Where are all the female managers?

Why is it then, four years later, there are still a pitifully small number of women in construction, and what is the industry doing to attract the 50% of the population it is presently ignoring?

There is no simple answer to the questions. The construction industry responded to Tomorrow's Team promptly by setting up taskforces and working groups to promote equal opportunities to employers.

The taskforces recognised the importance of the issue. In the words of Sandi Rhys Jones, the business consultant who chaired Tomorrow's Team, "The provision of equal opportunities is a matter of economic reality. It is no longer just a question of social justice."

Further taskforces were formed. The Construction Industry Council equal opportunities taskforce was born in 1998. Its aim is to implement recommendations made by Latham working group eight on equal opportunities, particularly for professional people. The group organised a lecture series last year, with more to follow this autumn. The aim of the lectures is to provide professional development and networking opportunities for minority groups to share their experiences.

The taskforces have had some effect, claims Helen Stone chairwoman of the CIC taskforce. She says that there has been a change in attitudes over the last four years. "The government is mainstreaming equal opportunities, there is a tide of change now. Progressive companies are realising diversity is an advantage."

Stone says that groups such as the taskforce are helping to turn that tide of opinion. However, she adds: "Women still aren't getting promoted to the highest levels in construction which causes them disappointment, and then they leave the industry."

But other evidence shows that construction's commitment to equal opportunities is questionable. As part of Nick Raynsford's initiative Change the Face of Construction was launched in July 1999, to "put equal opportunities to the top of the agenda" according to chairman and head of the DETR's construction directorate, John Hobson. However, it has twice been threatened with collapse due to industry apathy and lack of funds.

Team leader of the programme, Sandi Rhys Jones, points out that it is still only in the development stage, and reactions have been positive. "Every organisation we have spoke to is supportive and endorse the principles of the programme." She adds that there are a lot of programmes competing for limited funds, which affects Change the Face of Construction's ability to raise money.

Change the Face of Construction is planning a series of roadshows around colleges and universities in October. Each show will feature a panel of female construction professionals who will talk about their experiences and answer questions. Rhys Jones feels this is an area that is ignored at present and will help give construction "a human face" in the eyes of young women.

Despite the good intentions, construction managers are still sceptical. One female site manager says: "I don't know that any working groups are achieving anything."

The example of Change the Face of Construction seems to bears this out. Statistically not much has changed either. The percentage of women working in construction is the same today as it was in 1996. The percentage of female CIOB members has only gone up a slight amount - by around 0.3%, and the percentage of female construction professionals has increased by 0.4% since 1995.

Chief executive of the CIC Graham Watts, also says the situation has not improved: "The public perception that prevents women from even thinking about a career in construction has, if anything, got worse, despite the effort put in to change things."

Despite the fact that both Women in Science and Engineering (a programme run by the Engineering Council) and the Construction Industry Training Board give presentations to schools to encourage women into construction, Watts says that greater efforts are needed to get down to the "grass roots level" of career advisors and parents. "13 to 17 year olds need to be encouraged into thinking about a career in construction," he says.

Nick Johnson, managing director of William Johnson & Sons, a small building firm in Northumberland, hasn't noticed a change in the number of female construction staff his company do business with. "We deal with three female architects and that's it. I don't know of any women in site management or any other construction job."

One senior manager at Kier Western however, says the situation has definitely changed. "It's not unusual as it was five or 10 years ago to see a female site engineer, for example. The correct site facilities are also available now."

Alan Crane, chairman of the Movement for Innovation says the industry needs to change the way it works and that this is "not something you can change overnight. It is a long haul." But he says many employers are willing to change: "You don't need to tell people any longer why we need to improve. We now have to work out some hows."

So if it is down to construction companies to affect real change, what are they doing at present to improve the experience of women?

Helen Stone says targets are the way forward. She says that anything other than a target of 50% for female employees is "inappropriate", given that women make up 50% of the population.

But the senior manager at Kier Western doesn't agree with positive discrimination: "the industry needs fairly robust people. You should only encourage those with the relevant qualifications and interests."

According to Change the Face of Construction, 97% of construction companies have an equal opportunities policy, though only 35 % have equal opportunities plans. These include provisions such as flexible working arrangements and extended career breaks to suit women with families. Willmott Dixon is one contractor that has specific equal opportunities plans in place. It sets targets for the number of female trainees it takes on and has set up a womens' group to provide support and role models for female staff.

Birse Construction has gone through a complete culture change since 1996, part of which involved a one-off initiative, putting 20 women on intensive training programmes to aid their chances of promotion, though strictly on merit. One of those women, Louise Williamson, is now a board director for Birse as a result. Birse now aims to always have at least one female board director.

Construction still can't afford to ignore women. Angela Baron from the Institute of Personnel and Development says that feminine traits such as empathy, listening and networking skills are in more demand than traditionally masculine confrontational skills. Bearing in mind Egan, the industry may do well to encourage such "feminine" traits.