Abstract
A survey of women in the Australian construction industrywas undertaken to examine women's work experiencesin construction. Questionnaires were distributed to threehundred women in construction occupations and 109completed and usable questionnaires were returned.Women were found to be seriously under-represented insite-based roles. Site/project engineers worked longer hoursthan other occupational groups and expressed significantlygreater work-family conflict. Lack of flexibility and theinability to balance work and family were common themesin the qualitative comments made by many respondents.Even when women indicated that part time work options andmaternity entitlements were provided by their organizations,many expressed a reluctance to use them and perceivedcareer penalty associated with this usage. It is concludedthat more flexible work schedules and the implementationof family-friendly policies may encourage more women intosite-based roles in construction. The paper concludes thatthe rigid work practices presently in place act as a subtleform of discrimination. The provision of such policies willonly be effective if cultural and attitudinal change is alsoachieved.
Highlights
Demographic and social changesIn the second half of the 20th Century women 's role in Australian society underwent a dramatic change
Objectives of this study This paper presents the results of a pilot study exploring the experiences of women working in the Australian construction industry
Our results suggest that part-time work options are available to the majority of women working in the construction industry, following the birth or adoption of a child
Summary
Demographic and social changesIn the second half of the 20th Century women 's role in Australian society underwent a dramatic change. Jacobs and Gerson (2001) suggest that the change in family structure from predominantly single to predominantly dual-earner couples has led to increased time pressure on families. They argue that women are spending more time in paid work than previously but that men's domestic involvement has not increased sufficiently to offset women's rising work commitment, thereby creating a 'time squeeze'. It is the well educated, professional and managerial employees who experience time pressure most acutely (Jacobs and Gerson, 2001 ; Roxburgh, 2001)
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