Barriers for women in construction in NZ
Challenges ranging from subtle biases to outright discrimination are faced by women working in construction in Aotearoa – and they’re likely hampering efforts to increase female representation in the industry.
Despite more women stepping into construction roles, which were once considered out of reach in Aotearoa, these challenges mean the industry is still missing out on a significant pool of potential workforce talent. Women make up only 15 percent of full-time construction industry employees.
A team of researchers led by Dr Funmilayo Ebun Rotimi, a senior lecturer at Auckland University of Technology’s School of Future Environments, looked at ‘benevolent sexism’, ‘hostile sexism’, and job conditions for women in the construction industry.
The study, titled ‘Challenges Faced by Women in New Zealand’s Construction Industry and the Impact of Demographic Factors’, published in the journal Construction Economics and Building, aimed to identify issues affecting the mental health of women in the industry as well as the demographic factors that influence sexism and job condition-related challenges.
“Women in construction face ‘benevolent sexism’ like stereotyping and pressure to prove oneself as well as ‘hostile sexism’ like masculine culture, sexual harassment, and lack of respect,” Dr Rotimi says.
She says stereotyping can lead to assumptions about women’s ability or suitability for industry roles, with women often viewed as less competent than their male counterparts, which can increase pressure to prove oneself.
Furthermore, a workplace culture that highly values traits and behaviours traditionally considered to be masculine - like assertiveness, competitiveness and aggressiveness - may lead to unequal treatment of women.
Dr Rotimi says this could mean pay disparities or being passed over for promotions.
“We also found there was a lack of female role models, which can hinder women’s career progressions, and limit their growth and development opportunities.
“By identifying the challenges faced by women in the industry, we hope to encourage the development of workplace initiatives to address them, thereby encouraging more women into careers in construction,” Dr Rotimi says.
Alongside Dr Rotimi, the study was co-authored by Dr Marcela Brauner, Dr Megan Burfoot, Associate Professor Nicola Naismith, Dr Chathurani Silva and Associate Professor Mahsa Mohaghegh.