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Acronis has released its 2025 Women in Tech Report, revealing sharp differences in how men and women perceive opportunity, advancement and bias in the technology sector, with more than eight in ten women saying representation at the top could reshape culture.
The report, FOMO at Work: The Opportunity Gap Between Men and Women in Tech, surveyed more than 650 IT professionals globally and found women still feel a significantly narrower path to leadership compared with men, despite broader industry conversations around inclusion and workplace equality.
Only 60 per cent of women say men and women have equal access to career development, against 75 per cent of men.
Sixty-three per cent of women cited work-life balance as a major career barrier, compared with 49 per cent of men. Some 67 per cent of women believe they must work longer hours to advance in their careers, while 56 per cent of men shared that view.
The perception gap extends into leadership and entry-level cybersecurity roles.
Bias and stereotypes were named as the main barrier to women entering cybersecurity by 41 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men. For leadership paths, 41 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men identified bias as the key obstacle.
Leadership development tailored specifically to women is a priority for 70 per cent of female respondents, versus 56 per cent of male respondents. Fifty-two per cent of women reported being very concerned about missing career opportunities due to family responsibilities, compared with 42 per cent of men.
Acronis study focuses on how men and women experience working in the tech industry
“Our new survey findings shine a spotlight on just how differently men and women experience working in the tech industry,” said Alona Geckler, SVP Business Operations and chief of staff at Acronis. “Closing the gender gap requires more than good intentions. Organisations must recognise these disparities and design programs that expand leadership opportunities, confront bias head-on, and create environments where work-life balance doesn’t present any barriers that may potentially derail women’s careers.”
The report suggests that while progress has been made, workplace culture remains uneven. Women place a higher value on targeted leadership initiatives and advocacy programmes, while men are less likely to view systemic barriers as significant. Acronis says these differences identify where employers are falling short and where policy changes or organisational reform could move the dial.
“This report highlights the critical need for companies to listen more closely to women’s experiences in technology career paths,” said Melyssa Banda, SVP, Edge Storage and Services at Seagate Technology. “For companies across the tech sector, highlighting women role models, addressing bias directly, and fostering inclusive cultures can benefit the entire industry. The opportunity now is to turn these insights into action that can drive innovation and create a workplace where everyone can thrive.”
Women currently make up 29 per cent of the global technology workforce, a figure reflected in the sample size.
