WP Includes, launched in 2023 by Siobhan McKeown (COO, Human Made) and Francesca Marano (Director of Engineering L&D, XWP) to bolster the presence of women in leadership positions within WordPress enterprises has announced the Gender Equality in WordPress Businesses Survey.
What is the Survey About?
This is the first survey of its kind, and its scope is to “gain critical insights into the gender composition of leadership teams, the experiences of women and gender-diverse leaders and employees, and the challenges and barriers to their career success.” The survey initiative is closely tied to Gender Equality in WordPress Businesses 2024, which we can expect later this year.
The only way to bring about change and progress is if the existing issues and barriers are brought forward and this survey aims to do exactly that. Siobhan McKeown said, “ Our hypothesis is that WordPress business leadership is generally male dominated. This is our experience of working within the ecosystem. We want to both validate this and learn more about the experience of women and gender-diverse individuals who are working in WordPress businesses, especially when it comes to support at work and opportunities for progression.”
The survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete and is open to everyone. The questions range from the workplace atmosphere, whether there are opportunities for career progression, any barriers due to gender, whether there are policies in place to support women at work, and so on.
By tapping into more individuals belonging to different organizations across the globe, a much clearer picture can be formed. This would highlight the existing issues and barriers that must be addressed for better gender diversity in the WordPress enterprise ecosystem.
Is the Survey Anonymous?
The survey is anonymous and the findings will be shared with the public later. WP Includes also has a 5-month mentorship programme and the call for mentors/mentees happens in September and March.
Efforts like these are welcome especially in the wake of organizations like Women Who Code closing down.