Nearly 20 years ago, I walked onto my first job site. It was 5 a.m., and the superintendent I was assigned to came off as a little gruff. I’ll admit that I felt intimidated. It was a new job, a new environment, and I was developing a new skill set, pivoting from a career in the legal industry.
I ended up spending three years with that project team and, to this day, that superintendent is still one of the greatest influences in my career.
Turns out he was a tremendous teacher, and the all-male team that surrounded me were generous with their time and expertise as I learned the ropes. It’s an experience I will always be grateful for as they accepted me, became champions, and helped me grow and develop. This is a large driver for why I am so passionate about enhancing opportunities for women and all underrepresented groups in construction because my experience should be one that everyone should be able to expect. It’s also why I was so excited about Gilbane’s role as an organizing sponsor of Construction Inclusion Week.
The culture we are creating is incredibly important. If we don’t prioritize diversity and inclusion, and if we aren’t thoughtful about recruiting and retaining top talent—especially those prospective employees who may take a less traditional path into the profession—then we’re missing real opportunity to build dynamic leaders and high-performing teams.
When I began my career, I didn’t want to stand out as a woman in the industry. I felt the best approach was to blend in and not draw attention to my being a woman. Today, I see my colleagues at Gilbane embracing differences, grabbing opportunities, sharing their perspectives and celebrating who they are. I’m especially proud to see this in our younger professionals who are shaping their careers with us at Gilbane. As I travel to our offices and project sites I continue to be impressed and humbled by our teams. I encourage everyone to join an Employee Resource Group, celebrate your identities or be an Ally for others and tap into your lived experiences to the benefit of job site teams and clients.
It’s the sharing of our diversity of experiences and perspectives that helps build success in the workplace – and a culture of belonging. Creating the awareness and establishing the expectation today drives the future of Gilbane and helps to drive the future of construction.
I invite you to learn more about our work on Construction Inclusion Week and Gilbane’s efforts to strengthen and diversify the talent pipeline as well as create a work environment of inclusion and belonging.
