Lessons from women coping with IT workplace barriers

In the United States, women’s equity and inclusion in Information Technology (IT) continues to dominate industry and academic discourse. One of the industry's challenges in improving women’s representation and advancement is their retention. Despite the significant investments made in interventions made by IT firms and public and non-profit organizations, attrition is still double that of men in IT and women in other fields. This chapter reviews limitations inherent in IT retention interventions that are grounded in essentialist views of women, and ignorance of individual differences. The ways women cope, persist, and advance in IT are showcased. I draw on ten years of research, detailing women’s individual coping methods to address workplace barriers, and their experience of having to devise and practice these methods. The discussion of coping methods will inform how IT organizations should support and facilitate individual coping strategies and redesign interventions aimed at changing the IT workforce for women.