How Gender Equality Delivers Growth and A Skills Pipeline

The shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry has been dominating the news for many years and shows little sign of significant improvement. For businesses to stay afloat and for the industry to remain stable, encouraging more women into roles is essential. Teams with an equal gender mix are proven to perform better than male-dominated teams in terms of sales and profits. Anne Morris, talent manager at specialist property solutions provider Fortem, discusses.

The UK is currently facing a long period of economic instability, with the employment market likely to be adversely impacted. Staff shortages are already being experienced across the board and construction is certainly no exception. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported 42,000 vacancies in the industry between May and July this year.

Not only are we grappling with an ageing workforce and seeing fewer young people enter the sector, but for the first time in decades, the number of women deciding not to return to work after having a baby is on the rise. Furthermore, nearly a fifth of parents have had to leave their jobs because of the cost of childcare. This leaves us facing a worrying skills gap.

The contribution of women to the construction industry can be intrinsically linked to business growth. Management consultants McKinsey and Company found that organisations in the top 25 per cent with diverse representation on their executive teams are 25 per cent more likely to have above-average profitability. At Fortem, we have been working to this end over the past few years, and we firmly believe these changes are essential to business survival.

Creating balance

Ensuring that women are visible and represented at every level helps to shape a business ethos and improve staff satisfaction. At Fortem, three out of seven of our board members and many of our managers are women - this has contributed to a negative gender pay gap since 2019 which in turn has helped to retain and recruit more women to the business.

Women make up around 14% of the construction sector’s workforce but this could rise as increasing numbers opt to pursue science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. In the UK, there has been a 31% increase in entries from women and girls to STEM A-levels between 2010 and 2019 and in higher education, the number of women entering full-time undergraduate courses taking those subjects increased from 33.6% to 41.4% between 2011 and 2020. It is essential the sector harnesses this interest and ensures women consider construction as a career.

Fortem’s parent company Willmott Dixon has been a trailblazer in this area, aiming for gender parity within its workforce by 2030 and appointing a diversity steering group to address the challenge.

Retaining valued team members

To attract and hold on to staff, a workplace’s culture must be enhanced. We know the job market currently favours employees, so businesses need to work harder to show what they can offer. This is particularly important for women whose careers are more likely to be impacted by changes to things like childcare costs.

Flexibility has enabled many mothers to work around childcare needs – without this, employees may have had to reduce their hours or consider leaving altogether. Maternity packages are also a major factor, and recently Fortem introduced six months’ full pay to show our commitment to women and give them the opportunity to balance their career and family aspirations.

Talent development is also an important tool for enhancing skills from within. The Fortem trainee management scheme allows new or current employees to develop skills and undertake qualifications in a supportive environment, focussing on specialist disciplines and underpinned by a holistic approach to learning. This helps our workforce to keep growing while we retain those vital skills.

Our national health, safety and environment manager Melinda Simon is a great example – we spotted her potential when she started an administrative role with us as a stop gap. We supported her through the three-year programme and Melinda has since risen through the ranks.

Planning for the future

Part of preparing for difficult recruitment periods is to have a consistent approach to engaging with the next generation. By working with schools, colleges, universities and community groups, we can build for the future. We have introduced pupils as young as eight to the industry through school visits, so that they can learn more about what we do. For girls and young women in particular, it’s important they can see themselves represented, which can address any uncertainty they may have.

In addition, our Pathways4life programme promotes the transition from school and home life into the world of work. Work experience opportunities and careers guidance are also available to local people aged 14 and over, which helps develop their confidence and social skills.

Providing mentors can also help women feel more confident about progressing – we are seeing the importance of recruiting based on people with the right personality and attitude, not simply the right skills, qualifications or experience. The construction industry has a hugely diverse range of roles and career avenues to support all backgrounds and skillsets. We just need to take the time to invest and nurture our people.

How the future could look

The recognition and progression of women is about so much more than a box-ticking exercise – it is key for businesses to thrive. If the industry has learnt anything from the pandemic, it is how much we need to support our employees, providing them with the autonomy, progression, stability and competitive salaries that are deserving of their loyalty. Companies need to consistently look at where improvements can be made, to build diverse departments, strong leaders and ensure women are supported at all stages.