Women in Tech & Finance at Higher Risk of Job Loss: Report

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 4 February 2026

• Women in technology and finance are more likely to lose their jobs because of AI and automation than men
• Women with experience are being passed over because of inflexible hiring practices

A recent report has pointed out that women in the technology and financial industries are at a higher risk of being laid off due to the implementation of AI and automation technology compared to men. The report also states that qualified women are being overlooked because of "rigid recruitment procedures."

According to data from the City of London Corporation, "mid-career" women (women with at least five years of experience) are being overlooked for technology jobs in the technology, finance, and professional services industries, where women are already underrepresented.

The report suggests that automated recruitment software fails to take into consideration career breaks that women take for caregiving responsibilities or the entire experience of women in the workforce.

To overcome these issues, the City of London Corporation advises employers to concentrate on reskilling women who are not already working in technical capacities, especially those in clerical work that is most vulnerable to being replaced by automation.

 It is projected that 119,000 jobs in the clerical sector, which are mostly held by women in the tech and finance industries, could be made redundant by automation over the next ten years.

Reskilling these workers could enable companies to avoid redundancy costs of up to £757 million, as indicated in the report.

The report states that by providing employees with additional training and skills, employers can begin to look beyond the skills an applicant has today and begin to focus on what the prospective employee can contribute to the organization in the future.

The report also states that every year approximately between 50,000 and 60,000 women leave the technology sector due to several factors, including a lack of career growth, appreciation, and suitable compensation.

According to Dame Susan Langley, the Lord Mayor of The City of London, the UK needs to invest in the digital skills of its workforce.

By doing so, by focusing on talent, flexibility, and opportunity the UK will continue to be a leader in innovation and digital excellence worldwide.

Surveys from the last year indicate that there are many workers that anticipate losing their jobs to AI over the next 5 years (as much as a quarter of all workers). This has prompted union leaders to call for an increase in the investment of skill development for workers.

The City of London Corporation has also indicated that there are over 12,000 digital vacancies still available in 2024, and women are not currently being considered for those roles.

Although some companies have raised wages in response to a shortage of workers; the report warns that simply raising wages will not solve the entire shortage problem.

Further, the report also states that the digital skills gap will persist until at least 2035 potentially costing the UK economy over £10 billion of lost economic growth.