Fair Playing Field: Women in Leadership

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The authors cite Ukie research showing the games workforce has a lower percentage of women than the overall workforce, where women are around 48%.See it on page 6
02
The authors cite EGDF data placing women at 20% of the workforce among European developers.See it on page 5
03
Citing GDC's 2021 Annual Report, only 21% of those working in the games studios surveyed presented as women.See it on page 13
04
The authors cite IGDA survey figures showing women's representation rising from 11% in 2005 to 22% in 2015 and 24% in 2019; the document notes that, as pointed out in a 2021 Women in Games article, this rise has effectively stalled.See it on page 13
05
In a 2021 Women in Games international survey, 84% of respondents said their salary was not advertised when they applied for their current role.See it on page 17
06
The authors cite a McKinsey finding that more than a third of employees feel they need to be available for work 24/7, and that such employees are much more likely to be burned out.See it on page 14

Summary

Women in Games, a UK not-for-profit supporting women in the global games and esports industries, published a second edition of its guide 'Building a Fair Playing Field', produced with support from ISFE and InGAME. The guide offers practical recommendations and first-hand accounts from industry contributors, organised into spheres of action covering gender equality policies, creating a fair working culture, community, ethical game design and education. It frames fairness as requiring leadership, and it draws on the UN Women's Empowerment Principles and on research from Ukie, ISFE, EGDF, McKinsey, and others.

The authors cite Ukie research showing the games workforce has a significantly larger percentage of men and a lower percentage of women than the overall workforce, where women make up around 48%. They also cite EGDF data that women account for 20% of the workforce among European developers. Citing GDC's 2021 report, they note that only 21% of those working in the games studios surveyed presented as women, and that IGDA survey figures rose from 11% in 2005 to 22% in 2015 and 24% in 2019.

In a Women in Games international survey from 2021, 84% of respondents said their salary was not advertised when they applied for their current role, while 27% reported that their company had a gender pay gap and 38% did not know.