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.
