The Rise of Women in Construction: Why we need more women in executive roles

Women comprise only 10.3 percent of all the people working in construction. That is 1.25 percent of women in the workforce because women make up 47 percent of all employed individuals. However, new construction industry jobs are expected to balloon in 2022 and companies are looking to recruit more women in executive roles than ever.

Why does the gender gap exist?

1)      Unconscious gender bias

2)      Lack of adequate training

3)      Overall perceptions of women working in construction

Bridging the gap

Although women are still underrepresented, they are making significant headway as executives in the construction industry. Companies are more recently promoting women to executive roles. They are increasing their efforts to promote women and educate young women about the benefits of working in the industry.

Reasons for gender-diversity

A report by Mckinsey & Co shows that gender-diverse companies are 25 percent more likely to achieve above-average profitability than companies with less diversity. The same report found that construction companies with more women in executive line roles than staff roles experienced above-average financial performance compared to those companies that didn’t. Diversity is a proven asset in driving profitability and a solution to the construction to the industry’s labor shortage.

The Rise of  the women executive

The pay gap in the construction industry is the lowest of any U.S. industry. 44% of the top 100 contracting companies have women in executive roles. Most women who work in the industry feel that they have an opportunity to advance in their current role. Another area in which women are advancing is in business-ownership, with 13% of construction companies being owned by women. There was a 64% increase in the number of woman-owned construction companies from 2014 to 2019.

Challenges facing women in construction

Despite the headway women are making in the industry, they still face challenges in gender bias and career advancement barriers. Women are often primary caretakers and often have to juggle being a caretaker and working a fulltime job. To remedy this problem, the advancement of technology and the ability to work remotely allows for more flexibility. Another consideration for women is whether they want to work on the job site or in the office. But things have become less manual and more women are in supervisory roles.

Resources for women considering executive careers in construction

Women have a multitude of resources available to them to enter into the construction industry. There are organisations like National Association of Women in Construction and Women Construction Owners & Executives USA which provide mentorship, marketing and networking opportunities to help women who are new to the construction industry.

Large construction companies offer courses and boot-camp programs for young girls and any women interested in the industry. Many cities also offer apprenticeship programs that strive to recruit women, prepare them for exams, and train them with job-specific skills.

There are also construction forums and conferences held to celebrate and discuss the topic of women in construction. These include:  National Association of Women in Construction annual conference and Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference which provides management training and teaches women how to bridge pay gaps in their workplace.

Women can stay up to date in the industry with blogs like Constructing Equality and Tradeswomen.

Kaufman Search & Consulting works with leading Contractors and top-level talent throughout the country, building teams for tomorrow’s projects one perfect fit at a time. We use extensive know-how and our solid relationships with key decision makers at our client companies to elevate your executive career in construction.

AboutStephanie Kaufman

Career change is a major life decision affecting your professional fulfillment, your family´s livelihood and your employer’s success in the marketplace. Stephanie has had deep understanding of that premise in her decade-long activity as executive search expert supporting construction industry leaders. Her experience pointed to the essential aspects of a perfect professional match such as competence, personality and cultural compatibility. She has developed a portfolio of returning high profile clients and a sensitive and efficient hands-on approach to both sides of the recruitment process. She vouches for investing time in getting to know the clients and candidates on a personal level and diligently guiding them through step by step. All this comes together in a proven strategy that molds to your career and staffing needs, bringing exactly what you need and when you need it.