Ahead of International Women’s Day 8th March 2025, Kaspersky is launching “Confronting IT's Career Barriers”, an interactive game-like test that delves into the obstacles — both visible and invisible — hindering career progression in tech. Inviting users to make a stark choice between gender and work-life balance barriers they’d be ready to cope with at workplace, the project aims to raise awareness of the impact they have not only on individual careers but also the broader industry and offers ways to tackle them.
The tech industry
continues to face structural inequalities that shape career opportunities and
workplace culture. From the glass ceiling and pay gaps to work-life balance
struggles, these barriers influence how professionals — especially
underrepresented groups, including women — progress in their careers. Despite
ongoing discussions about diversity, the numbers tell a different story: women
only hold 10% of senior positions in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), compared with 25% in other
fields.
Kaspersky’s
interactive test challenges participants to rethink the workplace barriers they
might be willing to tolerate. Users navigate the test by selecting between
pairs of workplace challenges, choosing the one they find less significant —
essentially, the barrier they are more willing to tolerate. Through a series of
such choices, the test gradually reveals which workplace hurdle participants
are most inclined to tolerate — while illustrating why it shouldn’t be ignored.
At the end of the test, users receive insights into how this barrier affects
the tech industry, supported by real-world data and expert opinions. By
highlighting their real impact on career growth and the industry, the test
helps users recognize the need for change and offers practical advice to drive
it.
While these barriers may seem deeply ingrained in workplace structures, they are not insurmountable. Along with the description of each challenge, recommendations on how to overcome those and the facts about its influence on the industry, the project reveals the practices Kaspersky follows to exclude the effect of such barriers on work environment. Drawing from our own best insights, we’ve identified key approaches that can help professionals navigate workplace obstacles and advocate for meaningful change — both for themselves and within their organizations
Learn more about key strategies in the “Confronting IT's Career Barriers” test.
“Addressing workplace barriers
isn’t just about individual experiences — it’s about shaping an environment
where professionals can grow and succeed based on their skills and
contributions. The more we talk about these challenges and take concrete steps
to address them, the closer we get to a fairer, more inclusive tech sector,” commented Maria Losyukova, head of ESG
at Kaspersky.
At Kaspersky, we are
committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where professionals can thrive,
regardless of gender or background. The company actively works to ensure pay
equity, improve career mobility, and promote work-life balance through flexible
work arrangements, structured mentorship programs, and transparent promotion
policies.
Kaspersky is also working to raise awareness and drive industry-wide change through educational projects. One of our key initiatives is Kaspersky’s Empower Women platform, which inspires women by sharing personal growth stories and expert advice. Through this project, we highlight the experiences, challenges, and achievements of our female employees, offering insights that inspire and support professional development.
Visit the official site to learn more about
their success stories.
