7 Ways Jobsites Could Be More Inclusive and Welcoming to Women

As more women begin making inroads into operational roles on construction sites, and as the industry encourages more women to explore careers in construction, it's worth thinking about ways to make women—and other minorities—feel more welcome on the jobsite. Construction Management magazine in the U.K. talked to four construction industry pros to explore ways jobsites can be made more welcoming and motivating for women and, by default, for people from other minority groups, plus those arriving on site for the first time and visitors from any background.

Whether it's having personal protective equipment that fits correctly for women or using a woman's proper name rather than a pet name like "kiddo" or "sweetie" and recognizing a woman's role on site as an equal, legitimate position, there are ways to make jobsites more inclusive. One way to prevent individuals from feeling isolated is to put them in touch with others like them, say Skanska senior construction manager Sophie Baker and CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) president Sandi Rhys Jones:

For sites where there are few women, managers could set up networking opportunities with people from the wider project team, says Baker. “It gives you the sense of community and the confidence to know that somebody has your back. As a woman, you stand out, so if you put your head above the parapet and, if you fail, you are way more visible.”

“A good construction manager will find ways to interconnect their team and other teams. That’s about better comms and knowledge sharing,” says Rhys Jones. “Make sure everybody is communicating and that there are all sorts of different people involved. It’s a professional network that reduces isolation.”

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