I have spent most of my career in leadership roles in the manufacturing, facility maintenance & operations (FM&O), and construction industries
Over the past few years and the next several years the construction industry, specifically, is undergoing radical transformations and change as it relates to Inclusion & Diversity! Some of the things driving these changes are:
· The high percentage of retirements over the next 5-10 years by White/Caucasian males that have historically made up most of the construction industry workforce
· A reduction in the number of younger people choosing careers in the construction industry
· An acceleration of technologies to compensate for a reduced experience-base and to increase profits
· Increase in female and people of color entering the industry due to the need to fill the talent shortage and their increased participation in the professional, academic and vocational educational systems
When we think about the construction industry, it is more than just the skilled trades. It consists of many different areas such as
architects, engineers, designers, project managers, administration, and others. However, historically these positions were primarily occupied by white/Caucasian males. Two of the early root causes for this dominance were:
1) Construction was viewed as a man’s world
2) Intentional (explicit) racial and gender biases were in place
Some people still see these as intentional exclusions in the construction industry; and earlier in our country’s history this was more than likely true. However, when we fast-forward to a more recent period of history, the reasoning is not as simple as explicit exclusion. What may have begun historically as intentional exclusion continued to grow through embraced nepotism. What is embraced nepotism? In social psychology there is a term used called the, “in-group”.
\ˈin-ˌgroup \
Definition of in-group
1: a group with which one feels a sense of solidarity or community of interests
Source: Merriam-Webster
What started through intentional gender and racial exclusion in the construction industry turned into favoring the in-group. In this case, it was about getting family members and friends into the construction industry. The continued result was a predominantly White/Caucasian dominated industry. Some might argue that this was just another form of racial exclusion; however, I would propose that any “in-group” that dominated an industry would have taken a very similar approach to enlist family and friends.
Strong evidence of this in-group theory is visible in the assimilation of White/Caucasian daughters and nieces, not just sons and nephews, brought into the industry. Historically, as people of color began to migrate from the south to other parts of the United States, and employment goals for diversity took root, skilled trades opportunities became available (although, admittedly more readily available in certain geographic areas than others). As neighborhoods and educational institutions began to integrate, and relationships/friendships began to form, some people of color (including new immigrants) started becoming part of the in-group.
Also, as we look at the construction industry today, many of the people that were dominant are retiring, or nearing retirement age. Going forward the growth of the construction industry, and the shortage of talented and competent people to fill those positions, will continue to move us from the practice of in-groups to the need for inclusion.
The retirement rate and the decrease in individuals entering the industry from the traditional “in-group” sources are hurting the industry’s future success.
“The Construction Industry Has A Big Baby Boomer Problem"
As boomers retire, they are leaving behind a void in the job force that millennials are not interested in filling. If the industry does not address this disparity in the workforce, the labor shortage in the construction market will deepen further…”
In addition to an increased rate of retirement, the industry is not attracting enough younger people. Popular misconceptions by younger people are that construction is a dirty, back-breaking industry that doesn’t pay well. Even though this is not the truth, it is still the perception.
In the past, it was absolutely a back-breaking job for field labor personnel. However, this has become less true with advances in the equipment used to augment the need for extreme physical exertion; self-imposed company safety rules and policies; and regulatory requirements placed around worker safety. Concerning pay, many young people are not aware that they can begin a career in the construction industry and readily make $40,000 - $80,000/year; depending on the job function and the geographic location.
Three percent of welders in the U.S. are women. Photo from PBS News Hour's Student Reporting Labs series "Outside the Box."
After decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, U.S. needs more tradespeople
Besides, the construction industry as a whole has many other job opportunities other than skilled trades. If there is one thing that might pique the interest of attracting younger people to the industry, it’s technology! Between the drones, BIM, lasers, GPS systems, virtual & augmented reality, 3-d printers, wearables, robotic constructors, mobile devices, and apps; there lies a recruiting and retention story of interest and intrigue! Much of this technology, especially in engineering and design, could be a great opportunity for a physically-challenged individual to bring even more strength and different thinking to the team!
