The construction industry is undeniably important– everyone needs buildings to live, work, and relax in. Without people who work hard to build and maintain them, society would really be struggling.
However, just like any industry, the construction industry is not perfect.
In the past, it’s received criticism for a lack of diversity. In fact, this reported lack of diversity may even discourage some people from seeking a career within the industry– for example, women might feel discouraged from seeking construction jobs because it’s known as such a male-dominated field.
Why is diversity and inclusion important in the workplace?
There are many reasons why diversity and inclusion are so important within the workplace of any industry. These reasons can be complex, but as a very basic example, consider your diet.
If you ate the exact same type of food every single day, for every single meal, you’d most likely be missing some important nutrients. Plus, you’d miss out on learning about new experiences and the benefits of enjoying a wide variety of foods.
While this example is simplistic, the same basic principles apply within the workplace. If a workforce consists of people who have very similar backgrounds and life experiences, the work being done quite simply won’t be as effective.
This is because hiring people from many different backgrounds, skill sets, and points of view means that the ideas being presented within a work environment are more varied– allowing the company and its employees to thrive.
Plus, a diverse and inclusive work environment makes for a better company culture. If diversity is a priority in the hiring process, employees tend to feel more positively about their jobs and their employers.
DO: Suit up
Wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the very most important things you can do to stay safe on a construction site.
One example of PPE you might wear on a construction site: the hard hat. These hats have become synonymous with the construction industry for a good reason.
No matter what kind of job you’re working on, there’s always a chance that debris or other objects could fall on you– and if this happens, you’ll definitely be glad to have a protective hard hat!
Some other types of PPE you might be expected to wear on a job site include protective gloves, hearing protection (there will often be a lot of machinery operating at once, which can get pretty loud!), or steel-toed boots. Much like the way a hard hat protects your head, sturdy boots can protect your feet from any falling items.
Why is diversity and inclusion important in the construction industry?
Just like any other industry, construction benefits from diversity and inclusion because including people from all kinds of backgrounds means that different experiences and skill sets can be brought to the table.
People who come from different backgrounds may have different methods of solving a problem, allowing for growth and improvement within the workforce.
Within the construction industry, it’s reported that employees who work in a diverse, inclusive environment tend to have better job performance in addition to job satisfaction.
Quite simply, a company with good company culture makes for employees who are happy with their jobs– and happy employees deliver quality work.
Quality work also means higher productivity levels. A diverse group of employees may have different ideas about how to solve a problem, meaning that problems will be approached with creative thinking– and solved more efficiently.
What are the risks of a lack of diversity in the construction industry?
If a company isn’t educated about the importance of diversity and inclusion, they might be exhibiting unconscious bias– affecting hiring practices.
These unconscious biases are a long-standing problem not just in the United States, but all over the world.
They might prevent hard-working, qualified individuals from being hired at a company, simply because the hiring manager unknowingly holds a bias against them due to race, ethnicity, gender, etc.
A lack of diversity is discouraging to people who are historically discriminated against in hiring practices– which can be detrimental to the industry as a whole.
If people believe that the industry isn’t inclusive and won’t give them a shot, they might not even apply, or might even leave the industry entirely.
Is diversity and inclusion valued at Redstone?
At Redstone, we pride ourselves on an excellent company culture. We know that the quality of our work is a direct result of the people we hire, so we want our employees to be qualified individuals who like their jobs– that’s how we end up with so many satisfied clients!
Construction jobs at Redstone are collaborative and friendly. We all work together to solve problems. You really can’t underestimate the importance of working as a team, and that’s what we strive for!
To learn about our current open positions at Redstone, visit our Careers page or give us a call today!
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