Anonymous Reporting to Address Sexual Harassment in Construction Workplaces
The NSW Government has released its annual report on the Women in Construction Program, which intends to create incentives and cultures amenable to greater gender diversity in the state’s construction industry. This is a much-needed change: the construction industry is among Australia’s most male-dominated. While rates of women employed in the industry have been growing slowly, there remain numerous barriers and cultural problems that inhibit women’s progression and discourage them from finding work in construction.
The Women in Construction report is based on findings from two separate surveys measuring the opinions of construction business owners and workers. Findings reveal that a great deal of work remains to be done if the program is to reach even its modest goals of increasing women’s participation in non-traditional roles in the industry. 32% of workers surveyed reported experiencing gender-based discrimination, and 22% experienced sexual harassment in the last year. Issues such as career growth and work-life balance also appear to affect women in the industry more than men.
While these figures are concerning, they represent a positive move by the state government to understand and confront problems rather than continuing to ignore them. The frank results of the survey reveal that construction workers are willing to talk about these issues, as long as there are safe spaces for them to do so. As such, the report’s recommendation that employers provide safe, anonymous and reliable spaces for workers to raise concerns will be crucial in making construction a welcoming industry for all.
Inequality is systemic and pervasive
Only 4% of trade roles in NSW construction are held by women. This reflects the wealth of barriers and the lack of safety faced by women in the industry. The NSW government’s report finds that 33% of workers still encounter a lack of adequate facilities for female workers, while 24% report disrespect for gender and other forms of diversity at work.
These issues are systemic. A report this year from Master Builders Australia calculated a gender pay gap in construction of 14.5%, bolstered by a sizable disparity of women in management roles in the industry.
In such an unequal environment, it is no surprise that gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment are so common. Harassment and discrimination thrive in environments where inequality is normalised. As well as greatly impacting the wellbeing of individuals affected and gender equality in Australia on the whole, harassment in the construction industry is also costly: Our Watch estimates that, in 2022, sexual harassment cost the industry $171.8 million.
Anonymous reporting and cultural change
With such a state of affairs, it is clear much needs to be done. The NSW Government’s report details a number of actions already being taken to address gender inequality in construction. It is clear that the most important factor is knowledge: businesses and industry groups need to know the extent of the problem, while employees need to know they are not alone, and that their voices will be heard.
A particularly sobering statistic from the report is that 71% of women in workplaces with sexual harassment training still experienced sexual harassment. This figure implies a lack of knowledge among workplaces on how to effectively address harassment and discrimination. Training is important, but without profound cultural changes and a strong policy environment, it will fail. The ability for workers to raise issues and confidence that workplaces will address problems is fundamental to this. All workplaces should have numerous avenuesthrough which employees can report harassment and discrimination. Anonymous reporting is particularly crucial, as it can empower victims to come forward without fear of retaliation of identification. Sexual harassment thrives in cultures of silence. Anonymous reporting is one of the most reliable ways to understand the extent to which problems are entrenched, and how they can be addressed.
Next steps for construction workplaces
The NSW Government’s report shows that many construction workplaces are still unsure how to develop policies and foster cultures that prevent and address gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment. While this is serious, the report also provides valuable insights that hint towards a way forward for construction workplaces.
Organisations in construction should, first and foremost, invest in secure, confidential reporting platforms which give workers the opportunity to remain anonymous. Workers need to be confident that their concerns will be taken seriously, and that their confidentiality will be respected above all else. Balanced with this is the need for workplaces to communicate to workers how reporting platforms work, and to create clear and accessible policies outlining how reports will be handled.
Encouraging reporting, and fostering a ‘speak-up’ culture which empowers workers to raise issues, is the foundation upon which cultural change can be built. This provides a solid base for training programs and other initiatives to address sexual harassment and discrimination.
Providing clear, accessible, confidential and anonymous reporting avenues is a practical, immediate step for construction companies to address the pervasive issue of sexual harassment. The NSW Government’s Women in Construction report provides a stark image of the state of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination in the construction industry today, but it also provides a reliable roadmap for a better future. The opportunity is there for industry leaders to take anti-discrimination seriously. Openness to the experiences and concerns of their workers is the first step.