The construction industry has the lowest percentage of women out of any other industry in the United States. It is also the last industry to still have less than 10% of its workforce be women. This statistic has some important implications for the industry as a whole. Females continue to be underrepresented in the construction industry. This article will outline some of the implications that come with that.
Some Specifics
9.3% of construction employees are women. This statistic shows that construction continues to be the last industry consisting of less than 10% women. The average percentage of women employed across all industries is 46.8%. This fact highlights how different the construction industry is in terms of female employees. The percentage of construction laborers who are women is even lower than the industry percentage, with only 2.9% of laborers being women.
Wage Gap
The wage gap between men and women in the workplace is a common topic for discussion. The construction industry has a smaller wage gap than many other industries. This makes construction a more appealing career option for the female demographic. In 2014, studies showed that a full-time female employee made only 79.5% of what a male employee in the same job made. The construction industry had different numbers. Female employees in the construction industry made 93.3% of what their male counterparts did. Although inequity still exists between the two genders in terms of wages. The construction industry is tightening the wage gap.
Demand for Women
The roles most often filled by women in the construction industry are management and communication roles. The number of women in roles such as these is much higher than it is in labor roles. For example, 9.9% of building inspectors are women. Women seem to prefer communication and interaction based roles. This statistic is important to know when employers are looking for talent. In order to attract more women to the field, advertise positions, in which women seem to excel.
Making Progress
As with other industries, the construction industry has made progress. Although construction still lags behind, the number of women hired continues to increase. Improving upon this is necessary, in order for the construction industry to eventually become comparable to other industries. This improvement must begin within the industry itself. The best way to raise female employment in construction is to market the positions which women gravitate towards. Some examples are management and communication-based roles. Another way to attract more women to the industry is to ensure that wages are fair. Meaning there are no discrepancies between gender. If women know that they will be fairly compensated for their work in the construction industry then more will apply to jobs in the field.
Bottom Line
The construction industry is the last industry that consists of less than 10% women. This trend has kept construction as a male dominated industry. If the percentage of women in construction is to be raised then marketing of certain positions and tightening of the wage gap between genders would be necessary steps.
Source: Builder Online