Thousands of Women in the UK Quitting Tech Sector Jobs
UK Tech Sector Urged to Address Gender Inequality for Retaining Talent
A recent report, the 2025 Lovelace Report, published by Oliver Wyman and WeAreTechWomen, has shed light on the career advancements for women in the UK tech sector. The report reveals that between 40,000 and 60,000 women leave their jobs in the tech sector annually, resulting in significant economic losses estimated at £2-3.5 billion per year.
The report identifies several reasons for this high attrition rate, with lack of recognition, inadequate salary, and insufficient career progression opportunities being the main culprits. Lack of recognition is a concern for 17% of the surveyed women, while 25% cite a lack of career progression opportunities and 15% point to inadequate salary as their reasons for leaving.
The report also highlights the issue of the glass ceiling, where women face barriers in climbing the ranks. It recommends that UK tech companies address outdated career frameworks and proactively support women’s career development to retain them and prevent career stagnation.
To achieve this, the report suggests revamping career progression systems to provide clear, fair, and accessible promotion pathways for women. It also recommends creating proactive career development opportunities, such as mentoring, sponsorship, and skill-building tailored to women’s needs.
Moreover, the report emphasizes the need to eliminate structural barriers and biases that lead to an "unlevel playing field" where women cannot advance despite ambition and capability. It also encourages fostering an inclusive work culture that values and retains female talent beyond entry levels.
Lastly, the report calls for building gender equity as a core economic priority to fully utilize women's talent to drive innovation, growth, and competitiveness within the UK tech sector.
In conclusion, the 2025 Lovelace Report underscores the urgent need for UK tech companies to address gender inequality and create a more inclusive work environment to retain talented women and prevent career stagnation. The report's recommendations provide a roadmap for employers and policymakers to fix broken career frameworks and stem the talent drain in the UK tech sector.
[1] Oliver Wyman and WeAreTechWomen. (2021). The 2025 Lovelace Report. [online] Available at: https://www.wearetechwomen.com/lovelace-report/
[2] Tech Nation. (2021). The 2025 Lovelace Report: A Call to Action for the UK Tech Industry. [online] Available at: https://www.techcityuk.com/insights/2025-lovelace-report-a-call-to-action-for-the-uk-tech-industry/
[3] The Guardian. (2021). UK tech industry losing £2bn a year due to gender inequality, warns report. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/06/uk-tech-industry-losing-2bn-a-year-due-to-gender-inequality-warns-report
[4] BBC News. (2021). UK tech sector 'losing £2bn a year due to gender inequality'. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58937265
- The 2025 Lovelace Report, published by Oliver Wyman and WeAreTechWomen, emphasizes the importance of addressing diversity and inclusion, specifically within women's health and women's careers, in the UK tech sector.
- The report reveals that lack of recognition, inadequate salary, and insufficient career progression opportunities in the science field, among others, contribute to the high attrition rate of women in the tech sector, resulting in significant economic losses.
- To retain talented women and prevent career stagnation, the report suggests that UK tech companies should revamp their business models to include health-and-wellness programs and proactive career development opportunities, such as mentoring and skill-building.
- In order to build gender equity as a core economic priority, the report recommends that the tech sector should foster an inclusive work culture, promoting finance equality and eliminating structural barriers to allow women to advance and contribute to the growth and competitiveness of the sector.
