By Fleur Doidge
-
Half of jobseekers turned down offers last year amid growing demands on employers
News An increasingly competitive talent landscape means employers are being forced to offer a wider range of incentives
By Ross Kelly
-
Worldwide IT spending to grow 4.3% in 2023, with no significant AI impact
News Spending patterns have changed as companies take an inward focus
By Rory Bathgate
-
Report: Female tech workers disproportionately affected by industry layoffs
News Layoffs continue to strike companies throughout the tech industry, with data showing females in both the UK and US are bearing the brunt of them more so than males
By Ross Kelly
-
How can small businesses cope with inflation?
Tutorial With high inflation increasing the cost of doing business, how can small businesses weather the storm?
By Sandra Vogel
-
How to deal with inflation while undergoing digital transformation
In-depth How can organizations stave off inflation while attempting to grow by digitally transforming their businesses?
By Sandra Vogel