Gender equity in construction begins at home with a supportive partner
Gender Equity in Construction Begins at Home – The Role of Supportive Partners in Building Success
Despite an increase in the number of men taking on stay-at-home roles, women continue to grapple with serious work-life imbalances that negatively impact their health and well-being. A recent survey by Deloitte found that “women who live with a partner still bear the most responsibility for childcare and – increasingly – care of other adults.”
For women in construction, juggling the dual duties of work and home can be especially challenging. The industry often requires them to accept long and irregular hours, demonstrates a lack of flexibility, and has a hostile workplace culture that too often refuses to see the value of women. That’s why having the right partner is even more critical to women’s success and, eventually, to gender equity in the construction industry.
In her bestselling book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, former Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg noted, “I truly believe that the single most important career decision that a woman makes is whether she will have a life partner and who that partner is.” Sandberg may have intended those words for female CEOs, but they are no less true for women working at all levels of the construction industry, from the trades to the c-suites.
How partners can support gender equity in construction
The results of a study by Carnegie Mellon University found that women workers whose partners share more equally in domestic responsibilities, and provide emotional support, experience more career and financial success, emotional wellbeing, and personal growth. This is true whether the partner stays at home or also works outside the home.
Executive coach Dana Theus points out that, “Work-life balance is evolving into work-life partnership” as working women build agreements with partners to have them share the load, often “in ways that reverse traditional roles.”
How can partners of women in construction help level the playing field for their loved ones? The following five actions can go a long way to fostering gender equity in construction:
- Agree to share domestic responsibilities such as helping with childcare, housework, appointments, meal preparation, transportation, and other practical needs that can impact a woman’s ability to work.
- Encourage her to seek out mentorship and sponsorship programs and connect with other women in the industry.
- Actively listen to her concerns and validate her feelings. Be empathetic and understanding of the challenges she faces.
- Recognize and celebrate her achievements and milestones in her career.
- Help her advocate for equal pay, appropriate safety gear, and construction sites that are gender-welcoming so she is compensated fairly for her work, has a safe and supportive work environment and a better chance at equal opportunities for advancement.
As Yuliya Gimadiev, a female construction business owner, points out, “With the support of my husband and my growing team, we worked tirelessly, leveraging our combined skills and unwavering dedication to get the business off the ground and pave the way for its success.”
That kind of work-life partnership can be instrumental in creating the equity women in construction need to build a better world around us.
Connect with other women, and their partners, working towards gender equity in construction
NAWIC provides support, networking and mentorship, and education in construction leadership and the trades for female construction workers and more than 6,000 members in over 120 chapters across the U.S. Want to know more? Contact a chapter near you.
