Why women are disappearing from Europe’s tech workforce
Why Women Are Vanishing from Europe’s Tech Workforce
A recent study reveals that women represent less than 20% of the tech workforce in Europe, with concerns growing that the gender imbalance may worsen without targeted interventions, especially as artificial intelligence transforms the industry. In 2025, only 19% of employees in central tech roles across the EU were women, marking a 3% decrease from the prior year, according to McKinsey & Company’s latest findings.
Shifting Trends in Diversity Initiatives
Amid declining support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—once a cornerstone of the 2010s—organisations in both the US and Europe are reducing their focus on these efforts. This shift threatens to deepen the gap in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), where women have historically been underrepresented.
The research combined data from 4 million LinkedIn profiles in tech-related roles with statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and AI-driven hiring analytics from Findem. It uncovered a pattern where women begin to lag in tech fields shortly after completing their education.
Education and Career Trajectories
While girls perform slightly better than boys in STEM subjects during primary and secondary schooling, only 32% of female students choose to pursue tech-related bachelor’s degrees. Among advanced learners, women are more likely to earn STEM PhDs, yet they still comprise just 19% of the overall tech workforce.
Women also face significant barriers in advancing their careers. Their participation in the tech labor market drops by up to 18 percentage points before reaching managerial positions, leaving them with just 13% of leadership roles. In software industries, the disparity is even more pronounced, with a 15 percentage-point gap between entry-level and corporate leadership positions.
Moreover, women are overrepresented in specific tech roles, such as product management and design, where they account for 39% and 54% of employees, respectively. However, these positions rarely lead to executive roles, reinforcing a cycle where women’s influence in tech’s broader direction remains limited.
Gender Gaps in AI-Driven Roles
“As AI reshapes roles and value creation in tech, existing gender gaps could widen without deliberate action,”
the report noted. Women are notably absent from AI, data, and analytics sectors, where men dominate entry-level positions. This trend is alarming during the AI boom, as it risks narrowing perspectives at critical decision-making levels.
Even in nations traditionally praised for gender equality, such as Finland and Sweden, the tech gender gap persists. Women make up 36% and 23% of tech workers in those countries, respectively. The report identifies workplace culture as a primary driver of attrition, with many women reporting experiences of sexism or bias.
“These early losses ‘compound the gender gap at the leadership level,’”
the study explained. Women often feel isolated in their roles, frequently being the sole female in a team. Additionally, they are more likely to take on unpaid tasks like mediating conflicts or organising events, accumulating an average of 200 hours of “office housework” annually.
Recommendations for Change
Policies aimed at supporting parents, such as flexible or remote work options, can inadvertently slow women’s career progression. To combat this, the report urges companies to set explicit representation targets and evaluate them quarterly. By prioritising workplace culture, organisations can create an environment where women are more likely to stay in tech roles and ascend to leadership positions.
