Women in Construction survey views: sexism

Women’s experiences of and views about sexism in construction:

“I am so shocked that this subject is even debatable. I have suffered so much discrimination and sexism over the years i am shocked this is even in doubt!! I really can’t tell you how much this effects my day-to-day life, I really wish I’d never got a construction degree. I don’t have a future in the career I’ve worked so hard for. Men are automatically respected and listened to whereas I am asked if I spent the whole weekend on my back!! I’m sick of it all. Change must happen”

Anon

“Although you mention sexual harassment and discrimination I think that an equally big problem is day to day sexism. My experience is that physical harassment, although appalling, is relatively rare and certainly younger staff are far more likely to report it than when I first entered the profession. However there are lots of things that probably aren’t actually discrimination, but which are just really wearing. I think that the question that is missing from the questionnaire is “Would you feel comfortable exposing your 16 year old daughter/niece/grand-daughter etc. to the environments you have worked in over the last year.” If the answer to that it broadly yes, then the issue about women in construction is broadly about information, mentoring, encouragement, etc, but if the answer is broadly no, then there is a more structural problem.”

Anon

I get simple concepts explained to me in ways that a 5 year old could understand because people assume I do not know anything about construction techniques, even after 15 years experience in construction management

Anon

“There is still an overwhelming amount of sexual discrimination within the industry. As a woman you have to constantly provide justification for your position, and constantly prove that you know what you’re doing. Far more than any man has to. As a woman in a leadership role I have to carefully choose the way I speak to people; I get accused of being angry, or shrill or told to calm down when I am not actually annoyed at all. I do get support from my directors and treated equally. However by others over the last 2 years I have been referred to as, good girl, young lady and sweetie. During a period of planning work I was referred to as “just the girl who does the twiddly bits”. While working as a programme manager on a $15b Airport my name was added to a poster with the other women in the team under the heading Pretty. The men on the poster were under the heading of Smart (as in clever). People automatically assume on meeting with me that I am there to take minutes of meetings not to lead meetings. I get asked to make tea and coffee. I get simple concepts explained to me in ways that a 5 year old could understand because people assume I do not know anything about construction techniques, even after 15 years experience in construction management. Men also assume it is ok to make a comment about me of being romantically interested in someone I work with because I have a good working relationship with them.”

Anon

“In the past I have carried out exactly the same job and a male colleague and been paid less because I am a woman. I have raised the issue and been given the brush off because the company apparently didn’t have funds to raise my income to the same level as my colleague. I have been turned down for a job when I was younger, the potential employer plainly said ” why should I employ you when you are at the age when you are likely to take maternity leave in the next few years”. As I have got older I have now seen female friends asked “why should I employ you when you have caring responsibilities for your elderly relatives”. However I have also experienced discrimination from female colleagues who have children against me who has no children when I have been made to work longer hours to cover and also been given work further away from home while colleagues with children have been allowed to work fewer hours and closer to home. I do think that discrimination exists in many areas often without people even realising it is there.”

Anon

“The industry needs to become more flexible in general otherwise it will be one that is unappealing to work in. My current company is the most sexist I have worked in during my 15 years of experience on the front line of construction. I have witnessed and experience the most unpleasant behavior/treatment. I am a senior manager and have been asked to do typing, formatting documents and generally treated as an admin member of the staff it is extremely unpleasant to experience and quite frankly shocking at this stage of my career.”

Anon

“I have experienced direct and indirect sexism pretty over the [37 years I have worked in construction]. Early on sexism was overt and acceptable. Now there is a recognition that is not acceptable but it hasn’t stopped - it’s just less explicit.”

Anon

“I have experienced victimisation in my career, but this has not, I believe, been gender-based, as the bullies were as bad to everybody. I strongly believe that there is significant sexual discrimination (relative wage levels prove this unequivocally), however maybe simple bullying sometimes gets the wrong label.”

Anon

“I cannot pin point any particular case of sexual discrimination against me in my workplace. However I feel that I am not taken seriously in my workplace due to being female, and that I will always be viewed as a junior member of staff. In fact, after ten years with the company, I still have the title of junior. The only other woman to hold a technical role within the company, is very definitely considered the most junior member besides me. This is despite her having worked there for longer than several male staff members and having much better knowledge of construction technology. She is generally asked by the other technicians for help with their detailing yet she is only ever assigned small projects herself.”

Anon

 

Men’s experiences of and views about sexism in construction:

“I feel the whole 50/50 campaign is a mondern form of discrimination. I feel giving everyone the opportunity to go into construction will not necessarily mean you’ll get 50/50. Do you want to see plasterers on site to be 50/50 women and men? That’s just not practical.”

Anon

Unconscious bias is an important issue in workplace discrimination. Men need teaching about their unconcious bias

Anon

“I feel that there is a discrimination against men getting into certain roles in the industry now and that certain companies are only interested in hiring women in to meet a quota to appear as being an equal opportunity employer. Why is it acceptable to only encourage some to work in white collar workplace positions, equal should mean equal across the board not just in specific fields, women should be encouraged to be in the trades also.”

Anon

“I feel that women are treated secondary in the property and construction industry!!!!”

Anon

“Construction is often a chicken and egg industry. If you dont have the experience it is hard to get the job. Without getting the job it is hard to get the experience. This is even more difficult for women in construction as they are often guided towards offsite roles which then limits their experience of how to build which in turn limits the roles to which they can aspire. I firmly believe that their is no role in construction that a woman cannot undertake just as effectively as a man given the same training experience and mentoring as a man.”

Anon

“Unconscious bias is an important issue in workplace discrimination. Men need teaching about their unconcious bias and how it can affect women in the workplace.”

Anon