16 March Futureproofing the Civil Infrastructure Industry: Diversity and Inclusion March 16, 2023By ICI Administrator General 0 Leaders and managers in the Civil Infrastructure Industry face people management challenges due to diversity issues. To be successful it is essential that team leaders understand the value of diverse teams and how to get the best from their teams. Critical challenges The genesis of this is that the boom in Australian infrastructure faces critical challenges: 1) shortage in several occupations, such as Engineers 2) Lack of people skills in both specialist and trade and labour 3) Gender inequity. To make up for shortages, overseas migrant workers are being hired. In fact, 58% of Engineers are from overseas. As a result, ethnically and racially diverse workers are part of the industry that must make the best use of this talent. On the other hand, the industry does not utilise female talent sufficiently: women make up less than 13% of construction occupations, less than 2% related trade jobs, and only ~11% of working engineers. Why does diversity matter for the Civil Infrastructure Industry? At a micro level racially diverse teams and those with gender balance perform better in decision making, problem solving and innovation. This helps in better design, implementation and completion of projects. At a macro level these benefits add up: diverse organisations attract 20-40 more customers in comparison to non-diverse competitors and, outperform their peers by 25-36%. A culture of inclusion increases positive perception of team and company leadership, with employees 3 times less likely to leave the organisation. Looking to the future, 83% of GenZs prioritise the diversity and inclusion commitment of companies when identifying employers of choice. What are the implications of these trends for the Civil Infrastructure Industry? There is a significant cultural shift required at workplaces for gender equity and each organisation must be responsible, accountable for a non-discriminatory workplace culture as outlined in Women in STEM Decadal plan published by the Australian Academy of Science. Providing managers and leaders with knowledge, skills and tools on managing diverse teams and creating an inclusive culture is imperative to enable the workplace shift the industry needs. The good news The good news is that leadership and people management skills such as managing diverse teams can be learned in a short time. Focused professional development courses on diversity and inclusion, provide a grounding on these topics, along with practical tips and tools to implement the learning at the workplace. Sign up today to a course on diversity and inclusion and make a difference to your management style! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Related Posts The Institute of Civil Infrastructure expands into Queensland The Institute of Civil Infrastructure has partnered with CCF QLD to launch the industry’s own continual professional development program for civil managers. Nominate Your Civil Infrastructure Employees for the People's Choice Awards! The CCF NSW People's Choice Awards offer a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate the outstanding individuals in the civil infrastructure industry. The Institute of Civil Infrastructure announces new CEO The Institute of Civil Infrastructure (ICI Australia) today announced the appointment of Lee Gabbett as its new Chief Executive Officer, taking over from David Castledine. The Institute of Civil Infrastructure begins partnership with Western Australia The Institute has continued to grow across the country with an exciting new partnership with the Civil Contractors Federation Western Australia. As the peak body for civil construction in WA, the opportunity for ICI to partner with CCF WA is a great way to support the men and women of the industry in their professional development. Federal Investment in Civil Infrastructure - Is it Enough? At the end of June, the Federal Government, in partnership with State Governments, announced an additional $1.9 billion of investment in civil infrastructure. We have compiled a brief overview of where this investment is going and what projects are happening in each state, but is it enough? Civil Construction Project Management – Tips for Success Civil construction project management is a combination of cost, time, quality and risk management that enables cost-effective completion of projects within their constraints and to the agreed quality outcomes Comment (0) Comments are closed.