The New South Wales Government has released a report making key recommendations to improve female participation in the construction industry.
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Released on February 16, 2024, the ‘Women in Construction’ report examined the issues causing disproportionate female representation in the construction industry and what could be done to address some of the systemic issues inhibiting increased female involvement. The recommendations outlined in the report provide a roadmap to help address key barriers to attracting and retaining women, addressing negative perceptions, raising business and HR knowledge, and improving workplace culture in the construction industry.
“The Women in Construction report provides informed recommendations to increase women’s participation in the industry and address some of the systemic challenges they face,” said David Chandler OAM, NSW Building Commissioner. “The participation and retention of women across NSW in the construction industry will deliver the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive industry which increases innovation, improves productivity, and leads to stronger economic performance.”
The report bases its recommendations off research that shows, in NSW, small-to-medium construction companies consist of 80 per cent of the industry, with the workforce consisting of only five per cent of women. According to the report, 35 per cent of these businesses employ no women at all, while 71 per cent of women employed in the businesses surveyed had experienced discrimination and 50 per cent of women had faced sexual harassment. The report also found some small business employers are reluctant to hire women due to fears of being held legally responsible for any inappropriate behaviour by male employees in the workplace.
“By improving the workplace for all genders, it will encourage more women to join the industry and help to address the projected shortfall of 100,000 skilled construction workers,” said Chandler. “I am calling on all industry stakeholders to consider the findings and actionable recommendations.”
Full details on the NSW Government’s ‘Women in Construction’ program can be viewed here.
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