Are We Burying The Lead On The Upheaval In Tech?

There are two main narratives surrounding the tech industry. One is that mass layoffs are affecting entire industries, and the other is that women and people of color are being disproportionately fired. The first is exaggerated. The second is a serious problem that requires long-term measures

Take the retreat hat

Yes, the so-called big tech companies are laying off a lot of people, perhaps for the first time in our collective memory, but they don't represent the entire tech industry and never will .

It's been a long time since we've had a full understanding of what we mean when we talk about "tech" companies. Technology isn't just the Googles and Metas of the world, it's the thousands of companies hiring software engineers and other technical workers in everything from finance to retail to healthcare to telecommunications and more.

Tech Nation has published an interesting discussion of what makes a tech company a tech company, concluding that "to be a tech company, a company must create new technologies ( if sold to the end user ) but also use them to differentiate and advance. from the company, the values ​​of innovation and cooperation".

Perhaps instead of calling companies outside of Big Tech "core companies" we should more accurately refer to tech companies in the "commodity sector." This is not just a "labeling" difference; This has important implications for those working on diversity, equity and inclusion in the tech sector.

Amid hyperbolic reports of massive tech layoffs, these big tech companies, for the most part, aren't firing people and are actively hiring even more. If you're looking to branch out into the tech sector, it's important to keep these companies on your radar. Develop strategic relationships and innovative programming with them, as they can and will be great places to start and grow your technology career. My career started at Verizon and as I grew up, first as an AI applications researcher and eventually as a CIO, I never doubted that I had a "tech career" in telecommunications.

For those who subscribe to the stereotype that technology in this age-old industry is cool, advanced, innovative, and influential, think again.

CVS Health, the merger of CVS and Aetna, recently announced plans to use artificial intelligence, virtual assistance and connected devices to redefine consumer health options. Walmart has said for years that their growth depends on their ability to leverage AI, Big Data and Robotics. Did anyone doubt that Pfizer was a pharmaceutical technology company when it successfully used mRNA technology to develop a COVID-19 vaccine in record time?

Do you think back-office technology is not strategic? Consider the recent disasters in the airline industry. Southwest Airlines' significant holiday travel disruption may be due to malfunctioning back-office systems.

big problem

As unfortunate as this "reform" of the Big Tech workforce is for those affected, the bigger problem with what's happening right now isn't a lack of tech jobs; There is no diversity in people who stick to their jobs when times get tough.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, companies have been asked to make diversity, equity and inclusion (D&I) efforts a higher priority. During the pandemic, when Big Tech saw a business boom and increased hiring accordingly, this included so-called "diversity hiring" and talent management professionals specializing in DE&I. But research shows that recent layoffs have disproportionately affected women and workers of color, causing these organizations to miss out on the latest R&D effort of the right size. Additionally, DE&I teams are being scaled disproportionately. This is, in short, unacceptable, but it demonstrates that "commitment to diversity" is often an empty promise.

First, we recognize that companies generally act in their own interests, including what's best for their shareholders, the environment, society and their employees. If companies truly believe that more diverse teams are a strategic business priority, they won't abandon diversity recruiters and DE&I professionals when times get tough. Instead, as Alexandra Kalev says, "The only way to avoid losing diversity is to plan not to lose it."

Second, as always, transformative change fails when you reinvent your business, whether it's by pushing a new technology on top of an old business process or, in this case, adding a "diversity goal" to an existing one. . Recruitment and retention practices. This approach will not change the diversity of the organization in any significant way and simply shows a lack of understanding of the root causes of the problem.

This has to change

From the beginning, it has required a commitment to fundamentally change the way we recruit and retain tech talent; We recognize that the same tools, methods and classifications we have used in the past will not get us where we need to go. A serious restructuring of these business processes was required from the outset. Less is a showcase that can easily be transformed into next year's fashion trends.

When we see companies systematically restarting their technology acquisition and retention engines, we can take it as a sign that they understand the nature and origin of a variety of technology challenges and therefore how to address them. Only then will we see systemic change in the future of the tech workforce.

Emergence - "Our Salvation" feat. Alex Ariane - Galley Records