What Drives Tech Workers? Exploring Their
Unique Political Beliefs

The tech industry shapes more than just our gadgets—it influences how we work, connect, and even think about the future. But what about the people behind the code and innovations? Our recent study shines a light on the political ideologies of American tech workers, revealing a group with distinct values that set them apart from both their leaders and peers in other industries.

Here’s what we found:

• A Unique Blend of Liberalism and Anti-Establishment Views
  Tech workers lean strongly liberal, advocating for social and economic
  equality. At the same time, they exhibit pronounced anti-establishment
  tendencies, challenging traditional authority and status quos.

• A Growing Divide
  Compared to tech leaders, these workers are significantly more liberal and
  anti-establishment. This ideological gap often manifests in employee activism
  such as protests against military contracts or climate inaction, pushing their
  firms toward ethical and social change. Tech workers can also act upon their liberal and anti-establishment ideologies when engaging in employee activism. For instance, Amazon employers urged the company to eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions (Stewart, 2019), and Microsoft developers protested against a contract supplying the US Army with advanced HoloLens headsets (Wong, 2019).

• More than Just the Workplace
  Interestingly, these values are tied more to the profession than the companies themselves. Tech professionals at non-tech firms share similar attitudes, indicating that the work, not the employer, shapes their worldview.