Executive Summary: SOTC 2022 Report
There was a lot on our minds when we administered the 2022 State of the Community survey. On the national stage, we saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade, devastating impacts of gun violence–and towards the end of the year, fears of an impending economic recession. Internally, PDXWIT had undergone leadership and staff transitions. The PDXWIT community, including our volunteers, were feeling the signs of burnout after two long pandemic years.
By Fall of 2023, we’d seen massive layoffs follow on the heels of the Great Resignation–layoffs that disproportionately impacted Women of Color, H1-B workers, and DEI initiatives. At the same time, return to office mandates began to spring up. In spite of this, we still felt there was much to glean from this data snapshot of 2022. One of our takeaways: The most successful companies will be those who embrace the future of work, and care about their employees.
It was heartening to see that the majority of individuals were in companies with DEI programs, and that a small number of companies were experimenting with the 4-day work week. It was especially heartening to see the number of tech workers willing and able to exercise their autonomy with the power of exit.
Despite the progress, harmful workplace behaviors persist–emphasizing the need for continued work. These findings underscore the importance of an ongoing (financial) commitment to rooting out systems of oppression in tech.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Where tech workers work: Of 335 respondents, tech workers spanned 23 different industries, including education, finance, and government.
Workplace culture: While the majority of respondents were at companies with a DEI program, they experienced a range of harmful behaviors from small slights to workplace harassment and retaliation–indicating there is still work to do.
Money talk: Of 275 respondents, 52% reported salaries of $100k or more, with LGBTQ+ BIPOC reporting lower salaries on average. Additionally, our data revealed that Women of Color expressed higher concerns about retaliation when negotiating salaries, highlighting a focus for DEI efforts.
Sentiments on the job: While respondents generally had positive impressions, white men expressed the highest satisfaction while Women of Color and LGBTQ+ BIPOC folks were more likely to feel underutilized.
The Great Resignation: Of 305 respondents, nearly 30% participated–with the majority finding improvements in pay, benefits, and work-life balance.
SURVEY DETAILS
Goal: The State of the Community survey is designed to capture data about the tech industry. Our goal is to quantify the depth and breadth of lived experience for people working in tech and identify specific challenges that must be addressed in our collective journey towards equity in the workplace. Additionally, we were interested in exploring the Great Resignation phenomenon and how it impacted the tech community. Survey questions were based on the Pew Research center’s 2022 report [1].
Target population: U.S.-based tech professionals, defined as having a technical job at a non-tech company, or a technical or nontechnical job at a tech company. We were specifically interested in those who were currently employed either full-time or part-time (i.e., not self-employed).
Survey methodology: PDXWIT newsletter subscribers were sent invitation and reminder emails, and invitations with a link to the survey were also shared via our social media channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). Responses were collected between July and August 2022. The survey took on average thirteen minutes to complete. Additionally, twenty two PDXWIT members were recruited via the above channels to participate in a paid focus group centered around the great resignation. There were a total of five focus group meetings, including two dedicated for BIPOC members.
Terms
BIPOC = Black Indigenous and People of Color
LGBTQ+ = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer
WOC= Women of color
Wm = White men
WW = White women
Resources
[1] “Majority of workers who quit a job in 2021 cite low pay, no opportunities for advancement, feeling disrespected.” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (March 9, 2022) URL: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/.