In addition to the ongoing labor shortage in the construction industry, another issue is becoming more pronounced: gender diversity in the workforce. A recent NAHB analysis found that women make up just 10.9% of the construction workforce. Hiring female workers and encouraging female workers to consider careers in construction could help lessen the labor shortages plaguing the industry. In a recent post on NAHB Now, senior risk management consultants from Builders Mutual provided insight on several NAHB member questions regarding women in the workforce.
Q: I don’t have any women on my team, but I’m interested in making an effort to hire women. What roles do women typically seek?
A: With safety and skills training given to everyone on a jobsite, women can learn to do any role. It is important to point out that physical strength is not a deal-breaking limitation when it comes to employment opportunities in the industry. Male or female, workers should be using appropriate lifting equipment to prevent injury and ease loads.
By nature, women are innovative and detail-oriented. We most often see women filling roles in painting and finishing work, as well as on the final cleanup crew. More recently, we’ve begun to notice women on jobsites as equipment operators driving and controlling construction equipment like bulldozers, forklifts, backhoes, and dump trucks. These are higher-paying roles, and it is great to see this becoming more common.
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