Exploring best practices and policies to reduce the gender gap in the UK construction industry

The construction industry globally, including that of the UK, is still plagued with gender imbalance despite the invaluable roles women play in bridging the gap caused by skills shortage. This qualitative study explored best practices and policies to reduce the gender gap in the UK construction industry. Twelve construction professionals were interviewed on the factors contributing to gender imbalance and the effectiveness of existing gender equality policies. The data collected were transcribed and qualitatively analysed using code-based content analysis. The findings confirmed that the prominent factors contributing to the gender imbalance in the construction industry are lack of education, masculine culture, lack of flexibility, and discrimination. The study then identified networking groups, increased exposure, and work–life balance as the most effective approaches for bridging the gender gap. The study identified areas that construction industry policymakers and stakeholders need to re-evaluate in existing gender policies to effectively address the barriers women in construction face, which are also responsible for the gender imbalance in the construction industry.