(Photo: Project 18 organizers announce preliminary results at DoSpace.)
OMAHA — Preliminary results of the Project 18 workforce survey show that many women in Omaha tech and tech-adjacent jobs say that gender has been a factor in negative workplace experiences like missing out on raises and promotions, and in some cases, being taken less seriously in their careers.
The survey was distributed in May. Organizers said almost 800 people started the survey, with 226 people completing it. It asked men and women whether they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements about workplace culture, advancement opportunities, benefits and work-life balance.
The full results of the survey are expected to be released in early 2019.
Survey organizers released the results of 10 statements that they categorized as “Strengths” and “Opportunities.” The five “Opportunities” statements showed areas where men and women’s workplace experiences differed widely.
For example, 27 percent of women said they disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “I believe my gender has played a role a role in my missing out on a raise, promotion or a chance to get ahead.” 90 percent of men disagreed.
The implication is that a significant majority of women surveyed believe gender has cost them advancement opportunities.
35 percent of women surveyed disagreed that “My gender will make it harder for me to get a raise, promotion, or get ahead at my company.” Again, 90 percent of men disagreed.
(Graphic courtesy Project 18.)
“There are a few statistics here that really show some very deep differences in how men and women perceive opportunity,” said Project 18 organizer Rebecca Stavick. “Especially in terms of how their gender may affect their opportunities for raises and promotions, or if their gender has played a role in possibly missing those opportunities. I think that that’s something we should really take a close look at, because the difference there is pretty large.”
Stavick said it will be important to do more research on the mobility of men and women in the Omaha tech workforce. She says existing research on women in the Omaha workforce shows gender does play a big role in whether or not one has the opportunity to be promoted — but there’s a need for more.
“Further research on this issue needs to be done at the local level in order to support a healthy workplace for everyone,” said Stavick.
The five “Strengths” statements showed areas that a majority of both men and women agreed on.
For example, 87.5 percent of women agreed with the statement “My co-workers were accommodating and supportive upon my return from maternity/paternity leave.” (85.7 percent of men agreed with the statement.)
(Graphic courtesy Project 18.)
“It’s clear that those things that we’re really good at don’t really run along gender lines,” said Stavick. “Those strengths, I think, need to be applauded, because the levels of engagement and support that our workers feel across the city in tech and tech-adjacent roles I think first off needs to be really recognized.”
Project 18 is a movement to make Omaha the most women-friendly tech community in the United States, and the survey was part of an effort to quantify its success.
While research exists more broadly about women’s experiences in the Omaha workforce, the Project 18 Survey was the first effort to document women’s experiences here in tech and tech-adjacent roles.
One of the next steps will be to compare Omaha to comparably-sized cities.
“Ideally, we will do a robust survey on this every single year. Over time, if we can get data from peer cities that will show us how we’re doing in comparison, that’s gonna be even more valuable than national survey data,” said Stavick.
The ultimate goal is to attract and retain tech talent.
“Because if you’re a woman in tech in Omaha, and your work environment is not great, and the culture sucks, and you’re not moving up, why wouldn’t you move to Denver or move to Kansas City? There wouldn’t be a reason to stay here,” said Stavick. “And so if we can find out more about those things, we can start to turn that around and just start really start to be more strategic about stopping brain drain.”
For more information on Project 18, click here.
Regional response to Prosper Omaha 2.0, a strategic economic development campaign designed to fast track Greater Omaha’s preferred future, has raised more than $18 million in business pledges toward the initiative’s $32 million goal – nine months after launching the six-county initiative.
“Business is booming in Greater Omaha,” said David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber. “Current 2018 capital investment commitments exceed $1.3 billion, and more than 1600 jobs have been created so far this year. This is truly a place where everyone can prosper.”
Greater Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming-tech hotspot, the No. 1 Best City for College Grads to Start their Careers in 2018 and Time magazine’s 2017 No. 3 Most Up-and-Coming City in America. The community has also been recognized for its “We Don’t Coast” attitude, and named America’s No. 2 Best Small City.
Greater Omaha is home to more than 30 communities and nearly 1 million people, with a youthful population (more than 40 percent are age 24 or younger), low cost of living and steady economic growth that outpaces the nation.
A five-year aspirational plan that accelerates a people/place/business-growth model, Prosper Omaha 2.0 is transforming a region where annual median income growth (3.4 percent in 2017) already outpaces the national growth rate of 2.6 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; while higher education opportunities increasingly draw students to what Ziprecruiter calls the “No. 1 best city for college grads to start their careers in 2018.”
“High median salaries and low unemployment are hallmarks of Greater Omaha,” said Mikaela Borecky, senior director, fund development, Greater Omaha Chamber. “We have such gratitude to the organizations contributing to our collective momentum, and can’t wait to catalyze the region for ever-more explosive growth.”
The inaugural Prosper Omaha strategy launched in 2014, and produced nearly 300 landed projects, grew $4.2 billion in capital investment and created more than 13,000 jobs – thanks to $25.9 million in support from 300 investors.
Facebook Community Boost will be coming to Omaha on October 2-4.
Announced in November 2017, Community Boost invests in small businesses across the country. The program is designed to help small businesses grow and to give more people the digital skills they need to compete in the new economy.
Anyone is welcome to attend Community Boost, which kicks off on Tuesday, October 2nd at Thompson Center at UNO, 6705 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182.
According to Facebook, when they heard that Nebraska wanted more digital skills training, it became a driving force behind why Omaha was chosen to host Community Boost. A survey by Morning Consult of small businesses in Nebraska found:
Registration for the event is open at fbcommunityboost.com/cities/omaha-ne/.
In August, students with the AIM TRIO Talent Search at Monroe Middle School and Benson High School participated in a week long Summer Technology Camp at AIM’s Brain Exchange. The students were excited to learn technologies such as Virtual Reality, Drone Piloting, 3D Modeling/Printing, Video Game Design, and Robotics.
Included in the technology camp were discussions about current and future jobs, which are all a part of the growing landscape of careers that cross STEM fields.
Students work Blockly Games, coding for video game design, and with lunchbox computer kits using Raspberry Pi.
During the Summer Technology Camp, the students also had the opportunity to ask questions during Congressman Don Bacon’s Round Table discussion presented at the AIM Brain Exchange on August 3, which highlighted the value of computer science and STEM Education.
Middle and high school students interested in creating technology, are invited to participate. Winners are invited to Washington D.C. to be recognized and be eligible for prizes. http://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/
September asw the return of two popular After School programs for students in AIM TRIO Talent Search at Monroe Middle school.
Technology Mash Up will explore cool IT gadgets like SMART basketballs and soccer balls that use technology to calculate angles and speed while Science Club will experiment with crime scene investigation and rocket launches.
