Diversity in tech

New statistics reveal Microsoft is among least diverse companies in tech

January 6, 2015 Natali Vlatko

#diversity #microsoft

Microsoft image via Shutterstock

As the latest to release their diversity figures, Microsoft has quietly joined the ranks of other big companies to report disappointing findings in gender and ethnic diversity.

Microsoft has revealed its most recent census data and in terms of diversity, and with a 76% male workforce, its numbers are somewhat short of ideal. The latest statistics were published on December 18 and were first discovered on Microsoft’s Global Diversity and Inclusion site (as a tiny link at the bottom of this page).

The release of these diversity statistics comes after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had publicly promised Rev. Jesse Jackson at Microsoft’s December 3 shareholder’s meeting that he would release the company’s Equal Employment Opportunity form, as required by the U.S. federal government, by the end of the calendar month.

76% male, 61% white

As can be seen below, Microsoft’s place among global employee statistics of key technology companies doesn’t look that impressive. At the same time, Microsoft’s U.S. diversity numbers have improved slightly with female employment growing by 0.4 percent. The company now employs a higher percentage of Hispanics/Latinos (up 0.46 percent), Blacks/African Americans (up 0.3 percent) and Asians (up 0.24 percent).

Company	Male	Female	White	Asian
Microsoft	76%*	24%*	61%	29%
Apple	70%	30%	55%	15%
Google	70%	30%	61%	30%
Yahoo!	63%	37%	50%	39%
Facebook	69%	31%	57%	34%
LinkedIn	61%	39%	53%	38%

*US only

Microsoft have been publishing diversity data on their dedicated Global Diversity and Inclusion site since 2006, so they are no strangers in revealing their need to improve in the diversity department.

Last year, Facebook, Google and LinkedIn started a new wave of diversity reporting when the companies shed light on their gender and racial imbalance in their workforce. In contrast to Microsoft’s quiet diversity report publication, the former companies promoted their reports as part of a campaign to address the issues of diversity in tech.

Nadella has recently drawn criticism over comments he made regarding women and their right to wage raises, suggesting that faith in “the system” would be enough rather than women asking for raises directly. These types of attitudes are central to the debate regarding diversity in the technology industry as a whole. Nadella later apologized for the comments and pledged to boost Microsoft’s efforts to ensure “equal pay for equal work” among all employees.