{"id":829595,"date":"2025-02-25T08:11:33","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T14:11:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/25\/the-6-biggest-challenges-women-say-they-face-in-construction\/"},"modified":"2025-02-25T08:11:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T14:11:33","slug":"the-6-biggest-challenges-women-say-they-face-in-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/25\/the-6-biggest-challenges-women-say-they-face-in-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Biggest Challenges Women Say They Face in Construction"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Construction can be a backbreaking business. But not everyone in the industry faces the same challenges. Those on the jobsite and in the trades endure their share of physical hardships, and office teammates face their own share of stress and mental hurdles.<\/p>\n

While many of the most-reported challenges \u2014\u00a0slow payment<\/a>, long hours, dirt, and weather \u2014 don\u2019t discriminate based on gender, some are unique to the women in the industry, who made up 14% of all construction employees<\/a> as of November 2024. <\/p>\n

By and large, women are happy to be here: In a survey of 1,001 women in construction,\u00a078% said they\u00a0love their jobs<\/strong><\/a>. But they talked about their biggest challenges, too. Here are six of the top challenges women say they face in construction.<\/p>\n

1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T<\/h2>\n

Earning respect was, by far,\u00a0the most common challenge cited by women in the survey<\/strong>. While 80% of women surveyed said they feel that their coworkers respect women,\u00a0only 65% said that their company\u2019s leadership listens to men and women equally<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most challenging part of working in the construction industry as a woman is earning the same amount\/an ounce of respect men get for doing the same thing,\u201d said a specialist for a California subcontractor.<\/p>\n

Many women felt their knowledge and opinions don\u2019t carry the same weight as their male counterparts, and were critical of the constant struggle to have their voice heard.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One woman who works at a nuclear power company in Georgia said it\u2019s her biggest challenge. \u201cMany times my suggestions are ignored until my coworkers come to the same conclusion,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For an office manager in North Carolina, performing well isn\u2019t always enough. \u201cOn a particular job I did for the federal government, I got rave reviews from the CO but the owner of my company downplayed my success,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

At times, she has to pull in male colleagues to deliver a message on her behalf. \u201cI have had to bring a colleague with me to meetings before, tell him what I needed him to say for the owner of my company and the owner of the project to listen,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t have time to argue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople accept without question that you know how the paperwork and clerical part of the job works,\u201d a manager for a Colorado general contractor said. \u201cBut there is always that person who doesn\u2019t believe that you know anything about actual labor and building knowledge. I think because they associate that if you can\u2019t physically do the labor part you don\u2019t have any knowledge about how to do it correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n

A project manager in Georgia said, in her experience,\u00a0it\u2019s often a generational issue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the older generation of clients \u2014 who want to speak with a male regarding decisions or changes being made in regards to his project \u2014 is the most challenging,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to lose a client over something that seems small, even though I know it is a much bigger issue that has to be corrected if women want to see a positive change. I have no problem correcting coworkers, but it can get messy with a few select clients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another manager for a subcontractor in Utah said, in her experience, it\u2019s not a problem with one company, but an industry-wide culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy company is FANTASTIC and empowering, however many MANY other companies\/general contractors\/suppliers or even customers we work with do not take me seriously because I am not a man,\u201d she said. \u201cThey assume I do not know what I\u2019m talking about. And occasionally they are FAR more rude or abrasive towards me than they are my male counterparts.\u201d<\/p>\n

An office administrator in Minnesota said she deals with condescension almost daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very good at my job and I do it well,\u201d she said. \u201cI am professional and personable and go to great lengths to make sure I present myself accordingly, but in this industry, I am spoken to like a child a lot of time. It\u2019s assumed I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m doing and that is very frustrating. I love this industry and I see potential for so much growth and I really want to be a part of that, but it\u2019s going to take a long time to shift the thinking that this is just a man\u2019s industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like many jobs that require physical strength, construction has long been seen as a man\u2019s domain \u2014 people often assume that women work in the office and don\u2019t have the technical know-how. As a result, many women feel like they have to constantly prove their knowledge \u2014 and their worth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fairly common for me to run into someone who assumes I\u2019m just an office administrator or that I don\u2019t have specialized knowledge,\u201d said one project manager in Michigan. \u201cI have to demonstrate more technical know-how than my male counterparts to be taken seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

Challenging assumptions isn\u2019t just a struggle for women in the field: Even women who work in the office find themselves having to challenge assumptions about their expertise. A financial controller in Washington, D.C. said her expertise is often questioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a woman financial professional it is very challenging to get my male counterpart to respect that I will know about how to structure financing for construction loans,\u201d she said. \u201cOften I would be overlooked to give my opinion and recommendations on the best financing structure on a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Getting Paid<\/h2>\n

