The construction industry has long been a male-dominated field. Roughly 14% of the UK construction workforce is female (www.planradar.com, 2022), but this percentage used to be even smaller. Stereotypes and prejudices, as well as a lack of education, can all deter women across the UK from pursuing a career within the industry.
With a workforce that’s 55% female and 45% male, Workplace Interiors Co is quite the anomaly to this stat. Our team work across the construction sphere, from e-commerce to supply and fit services. As a Great Place to Work™ certified company, we ensure each and every employee is supported whilst at work.
The Women at Workplace Interiors Co
Our diverse team is one of the key reasons behind our company’s success. Our company culture is incredibly important and we ensure we value our team through equal opportunities, regardless of gender.
That’s not to say we’re not oblivious to the existing bias within the construction industry. We talk to some of the women at Workplace Interiors Co for a better understanding about their experiences.
Why did you start working in the construction industry?
“It runs in my family. My mum worked for a leading house builder and I remember walking around sites with her when I was young in a hard hat and rigger boots! My brother works in commercial building development and my husband also works in the industry.
I’ve always had an awareness of this sector. I actually did my dissertation on the importance of brand awareness within the construction industry so it’s been a sector that’s always interested me.”
– Amy, Marketing Director
What do you like about your role at Workplace Interiors Co?
“I love learning new systems and calculating materials required on a job. The competitive nature where I submit a price and could be up against others. I enjoy dealing with the trade – I come from a sporting background so I’m used to adapting to work with different personalities. Developing a rapport with customers who then trust you with their projects both large and small. And coming up with solutions to problems.”
– Emma, Sales Team Manager
Are there any challenges that you face?
“The ‘old school’ approach which perpetrates the myth that women don’t understand the tasks that men do and therefore they shouldn’t get involved. I do think that things are improving though and I have noticed that younger men seem to be more accepting of women in construction, this is the world they are growing up in and understand.”
– Jayne, Health, Safety and Compliance Manager
What would you say to aspiring women wanting to work in construction?
“Construction is such a booming industry with great opportunities regardless of gender. The skills in the construction industry are desirable and transferable; customer services, sales, product knowledge, project management and marketing. The list goes on!
Construction professionals have found the perfect balance between working hard, developing and having a lot of fun at work.”
– Georgia, Head of People
Breaking the Bias
From recruitment to retention, we hire based on potential. Our diverse workforce broadens our perspective and is pivotal to success in our industry.
How do we ensure gender equality in our recruitment process?
“We involve several people in the process to ensure we have a wide variety of opinions and inputs from different departments and levels of the company. We use gender neutral language throughout the recruitment process and score candidates using consistent skill and competency frameworks throughout the candidate screening process.”
– Georgia
How do we ensure gender equality in the day-to-day work life at Workplace Interiors Co?
“Competency and skills-based performance management leading to internal promotion decisions. Access to training and development opportunities are available and equal to all team members.”
– Georgia
Start Your Career in Construction
Interested in breaking the bias? We’d love to hear from you. We’re always seeking innovative individuals to join our team. Make sure you head over to our careers page to check out our current vacancies, or contact our team for more information.