Almost half of women working in tech, 47%, say they have been treated unfairly at work because of their gender, according to a new survey by ISACA. Two years ago, the figure was 42%.

The rise was noted by ISACA, a global association for IT governance and security professionals, even as awareness of the problem has increased across the industry.

Women are just as unhappy as men are regarding their company culture, the security of their jobs, and the speed at which they are promoted.

Moreover, 63% of women believe that there are not enough women in the tech industry, a belief held by 41% of men as well.

This extends to the boardroom as well, with only 53 per cent of women believing they have a real influence on company strategy, compared with 66 per cent of men.

For men and women, the greatest factor preventing them from advancing in their careers is the absence of a clear route to promotion; one third of all the people interviewed mentioned it, the figure rising to 41% among women and dropping to 33% among men.

Pressure at work is also quite common. Around 59% of technology professionals report experiencing stress or burnout due to their jobs, primarily because of heavy workloads, a lack of resources, and inadequate management. The figure rises to 64% for women, whereas it is 57% for men.

At the same time, employers are struggling to retain their employees. Four out of five respondents regarded retaining employees as either a significant or a moderate problem, but only one in four employers gives their staff days off for mental health reasons, and almost as many provide no assistance for burnout.

“Retention rates are still a challenge, which tells us that good intentions are not yet turning into action,” said Julia Hermann, a member of ISACA’s SheLeadsTech Global Advisory Group.

Respondents were more hopeful about what comes next. Roughly seven in ten, with no difference between men and women, think more women will join the industry within five years.

To make that happen, 69% of women want more women as mentors and role models. Separately, 55% of respondents say institutions should employ more women as tech lecturers and create networks for them.

Pay remains another dividing line, as women in European tech earn 26% less than men on average, a 2024 analysis found.