The 2025“FOMO at Work” survey by cybersecurity firm Acronis reveals that female technology professionals continue to perceive far fewer paths to leadership than their male peers, flagging persistent barriers despite widespread talk of inclusion and equality. The survey of more than 650 IT professionals across eight countries shows that only 60 per cent of women believe men and women enjoy equal access to career development opportunities - compared with 75 per cent of men.

Those who took part in the survey report that factors such as work-life balance, long hours, and bias continue to weigh heavily on women's prospects. Sixty-three per cent of women cited work-life balance challenges as a significant impediment to career progression, compared with 49 per cent of men. Meanwhile 67 per cent of women said they feel pressure to work longer hours to get ahead, whereas 56 per cent of men felt the same pressure applied generally.

Attitudes toward leadership opportunities diverge sharply by gender. While 82 per cent of women said having more women in leadership would improve workplace culture, men were less enthusiastic - illustrating a gap not only in opportunity but also in perception of what is needed to achieve equity. Bias and stereotypes were cited as the main barrier to entry into cybersecurity and other technical roles by 41 per cent of women, versus 33 per cent of men; when asked about obstacles to leadership positions, 41 per cent of women named bias compared to 36 per cent of men.

The imbalance extends across the global technology workforce, which remains heavily male-dominated. Women account for roughly 29 per cent of the global tech workforce, a figure mirrored in the survey's sample. Representation in senior or specialised domains such as AI, data science, and cybersecurity continues to lag far behind overall workforce percentages.

Industry experts argue that bridging this gap will require more than commitment to parity - it demands structural change. Programmes focusing on leadership development for women, flexible working arrangements, and active efforts to dismantle stereotypes are among the strategies many firms are evaluating. Advocates warn that without such measures, the risk remains that talented women could leave the sector altogether or be confined to lower-responsibility roles.

The Acronis findings come amid broader industry data showing gradual but limited improvements: women's representation in corporate leadership roles has inched up over the past decade, yet remains modest, and drops noticeably with increasing seniority. In many technology-specialised segments, structural inertia continues to restrict access.

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