"I think technology is another emerging way to get people into this business," Garrett Harley, vice president of business development for Fieldwire, told Construction Dive last year. "Not many people coming out of school understand there's this much tech in construction. It's an exciting time to be a part of it."
On the flip-side, we should remember that it is important that the more seasoned personnel have an opportunity to learn and use technology also. Sometimes we are under the impression that more senior people in the organization cannot learn new skills. When in fact, many of those that choose not to retire, not only want to learn but, will need to develop those new skills to remain relevant. So why is the industry not attracting more young people? Has embraced nepotism run its course? Are current construction people discouraging family and friends from entering the industry? Is the industry not marketing itself and its career opportunities well enough? Has our focus been so strongly placed on academic achievement that vocational opportunities are considered second-class? So What Role Does Improving or Creating a Culture of Inclusion Play? The very success of the construction industry hinges on its current and future ability to attract and retain a competent and skilled workforce. In this article we have discussed: · the early history of racial and gender bias · the more recent history of embraced nepotism · the perception of the construction industry is a low-tech environment · the need to provide more seasoned personnel with tech training opportunities also, and · the need to attract a broader base of people of color (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_color “…used primarily in the United States to describe any person who is not white…”)
So how do we get the message out? How do we convey that we are moving from embraced nepotism to a culture of inclusion? How do we communicate that you don’t have to be a male; able to lift a hundred pounds or more; and have grown up with a relative or friend in the industry? How do we convey that there is so much more opportunity other than working in the field? Heck, how do we convey that working in the field isn’t like the job your grandfather did?
How do we remove implicit biases that may cause behaviors contradictory to the successful growth of the industry and promotes the continued creation of a culture of inclusion?
We believe the sustainable solution is continuous training and leadership development. These need to occur in two areas:
1) A renewed emphasis on vocational training early in high schools, and
2) Continued education regarding the connection between implicit biases and the possibility for unfavorable (individual and organizational) behaviors
M2R’s expertise focuses on continued education regarding implicit biases.
It is those beliefs that stem from inaccurate, incomplete or false information that may cause unfavorable behaviors. What are some of the beliefs that can cause implicit biases in the construction industry? We have discussed many of those in this article:
· The belief that the industry may still be racially-biased and gender-biased
· The belief that the only way in may still be through family or a friend
· The belief that the field labor function is for “manly-men” only
· The belief that wages are very poor in the industry compared to other options
· The belief there is no need to teach more seasoned personnel to use technology
· The belief that there is no place for anyone that is physically-challenged
· The belief that the only road to success is through academia; not vocational training
So, if we are trying to create a culture of inclusion that attracts and retains talented people from all backgrounds, would any of these beliefs work in our favor? If these beliefs exist currently in our organization, will the current high-talent individuals stay? Or, would it result in a higher voluntary attrition rate and a more difficult recruiting effort? Depending on a person’s perspective the unfavorable reaction to each of these will vary. However, the existence of any one of these beliefs will create behaviors, individually and organizationally, that are detrimental to successful growth; and your ability to attract and retain high-talent individuals. It is beliefs, such as these, that are contradictory to creating an environment of inclusion. If I am a White/Caucasian male, I might not view some of these beliefs as an issue. If I am a White/Caucasian female, I might view some of these as barriers to entry. If I am a more seasoned person, I might believe the organization does not want to invest in my success. If I am a person of color, I might view some of these beliefs as the signs of a hostile environment. In our interactive workshops we help the individual participant, and the organization, separate inaccurate beliefs that cause implicit biases from those beliefs that are supported by fact; not fiction: Separate beliefs that stem from historical and traditional reference that might not apply today!: Help individuals to find the common with others in their group, beyond the traditional “outer-appearances” of diversity: and, to create an organizational culture that attracts and retains talented individuals regardless of their background.
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