For the first time in four years, women hold fewer than half of the jobs in the agency, media and tech industries, according to a study released today from She Runs It.
The group's fourth annual #Inclusive100 report found that women make up 46.4% of workers in those industries, down nearly 10% from the previous year.
Moreover, the decline in advertising, media and tech industries was disproportionate compared to other industries measured in the so-called Diversity Best Practice Index, which is issued by She Runs It in conjunction with consulting firm Seramount.
Companies included in the Index that fall outside of the agency, media or tech industries show a near 50/50 split between men and women workers.
“It seems like our industry was really impacted pretty dramatically by the course of the past year,” said Lynn Branigan, president and CEO of She Runs It.
McKinsey and Oxford Economics estimate that women have accounted for nearly 56% of total workforce exits since the start of the pandemic, despite making up just 48% of the workforce.
“This year, with all that’s gone on in our industry and the pandemic and racial divides, has made people rethink what priorities are and it’s probably really a time when companies and people are reassessing what’s important,” she said.