Is the Construction Industry the place for our Children or Grandchildren? -Challenges and Solutions

As I consider my time in the building and construction industry and transition after four decades to a less stressful existence; I have been asking myself; would I encourage other members of my family to follow my career path?

These days, it's easier than ever to become trained as an electrician or plumber, thanks to online courses and onsite training options; We are encouraging STEM subjects for girls and steering them to trades and engineering.?Is the culture of the construction industry what I want for my family - or should I be encouraging their future directions elsewhere.?

I am transitioning from an industry and a cohort of colleagues that have been important and positive for the greater part of my life; but have I missed out on something due to my commitment to an industry that is characterised by long hours; high stress from constant change and from ever-present unforgiving time constraints; let alone the risk to physical and mental health arising from the environments within which we work.?I have been blessed to have had a rewarding career, but I have witnessed many for whom the experience has not been so positive.?The toll on many has been immense – highlighted by the industries’ high proportion of self-harm.

I was reminded recently of the sacrifices we all do make to be involved in the construction and infrastructure industry with its 24 hr – 7-day mindset.?We were sitting at a family dinner and my adult children were reflecting on some incident that had happened many years past; I said that I didn’t recall what they were talking about – my daughter very quickly responded “well how would you know Dad; it happened when you were at work - ‘like you always were”.?That made me think – was it worth the sacrifice and do I want that for my future generations?

?A lot of change has occurred over the past 40 years but we must ask what are we doing as industry leaders to make our industry amenable to young people as a career destination and what can we learn from the past to make the future more accommodating to its most important asset – its people..

1.???Challenges of the Construction Industry

The construction industry has its share of challenges, including the mental health of its workers arising from the grueling work hours, not to mention the lack of flexibility and unforgiving (often self-imposed) milestones.

Let's take a closer look at some of the challenges.

A. Poor Mental Health Support and General Wellbeing?

Local research by Swinburne university confirms that the levels of mental distress in the Construction industry are high compared to the general population

Similarly, research also shows that three-quarters of those who reported having stress-related illnesses had seen an increase in their workloads over the last five years.

Moreover, those under pressure are more likely to be unhappy about their job security and less likely to be able to think positively about their futures- resulting in higher rates of self-harm.

B. Lack of Diversity in the Workforce

When discussing diversity in the construction industry, people often talk about the gender breakdown of female representation at senior levels in construction is low and career paths for young entrants being unclear.

But even when women are hired into leadership roles, these positions usually require longer hours, making this occupation inaccessible for females who cannot balance childcare and long hours on site.?

And finally, we can't ignore the fact that most construction companies don't have equal parental leave policies for men and women- meaning there are fewer opportunities for mothers to return to work after giving birth.

C. Tedious Work Hours and Fatigue

It is well known that construction workers suffer from extreme fatigue due to the nature of their jobs. It has been common for workers to work an average of 10 hours per day, 6 days per week.

Such long hours lead to exhaustion, high-stress level, physical injury, and most of the time, a shorter life span if safety precautions are not followed.

2. What are we doing as an Industry to make the industry a more attractive workplace?

A. Providing Mental Health Support and Managing the Health Risks of Construction Workers

I am heartened by the industry focus in recent times on the Health and well-being of all.?R- U-OK days and similar; well-being focus and specific campaigns were undertaken to bring Mental Health out into daily conversation are all great initiatives and need to continue,?

In Australia, the construction industry’s leaders through cooperative forums have created the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce (CICT) to give focus on initiatives that address the mental health of industry participants.?The work of CICT is emerging but gives hope for a better future.?The current five-day working week trial is one significant initiative giving rise to the opportunity for improved work-life balance.

B. Providing an Inclusive Workplace for Workers

We must do better at listening to one another, especially those traditionally marginalized in the construction industry.?

To be clear, there is not one solution that will fix everything, but we can take steps to make sure our workforce reflects our communities and creates an environment where everyone feels welcome.

Recent schemes sponsored by the Big Build Infrastructure program in Victoria have provided opportunities for migrant graduates and other marginalised cohorts to get opportunities in the industry – these programs have been a resounding success.?

C. Flexible Working Hours or Periods

If CoVid taught us one thing; it was that we can work flexibly.

Women and men face childcare responsibilities that prevent them from working long hours. Working fewer hours daily might allow them to work with their schedule more closely and care for their children, themselves, and family.

Providing more flexible work hours would make every worker more productive while enjoying their work.

The 5-Day working week trials underway are showing initial good results.?The opportunity for workers to have regular weekends back and therefore able be more able to participate in family life, including sports and social activities.

D. Technology

One of the major transformations in the construction industry that will have an impact on the well-being of its participants is technology.

The industry has a long way to catch up in the application of technology into our work, but it is happening and will be the catalyst to attract a more diverse workforce; and give rise to greater flexibility.?I watch with interest as we embrace data and the adoption of technology that makes work safer.

Conclusion

In summation, the construction industry has come a long way over recent years, and many changes have commenced to mitigate its challenges.

Overall, I am confident that the industry that has been good for me can be good for our children and grandchildren.?It is important that we all continue to strive for better conditions and ways of working – keeping open minds to change.

The next few years should bring some exciting changes in how this industry operates to make it more sustainable, less wasteful, and more efficient. Hopefully, these solutions aimed at redefining the industry's cultural standards will alleviate some of the problems faced by the construction industry today so that it can thrive in the future.

What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.