Women fail to break down barriers on the building site

Women are being deterred from working in the construction industry by its long hours, male-dominated environment and unfriendly culture.

A survey of 3,000 companies and female candidates by recruitment firm Hill McGlynn shows that the lack of family-friendly working conditions is the main obstacle to women pursuing a career in construction.

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Only half the employers surveyed had altered working practices in their organisation to be more flexible for women, despite 58% reporting an increase in women working in the sector.

A recent report by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) found that while women make up 49% of the total UK workforce, they hold just 1% of all construction jobs. Two-thirds of women questioned had also experienced sexism or were aware of colleagues being subjected to it, the report found.