Tackling Gender Bias in Construction
An article appearing in the September-October issue of ProRemodeler Magazine
By HELM co-founder Kate stephenson
We know the construction industry is in the throes of a workforce crisis: many tradespeople are nearing retirement age, the number of people entering the industry is in decline, and the need for housing and construction in general is greater than ever. In 2024, Associated Builders & Contractors claimed the construction industry needed to attract over half a million new workers to meet the workforce demand. Clearly, we need strategies for expanding the workforce, and one key strategy is broadening the pool of potential recruits to include more women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and people of color in construction.
However, we know that our industry has not always been welcoming to these individuals. Construction job sites and companies have not always been safe for women, trans, and non-binary workers, and the amount of turnover can be very high when these underrepresented individuals are not welcomed and supported by their team. We also recognize that many kinds of discrimination happen in the workplace—race, class, ethnicity, and ability—but this article specifically focuses on combating gender discrimination in the construction industry.
In our work with construction companies across the country, we continue to be asked, “How can we attract a more diverse workforce?” and, to be honest, the answer is not straightforward. We recommend a variety of strategies:
Building a strong and inclusive company culture
Revamping your hiring process
Developing a strong onboarding plan for new hires
Creating support systems to aid retention
Our goal is to offer an array of suggestions and solutions to help small business owners and managers combat gender stereotypes and create companies that are inclusive of all genders and sexual orientations. If you’re motivated to create change in your business, here are some tips for where to start.
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