GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT
Don’t let your gender hold you back. Melanie Burgess reports
WOMEN who are employed in maledominated industries may face a unique set of challenges but a sense of humour can go a long way to busting down barriers for everyone.
Workplace Gender Equality Agency data shows people still predominantly choose careers along gender lines despite a collective push from educators, employers and governments to improve diversity.
For example, the proportion of women in healthcare and social assistance as well as in education and training increased over the past 20 years while the proportion in construction and in transport declined.
Randstad’s 2019 Women in Construction Report suggests issues with workplace culture may be a significant contributing factor.
It finds 37 per cent of females working in the construction industry have experienced inappropriate behaviour from male colleagues while 38 per cent believe a lack of gender diversity contributes to women leaving or being reluctant to enter the industry.
SEEK resident psychologist Sabina Read says humour can be a useful tool for women addressing issues such as a sexist comment.
“You might make a joke but also say, ‘I’m not comfortable with that’, or, ‘I know you didn’t mean it in a bad way but it hasn’t landed well with me’,” she says.
“Use humour while directly challenging the statement or assumption.
“Sometimes our default is to ignore it but if we don’t speak up, nothing will change.”
Coast2Coast Projects owner and director Roshae Farquhar says workplace culture has improved a lot during her 20 years in the construction industry.
“When I first walked in to do my builder’s course 12 years ago I was the only female in the class and straight away it was, ‘You’ll get the teas and coffees won’t you, love?’,” she says.
“I had to rise above that and six months into the course they were all asking me for work.”