These companies have often built their company culture on the values that guide their families; values that are near and dear to their hearts, likely passed down through generations, ingrained in their behaviors, and informing the company operating principles. The challenge for a patriarchal culture like construction may be that these exact family values can make truly embracing gender diversity a very difficult shift. There are more women than ever in the workplace, so the values and culture must evolve to actively support both genders. Strong company culture can drive better company performance, but can just as easily paralyze decision-making, block change and demotivate employees. This may be entirely inadvertent, but companies must cultivate and nurture the company culture they desire; it must be intentional. For example, if there are no women in senior leadership, it is difficult for female employees to find role models to help chart their career paths. They may become discouraged with the perceived lack of career growth and leave the company. How important is company culture to employees in the construction industry? A 2017 article titled, “What People Want, Job Satisfaction Takes More Than Just a Paycheck,” published by Hays Recruiting, reports company culture is the main reason given by construction professionals for leaving a current role, with 47 percent of active job seekers in the industry saying it is the reason they are leaving their current role. Hays also found that people in the construction industry rate company values 20 percent more important for company culture than other professions. Construction professionals also rated working with the
right team and strong leadership higher than the average of other functions studied.
Your culture is part of your mission statement
Great company cultures are driven by a clear purpose or mission, one that inspires and motivates employees. Core values guide behavior and inform practices and principles of the company. For the company culture to be successful, the people in the company must really embrace these core values. All employees must feel they are valued and respected, have a voice, can make a difference, and have opportunity to grow. People stick with cultures they like and leave those they do not. Construction is an industry that can appeal to many, and is extremely gratifying in that there is a tangible product at the end of the project that effects people and changes the built environment we all live in. This aspect can make the industry attractive to new employees, but it is company culture that will ultimately entice them to stay. Companies that truly live their values and incorporate them into their daily operating practices often have strong reputations with employees, and clients as well. Building a company culture that truly embrace diversity, can mitigate the labor shortage by embracing the whole population as ideal potential employees. Are there women in or above middle management in your company? Do you offer benefits for families such as maternity and paternity leave? Are you actively developing the women and men in your company, mentoring, sponsoring? Are women actively recruited and developed for all positions, field and office? Does your company encourage
There are more women than ever in the workplace, so the values and culture must evolve to actively support both genders.
all employees to speak up about the kinds of projects they would like to work on? Reflecting on the answers to these questions can help improve the culture at your company. More can be done to make the construction industry more inclusive; a place where women, and all employees, thrive. Be sure you are cultivating an inclusive culture, that values diversity of all kinds. Leverage the strength of diversity to create an environment where all employees feel inspired and motivated by company’s mission and values. Don’t let company culture be the reason your employees look to leave your company. A strong company culture is everyone’s responsibility, not just that of HR. WC
Michaelann Agoranos is principal at Constructing Opportunity, a premier leadership skills and diversity awareness training company for the construction. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Agoranos led Leadership Development and skill-based training for the Restaurant Development function of the McDonald’s Corporation. Today, she is Chapter Secretary and board member for the Chicago Metro Chapter of National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Midwest Regional Block Kids Chairperson for NAWIC and a member of the Federation of Women Contractors (FWC).
JANUARY : FEBRUARY 2018 — COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION
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