Women Leaders are changing the world as we see it today. When women, the very few, take top leadership positions, they bring about a change in the very culture of an organization. There is still much work to be done to fully include women in construction. There are several factors that explain this enormous gender gap, from unconscious gender bias, to the lack of adequate training, to overall perceptions of women working in construction. Despite these barriers, women continue to build their path in the industry.To increase recruitment and improve retention, companies need to acknowledge and remove gender bias from their work culture, develop training programs and local mentorship groups specific to the needs of women.
Challenges for women in construction
Women in the construction industry are divided into three main groups, women in technical office positions, women in administrative positions and finally women as a construction workforce on site. Each one of the group of them face their own challenges and barriers, however, there are some common obstacles between all of them, which are:
- Gender Pay Gap
- Lack of training
- Lack of provisions
- Poor site facilities that are not adapted to women
Women’s empowerment requires transformative shifts, integrated approaches, and new perspectives.
Different roles of women in construction
As the construction industry continues to grapple with challenges like productivity and labor, there is a growing space for women to enter the field. Here are few roles.
- Women owned firms
- Construction Manager
- Estimator
- Architect
- Supervision
- Construction Expeditor
- Construction worker
Initiations for women empowerment
- Initiative that seeks, inspires, and mentors the next generation of women designers
- Integrating women into the construction field
- Recruitment of women into manufacturing and heavy engineering roles
- Technical assistance courses to women
- Diploma or Engineering courses
- Specialist in-house trainings which give them the necessary skills
- Appointing Female Supervisor for mentoring the women workforce
In order to make these jobs accessible and desirable for women, the construction industry must step forward and lean in to amplify our voice. Fortunately, there are many ways to do this. The day of the all-male panel at construction conferences is over. Diversity conscious companies today must make an increased effort to boost diversity on stage.