The Lived Experiences of Women in Construction: Career Supporting Strategies

Women are underrepresented in the United States construction industry, representing only 11% of the workforce, and this lack of diversity in the male-dominated occupation results in barriers to female career advancement. The problem is that women in construction experience obstacles to career progression due to gender work life balance, sexual harassment, and pay inequality; barriers such as these keep women out of leadership roles. Three recommended techniques to support women’s career progression in construction and combat barriers to career advancement include social support, fighting back (openly challenging discrimination), and positive reappraisal (reframing negatives to positives). Understanding the effectiveness of these strategies is integral to supporting women’s careers in construction. The theoretical constructs for this study are glass ceiling theory, role congruence theory, social role theory, and backlash theory. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to explore the lived experiences of women in construction employed in Texas as it relates to using three career supporting strategies to combat gender bias: social support, fighting back, and positive reappraisal. Using a qualitative approach, the researcher utilized semistructured interviews to analyze the experiences of participants. The results of this study revealed two themes regarding social support—social support and gender dynamics—and two themes regarding fighting back—conflict resolution and emotional labor. In addition, two themes regarding positive reappraisal were revealed—adaptability and career progression. The participants in this study used mechanisms to persevere, solve problems, and advance their careers in the construction industry. The findings of this study contribute significantly to understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by women in construction. By illuminating the unique dynamics of their professional environment, this research equips both iii scholars and practitioners with evidence-based insights that can inform the development of support systems. Keywords: narrative inquiry, women in construction, social support, fighting back, positive reappraisal, career support.