Gender crisis in information technology (IT), is worsening – women still make up a minority of the IT industry. Their numbers continue to fall.

Gartner recently reported that while women account for nearly 50% of the labor force today, their share in the IT workforce is only around 25%.

Gartner’s analysis on gender roles in IT showed that women are better at listening and communication, and they do a better job of strengthening collaboration.

The IT industry has been undergoing transformation. IT departments are now more focused on strategic planning, program management, vendor administration and software development.

Therefore, soft communication and negotiation skills have become more important. IT departments should encourage women to work in an environment that is more welcoming.

Women are less likely to succeed in their career advancement if they live in an unwelcoming environment and have no mentors. According to The “Women in Technology 2007″Only 52 percent believed their organizations provided a supportive environment for women, according to the report. Only 27% of respondents found mentoring or networking programs that were specifically tailored for women.

Many IT companies want to have a positive effect on women’s workplaces. CA, founded in 1976, has been a pioneer in recognizing and encouraging women to play an important role in IT. The company has also launched the global DigiGirlz program in partnership with Microsoft that encourages young women to pursue a career in technology.

CA also created The Women’s Executive Roundtable as a membership group that allows women in IT to meet regularly and share their career and industry issues.

Andy Goodman (executive vice president for worldwide human resources, CA), commented. “We are pleased with the progress we have made with our efforts in attracting and retaining women employees and are proud to have the representation on our executive team of three top females that trends ahead of most in IT where it is not unusual to have only one top female executive.”

CA’s excellent example shows that IT departments and companies can recognize the important role of women in the industry and invest in them more. This could reduce the gender gap and lead to a better-balanced workforce for one America’s top industries.