When asked about their biggest challenges, the president of a subcontractor in Maryland simply said,\u00a0\u201cSlow payments.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

She\u2019s not alone: The construction industry\u2019s payment problems are an open secret.\u00a0National construction payment reports<\/a>\u00a0consistently show that at least half of contractors don\u2019t get paid on time or in full \u2014 a problem that\u00a0disproportionately affects subcontractors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, that doesn\u2019t mean that GCs don\u2019t have cash flow problems. The CEO of a general contractor in Arizona said that financial overhead is her biggest challenge. \u201cI often feel like a bank,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, a lot of construction businesses\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0operate like a bank, providing work or materials to customers on credit without taking steps to secure or speed up their payments. With large upfront costs and long delays before invoices are paid, cash flow is a constant struggle for many construction businesses. For the women who work in credit or financial roles, this problem is often their biggest source of stress.<\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers never want to pay when their bills are due,\u201d said a treasurer in California. \u201cWe extend them 45 days and then have to dun for payment especially during the Pandemic.\u201d (For those not in the know, \u201cdun\u201d is short for Dunning, a type of demand letter sent to delinquent customers.)<\/p>\n

Collecting on overdue accounts was a common challenge that many of the women shared in the survey \u2014 and it rarely mattered who they were working for.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A controller in North Carolina said she has issues on restoration projects where customers try to negotiate a lower price after the job is complete. \u201cSince 80% of our work is funded by insurance companies, I have seen customers spend the funds that their insurance provided \u2014 and then cry afterwards because they can\u2019t pay,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

A project manager in Utah even said that\u00a0pay-when-paid clauses<\/a>\u00a0were her least favorite thing about working in construction. \u201cIt makes cash flow difficult,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3. Weather & Delays<\/h2>\n

For many women, working in unfavorable weather was their job\u2019s biggest challenge. \u201cThe elements would have to be my least favorite, whether it\u2019s rainy, cold, etc,\u201d said a tradesperson in Georgia.<\/p>\n

Extreme weather isn\u2019t just a problem for women in the field. Construction projects are run on tight deadlines, and\u00a0bad weather can often cause jobs to run late or over budget<\/a>. Delays can cause scheduling problems, lost work, and late payments.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy least favorite thing about construction are the delays due to weather,\u201d said an office administrator in North Carolina. \u201cIt can halt a project for days, weeks or even months at a time and severely affect the progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

A manager for a general contractor in Georgia said constant delays were her biggest challenge. \u201cI think some customers believe we can control the weather!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Of course, just because the weather is a challenge doesn\u2019t mean they can\u2019t deal with it. \u201cI am in Indiana, and I am not a fan of working outside in the cold seasons,\u201d said a manager for an equipment rental company, \u201cbut I just bundle up and handle it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Communication Issues<\/h2>\n

A number of women said that\u00a0poor communication is a problem<\/a>\u00a0in the industry. One project manager in California said the worst part of working in construction is \u201cthe never-ending battles between GC and subcontractors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another project manager for a California subcontractor said that architects and GCs don\u2019t always appreciate the expertise of their subcontractors.\u00a0 \u201cGenerally this causes poor communication and slows down the project\u2019s progress,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Of course, communication is a two-way street \u2014 it\u2019s not always the fault of those at the top. A project manager for a GC in Idaho said her biggest pet peeve is \u201csubcontractors that don\u2019t communicate schedule changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several women said the problem is communicating with men in general.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI find myself continually following-up, reiterating, reminding, and holding grown men\u2019s feet to the fire to complete even the most basic tasks,\u201d said a manager for a South Carolina subcontractor.<\/p>\n

An office manager in North Carolina agreed with that sentiment, mentioning male coworkers. \u201cThey don\u2019t communicate well with anyone and things get lost or not communicated that should be passed along,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The CEO of a subcontractor in Florida said that construction has a problem with lying<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe industry is saturated with men (sorry) who can\u2019t just accept blame, be honest [about] timelines, and not be shady when it comes to getting a project done,\u201d she said. \u201cLying and manipulation seems to be way too common.\u201d<\/p>\n

But at least one woman in California doesn\u2019t blame men for communication problems \u2014 her biggest challenge is communicating with competitive women. \u201cOther women are threatened by other women in this business,\u201d she said. \u201cThis makes it more difficult when communicating and succeeding.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Lack of Other Women<\/h2>\n

