
Despite recent progress, a survey by the National Association of Women in Construction reveals that microaggressions and harassment remain common challenges for women in the industry.
By the National Association of Women in Construction.
Women are increasingly being encouraged to join the construction industry, which is promoted as a place to grow, thrive and succeed, with workplaces offering flexible working arrangements, progressive policies, attractive wages and opportunities for both professional and personal development. However, a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and TDC Global shows that the reality can be quite different.
The not-so-little things affecting women in construction survey explores how organisations can better address and prevent microaggressions and harassment in the industry. With over 650 respondents, the data reveals real lived experiences and provides recommendations to shift the cultural challenges in construction and remove the barriers women continuously face.
Microaggressions are seemingly small, indirect and subtle actions, comments and/or statements that happen frequently and are widely felt by marginalised groups. They can be as simple as insensitive statements, questions or assumptions that are strongly linked to unconscious bias in the aggressor. On their own, these microaggressions may seem minor, but over a woman’s career span, their impact is anything but small. Microaggressions can have serious implications for women’s career progression, hindering advancement opportunities and perpetuating pay gaps. In one alarming instance, a participant reported a pay discrepancy of “$75k difference for someone who is in the same role as me,” highlighting the profound impact of unchecked microaggressions.
Related stories:
The reporting of microaggressions is a complex issue. Whether the concern is about retaliation or the belief that it will harm their career, it is clear that women are hesitant to report microaggressions they have either experienced or witnessed. Women often refrain from addressing microaggressions due to the fear of retaliation or retribution. They worry about being labelled as difficult, unapproachable or emotional, which can lead to isolation in the workplace. Speaking up can sometimes lead to fewer opportunities and can even be career-ending in certain environments. The emotional and psychological impact of microaggressions can lead to self-doubt, decreased confidence, and even mental health issues. This emotional toll can make it difficult for women to address these issues in the workplace.
Following the results of the survey, it is clear that changes are needed within the industry to tackle microaggressions and harassment head‑on. Based on input from survey participants and listening sessions, the following recommendations have been carefully considered:
- Education and training for line managers/supervisors – Implement mandatory soft skills training for all managers, regardless of the number of direct reports.
- Facilitated roundtable discussions with industry decision-makers – Encourage organisations to demonstrate concrete actions for improvement. Move beyond lip service by reviewing redundancy and recruitment statistics, examining strategies for attracting women to the workplace, and addressing problematic employees. Encourage organisations to conduct in‑house surveys to establish business needs.
- Practical skills sessions – Offer training for individuals on dealing with microaggressions, harassment and inappropriate workplace behaviours.
- Career counselling – Address the ‘leaky pipeline’ issue by providing counselling for career trauma and recovery.
- Subsidised legal support – Offer legal support to NAWIC members with the option to have a lawyer on retainer to provide legal advice as required. From November 2024, NAWIC members will be able to access one hour of free employment legal advice as part of their membership benefits.
- Government lobbying – Seek increased access to complaint, redundancy and non-disclosure agreement statistics within construction organisations.
With 41 per cent of aggressors being supervisors and managers, organisations can also take action to address and prevent microaggressions and harassment by:
- Implementing Gender Equality Action Plans – Develop and document strategies to support a gender-equal workplace.
- Increasing representation of women in senior roles – Ensure representation of women in senior roles, C-suite positions and human resources. This can help raise awareness of microaggressions in the workplace.
- Providing support and reporting mechanisms – Empower women to speak up by offering tools and brochures, implementing robust reporting mechanisms including anonymous channels, linking reporting mechanisms to financial impact, and conducting specific exit interviews for women to identify issues.
- Developing training and development initiatives – Provide training on unconscious bias, safety and onboarding; mandatory training for new managers; education on subtle forms of discrimination and their impact; and consistent education programs that build awareness of the financial consequences of microaggressions.
- Encouraging an active bystander approach – Promote peer accountability to call out inappropriate behaviour and emphasise the importance of male allies in changing workplace culture with allyship training.
- Establishing internal support systems – Create industry peer support groups for networking and empathy.
So, what comes next? Our final guidance is to focus your efforts where you believe you can have the greatest impact right now and to remain committed. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection.
NAWIC is a membership-based, not‑for‑profit organisation dedicated to attracting, developing and retaining women in the construction industry. With local chapters in every state and territory, we encourage you to come and say hello and connect with like-minded people focused on making a difference and advocating for cultural change. You can read ‘The not-so-little things affecting women in construction’ report on our website at nawic.com.au, following the links to Learning Hub and Engagement, and be part of the conversation on our socials @nawicau
The post The not-so-little-things affecting women in construction appeared first on Inside Construction.