A blog by Karina Connolly
Senior Business Development Manager, Midlands
For International Women’s Day 2025, Karina Connolly, Senior Business Development Manager in our Midlands team, talks about this year’s campaign theme of ‘Accelerating Action’ towards a more inclusive industry and how she feels the tide is turning towards positive change.
Dispelling gender stereotypes and breaking bias
The construction industry has long been regarded as a male-dominated field, with some women facing challenges to enter, thrive, and succeed. As we move into an era where gender equality is prioritised across all society, I often hear people talk about construction as still being slow to catch-up.
Unfortunately, there are still deeply ingrained, outdated myths that anything construction-related is “men’s work” and these stereotypes are often perpetuated by media representations and sometimes, within the workplace. Women can be under-represented because there are perceptions, built up over time, about jobs and roles ‘suitable’ for women, which might lead to a lack of applicants, or issues in the recruitment process itself. There is also a lack of understanding of wide variety of roles available in construction and property industry.
Overcoming these stereotypes requires a change in workplace culture and societal attitudes toward women in what were once traditionally male-dominated professions. As a woman who’s been in the industry for over 16 years, I’m pleased to say I’ve seen great strides made towards a more equal footing.
I can see that views and opportunities are changing for the better across all aspects of construction careers – from site manager roles to C-suite positions. At Morgan Sindall Construction in particular, I’m proud to see this change in real-time.
Empower each other and build your network
In fields with little representation, women often feel like they have to prove themselves more than their male counterparts to gain recognition.
In my view, women can often experience imposter syndrome, so it is important to truly believe in yourself and your skills and reassure yourself that you are capable and are in the right place.
My advice is to always try and diversify your skills where possible, build your network and don’t be afraid of putting yourself forward for opportunities, even if you might feel uncomfortable at first. Continuous learning and doing things you wouldn’t normally put yourself forward for can be really exciting and rewarding.
I really believe in women empowering each other and supporting each other too, so share your successes and also your challenges too with supportive colleagues - it’s also really important to have the support of the company you work for.
At Morgan Sindall, it’s been great that my team and coworkers fully recognise and address challenges that women can experience too, like managing family life and looking after young children, mental health and flexibility. The construction sector can be notorious for its long working hours, demanding schedules, and time spent away from home, so you need to feel supported or it can lead to burnout and high staff turnover rates.
‘Accelerating Action’ and changing the narrative
This year’s theme of ‘Accelerating Action’ is certainly compelling – it calls for even more action towards a range of issues from pay equity to diversity in leadership and flexible work policies.
A growing number of initiatives are now focused on encouraging more women to join our industry. From training programmes to advocacy groups, women are finding the resources they need to succeed. Moreover, companies are beginning to recognise the value of diversity and inclusion, seeing it as a competitive advantage rather than a box to check.
Ultimately, addressing these challenges still requires a shift in the industry's culture. It’s essential to not only increase the representation of women but also to ensure they are supported, respected, and provided with equal opportunities to succeed.
Gender equality should not be a side issue but a core value of our sector. By promoting even more policies that support women, challenging outdated stereotypes, and fostering an inclusive environment, the construction industry can become a more welcoming and dynamic place for women to thrive.
ENDS