From Racial Slurs to Solutions: Racism on Construction Sites

I've heard the N-word used on construction sites by project leaders—directed at their own employees.?

This isn’t just a one-off incident; it’s a part of the toxic culture that still exists in the construction industry today.

In 2022, the EEOC filed lawsuits against Alto Construction and J.A. Croson for horrific race discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.?

At Alto Construction, Black employees were subjected to racial slurs, including the N-word, by management.?

One Black employee, after objecting to being called racial slurs and assaulted by a supervisor, was fired the same day. This is the reality for many in the field.

The disconnect between the home office and the job site is staggering. While construction offers great opportunities, the industry still struggles with inclusivity, diversity, and equity.?

Too often, employees on construction sites feel unseen and underappreciated by leadership.?

Without HR support onsite, field workers face unique challenges that are frequently ignored, leading to high turnover, increased project costs and delays on projects.

This is why I’m hosting the AEC Leadership Intensive, “Blueprint for Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Construction Sites” on Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 2 pm to 4 pm ET.

In preparation for our Future of DEI in AEC virtual summit, this 2-hour session will provide you with the tools to:

• Develop a DEI strategy tailored for job sites
• Build credibility with your construction and field teams
• Implement DEI programs and initiatives that make a real impact

If you’re committed to leading DEI on construction sites and want to make a tangible difference, this masterclass is for you.

Let’s confront the issues head-on and create a more inclusive and equitable construction industry.

You can register for yourself and bring others from your organization as well.

Sign up here.

There are only 15 spots available.

Why Does Your Workplace Needs An Anti-Racism Consultant?

The influx of anti-racism work in the organizations has grown over the past year. As this work continues to grow, the C-suite has now started to realize the importance of anti-racism consultants. They are helping companies on this newfound journey of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“If you are considering hiring an anti-racism consultant, congratulations! You are taking a great and much-needed step forward.”

But there are some things you need to know before you start training potential candidates or hire one. You must be clear on why your workplace needs an anti-racism consultant first and everything else will follow. Here are the reasons why your company needs an anti-racism consultant:

They Help You Uncover The Bias!

Bias against someone isn’t an unconscious decision that you take. But the reason why you are biased is unconsciously ingrained in you. We continue discrimination against BIPOC because we do not know better. With the help of a consultant, you can uncover the conscious and unconscious biases not just against a certain class, but a sect, race, gender, social status, etc.

They help you uncover the right perception by showing you the privilege you have. They help you and your company lay down a deep foundation of discovering your known and unknown biases and working on them. This is the way to go if you wish to see anti-racism grow in your company.

Continue reading this blog on the PositiveHire website.

When it comes to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion it is NOT a monolith. There are many leaders who are implementing it differently in their organizations and communities. During the Future of DEI in AEC virtual summit, we have two dynamic DEI leaders in Construction and Healthcare who are doing just that.

Dan Lester, Sr, the Vice President of Field Culture and Inclusion at Clayco. When he joined Clayco, Dan had a stark awakening to the culture of construction compared to his experience in academia. He'll share his experience in construction while lead him to requesting a DEI role focused on construction. With lessons learned to culture change on construction sites.

Adrienne Miles is a newcomer to AEC as well. In her role as DEI manager at UPMC, she works with AEC companies, workforce development and community to drive diversity, equity and inclusion. A client focused DEI efforts into the AEC industry is new and different.

Their focuses on DEI are both important but show up differently in the lives of

If you haven't already- act fast—tickets are selling out.