Free Essay Example on Sexism in Jobs

Negative effects of sexism on construction project management operational costs

The involvement of women, as well as their exclusion, attracts a reaction I the industry and the economy as well. Exclusion of women in management particularly in construction projects attracts the company overhead expenses and causes a ripple effect on the resources in the rest of the industry. Women inclusion in the management practice is key to cultivate a lower turnover of employees. Women in a management position are construction projects will invest in creating a suitable working environment for the female colleagues (Gurjao, 2010). This will increase the level of participation of the employees and lower the employee turnover given the company’s investment in the company’s workforce especially women. The Midlands Construction Summit forecasted that there would be a 26% growth in the number of women who are involved in the construction industry thus leading to a change in the overall management practice.

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The effects of sexism on construction project management practices

When there is an obvious gender imbalance in construction project management, it is an inconsistency that scars the management practice and the management culture. Often the management which is inclined to the male’s psychology may be reflected in the constructions final structure. Women are wired to include a board spectrum of factors in the process of making a decision thus their participation in the management practice will be reflected and felt. They also set a moral example for other women who might be interested in the ultimate participation in the management of construction projects.

Additionally, women inclusion in the management practice is key to cultivate a lower turnover of employees. Women inclusion in management of construction projects will invest in creating a suitable working environment for the female colleagues. This will increase the level of participation of the employees and lower the employee turnover given the company’s investment in the company’s workforce especially women. The Midlands Construction Summit forecasted that there would be a 26% growth in the number of women who are involved in the construction industry thus leading to a change in the overall management practice.

Sexism in the work place

Projects that are sponsored by sexist project sponsors often drive women from the project management. Sexist project sponsors are inclined to exclude women from their project management and those who are on the team have an unfriendly working environment. This often leads the women to terminate their participation in the business given their participation is not given much credit. Sexist project managers, stakeholders, and team member often contribute to the low contribution of females in the industry. Women often build a negative perception towards working is such environments (Gurjao, 2010). This negative attitude towards the construction often lead the people to avoid participation in the industry and also influence their peers and young ones to avoid pick such career lines. To curb this culture, starting with stakeholders, employees to the management, the construction industry should conspire to make it possible for women to work in construction project management by creating a more friendly and accommodative environment.

Sexism problems in project management

Government regulation over a decade has seen a growth in the total population by 11.6%. However, this number does not necessarily reflect the growth of some women who are in management positions. In the 11.6% of Growth, 69.1% of the women hold Secretariat potions, 42.5% of the women in administrative and management positions, unskilled laborers at 31.2%. Skilled artisans at 19.9%, female supervisors are 17.3% of the total population and semiskilled operators 16.2%. This, however, does not much up to the jobs distribution given the growth of construction industries which makes the women’s participation in the industry almost minute (Baldry & Ruddock, 2007). As illustrated in the job distribution of the females, most of the women hold secretariat positions while women in management positions only stand at a 42%.

This express the sexist perception which leads the women to settle for secretarial positions as well as clerical positions. Despite the legislative measures taken to control the work environment for the women who are interested in the construction industry, there is still setbacks that are beyond what legislation can achieve and can only be controlled by the actual investment of the government in education to eradicate the sexist attitudes of stakeholders in the industry. Women are also maintained in the industry by making it possible to thrive in the industry by making it possible for them to maintain and keep them in the industry by offering fair remuneration and benefits of working with the agency. Such strategies are attracting more participation of women in road constructions given the company’s commitment to the organization's gender equity and the serenity of the environment for women to work.

How to deal with sexism at work - Organizational initiatives

“Roads to Agency: Promoting Women’s Participation in Rural Transport Projects” is an initiative by governments of Argentina, Nicaragua, and Peru which helps women get more involved in the respective countries depending on their areas of specialization in construction, thus increasing the women’s participation in their construction industry. This is achieved through diversification of the recruitment policies that make it possible for the people to access the opportunities that are present in the construction industry (Lortie, 2012). To retain the women, the government created an environment that is friendly to the people and enabled them to access the resources that are available (Roads to Agency: Promoting Women’s Participation in Rural Transport Projects, 2016).

Conclusion

Executive positions in construction projects management have man as the dominant gender and often are promoted to those position at the expense of their female colleagues. Often they are more qualified for the position compared to them. Women who make it to the industry are also remunerated way less compared to their male collegues. There is a difference of 15% in the wages of men compared to those of women. Such remuneration policies push women away from the industry. There has been a trend noted in the colleges that women who register for courses in the construction industry are significantly high now, but they turn out to work for different industries given the industries hostilities. It has been observed that women in the industry work twice as hard as their male collegues and often are as twice as qualified but they at times for go application for the management positions in the construction industry due to discrimination.

Trade unions have built significant influence in the participation of women in construction project management. The industry is highly dependent on the recommendation of union members when it comes to assigning of construction contracts. Given the low participation of women in this particular field, voicing out the inequality and discrimination that women face in the construction industry is a delicate and difficult challenge (Fielden et al., 2000). Union referral, therefore, are prime factor that pushes for continued inequality in the construction business. The scope of influence that unions had in the industry not only selectively discriminated marginalized groups but actively played a role in denying women and different persons access to the opportunities in the construction industry (Fielden et al., 2000).

As identified, Women are often charged with family responsibilities such as children upbringing and fitting in as mothers in the community. Looking after the family primarily before any other commitments is always a priority. Women, therefore, find it difficult for them to fit in both of the roles as managers and mothers and choose to settle in other industries that are less demanding careers compared to the construction industry (Madikizela, & Haupt, 2010). Education of collogues and employees campaigns should be instigated by the construction firms and mentorship programs for high school kids to encourage them to venture in the construction industry are brilliant measures that the industry could internally instigate in order to make it possible for them to access the industries managerial positions as well as increase the women labor market available for the firm.

The construction industry as of the moment is a predominantly male profession. Women working in the industry have been very determined to see the opportunities that men get in that respect is accessible to the average woman (Martin & Barnard, 2013). Still, a lot of the workers that are already in the business continue to give testimonies of the aggressive nature of their male colleagues, issues like sexual harassment and most importantly lack proactive women (Elmer, 2014). It is important that women take an active role in exercising their rights to work in the construction industry.