Women make up just 11% of the construction industry in the US \u2014 which means that, particularly for women who work in smaller companies, they may be the only woman in the office or on the jobsite. An office administrator in Virginia said the lack of women is her #1 challenge. \u201cYou\u2019re the only woman most men see in their entire day of work,\u201d she said. \u201cThis leads to some unwanted treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many, the lack of women in the industry sometimes means less access to support. In the survey, 45% of women said they don\u2019t have access to a mentor \u2014 either a man or a woman \u2014\u00a0and 2 in 3 don\u2019t feel like they have opportunities to network with other women.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One woman who works for an engineering firm in Michigan said the pandemic has made the problem worse for her. \u201cCOVID leaves me isolated,\u201d she said. \u201cI am the only female technical professional in my office and not physically being in the same room with other female team leaders and technical professionals has been isolating. Team meetings are not the same as grabbing lunch with other women.\u201d<\/p>\n

An engineer in California said that the lack of other women with diverse interests has led to attention from men in her field who don\u2019t understand \u201cnon-traditional\u201d lifestyles.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting harassed or questioned when someone asks why you\u2019re unmarried, it seems like an inappropriate question to ask someone in the workplace,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are many more aggressive forms of harassment that don\u2019t happen as frequently, but this is a topic that many people don\u2019t respect or acknowledge simply because they feel they aren\u2019t harassing you by simply \u2018asking questions.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

An office administrator in North Carolina said she misses the daily interactions she had with women in previous jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked in female-dominated industries, and for the past ten years now I have worked in male-dominated industries,\u201d she said. \u201cI find that women are more collaborative, and I\u2019m beginning to miss that here.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Constant Uncertainty<\/h2>\n

Nothing is certain, as they say, except for death and taxes \u2014 and construction projects are no exception. Project timelines and specs change frequently, creating a source of consternation for many women in the building sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anytime a change affects the scope or price of work,\u00a0change orders are necessary<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 but they can be a hassle on a complicated project. When asked about her least favorite part of her job, one manager in Arizona said, \u201cCompletion delays and change orders. Delays because of change orders.\u00a0 Did I mention change orders?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another woman who described herself as a \u2018controlled person\u2019 said the constant change was her least favorite thing\u00a0 \u2014 but it\u2019s helping her get better at her job.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes things do not go as planned, [a] you can\u2019t \u2018predict the weather\u2019 kind of thing,\u201d she said. \u201cBut this is developing my patience and adaptation in projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Changes on construction jobs don\u2019t just affect their work, either. A project engineer for a GC in Kansas said it bleeds over into her personal life, too. \u201cYou never know when things will go left, so you don\u2019t even plan for things after work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Construction work is also constantly affected by larger forces. Projects can be delayed or shut down by economic, political or health reasons, as the industry experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For the president of an Ohio subcontractor, uncertainty on public works projects can affect her bottom line. \u201cThe work is often seasonal,\u201d she said. \u201cThe government funding of infrastructure is inconsistent, [and] the risk becomes greater every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact is that the building industry is inherently risky \u2014\u00a0construction companies are always at risk of failure<\/a>, whether in a booming economy or a recession.<\/p>\n

An office administrator in Georgia said that economic forces are the main source of stress in her job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel that construction is impacted most heavily when there are market swings, the pandemic we are in, etc. While we know construction will always<\/em> be needed, the cycles it goes through are sometimes unnerving,\u201d she said. \u201cThankfully, I am part of a great company led by sound minds and dependable ownership who have shown great skill navigating these cycles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges, women love working in construction.<\/h2>\n

Every job has its ups-and-downs, and construction is no different. But the challenges aren\u2019t a deterrent to the women in the industry. In the survey, nearly 8 in 10 women said they love working in construction, and 60% said there are good opportunities for women in the building sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many women even cited \u201cthe challenges\u201d as\u00a0the most rewarding part of the job.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI am learning new things all the time,\u201d said a woman who works in commercial sales in Ohio. \u201cWhen I complete a large project it gives me a sense of accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Sarah Dean<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Construction can be a backbreaking business. But not everyone in the industry faces the same challenges. Those on the jobsite and in the trades endure their share of physical hardships, and office teammates face their own share of stress and mental hurdles. While many of the most-reported challenges \u2014\u00a0slow payment, long hours, dirt, and weather<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":829596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[171,1983],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-829595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-biggest","category-challenges"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=829595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/829596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=829595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=829595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=829595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}