We Need More Women in Construction. Here’s Why
Dara Hendrix
Labor shortages are hurting construction. Attracting and retaining more women can help.
When I was twenty-seven-years old, I fulfilled a professional goal of mine by becoming a project manager for a general contracting company. This was in the late 1980s, and for a woman to take on this role was viewed as untenable. It wasn’t until more than a decade in the field that I began encountering other women in these roles, and there were very few.
Fortunately, things have changed. There has been a strong focus on transforming the male-dominated culture of the construction industry—and more women now work in the field than ever before. Even so, we only make up 11 percent of the industry’s workforce in the United States. A recent survey showed that nearly half of tradeswomen face gender discrimination and more than a quarter are frequently sexually harassed. Unfortunately, women are still stereotyped as better equipped for administrative roles.
All that represents a missed opportunity. Women bring communication and management styles that could be a boon to our industry. Attracting and retaining more women can also help address widespread labor shortages: 91 percent of construction firms report trouble filling open positions, slowing down sorely needed infrastructure projects.
Driving Awareness
When I started out, women in construction were mostly in the office, keeping the books and doing payroll. Today, there are more and more female engineers, project managers, and company leaders.
Yet we can do better to drive awareness about certain roles in the field—particularly the trades, where women account for just 4 percent of the workforce. That stems in part from a misconception about the physical requirements of this work, as well as persistent stereotypes about who takes these jobs.
For instance, while you need to have some degree of strength and stamina, strict safety standards are in place to ensure, say, that one person doesn’t have to sling very large pieces of drywall with their own bare hands. Women’s increasing participation in certain military roles is a useful analogy here and should remind us that women with a passion for this work have few limitations.
It is not enough to recruit new female workers. Retention is just as important. More than four in ten tradeswomen have seriously considered leaving the industry, citing lack of respect or discrimination. Harassment of various forms is a constant for many females in construction, and those who are parents report difficulties with childcare and lack of pregnancy and maternity support. As a 2021 report highlights, support from unions and tradeswomen organizations, clear workplace policies and diversity goals, and mentorship opportunities can go a long way to addressing these issues.
Communication Is Key
Another common obstacle for women in construction—a different communication style than some male colleagues—could actually benefit the industry as a whole.
In my personal experience, I’ve noticed that women tend to bring a more holistic, empathetic, respectful, and collaborative mindset to their construction projects and teams. That can clash with the approach of some men, who in our culture have traditionally been raised to be more individualistic or competitive in nature. Many may not be used to taking direction from decisive women, an added challenge as more women take on leadership roles.
For me, the path forward continues to go beyond navigating these differing styles to draw out the more positive aspects of both men and women—promoting productivity, community, and respectful communication. When leading teams, I model the behavior I want my team members to follow, hold people accountable for failing to do so, and use a company’s values to anchor this communication. While many keep those values tucked away, I believe they’re there for a reason: to facilitate problem solving and support efforts to bring the best out of your team.
This style may raise the so-called “likeability paradox” for women leaders: that it is nearly impossible for us to be both liked and respected because, as Stanford researcher Marianne Cooper puts it, “high-achieving women experience social backlash because their very success—and specifically the behaviors that created that success [e.g., assertiveness, decisiveness, etc.]—violates our expectations about how women are supposed to behave.”
My advice? Like other women leaders have said: don’t be limited by your concern for likeability. Focus on listening and creating connections, follow through on your values, and trust your abilities.
Remember to Empathize
Women in construction can also benefit from having empathy and patience for their male counterparts. It might not be fair to assume, for instance, that men already know how to work with women; some find it challenging. Understand that many might come from a culturally traditional home—but that doesn’t mean they won’t be willing to respect and collaborate with women as colleagues. Some may lack the social skills or confidence to interact successfully with their female peers or leaders. For others, it might simply be a new experience. They may be nervous about saying something wrong.
Being able to put ourselves in our male colleagues’ shoes and consider their perspectives can help build fruitful working relationships. That empathy might help women give those coworkers some grace and empower them to mentor men on beneficial communication styles. Just as women want respect, we need to respect that men might still be learning, growing, and evolving themselves.