Policing “Manliness” in the Construction Industry
Hostile, sexist behavior is common on construction sites
Construction is a male-dominated industry that values skills often associated with “manliness” such as physical strength and being good with machinery. Our latest research, gathered from 11 countries, shows that in this environment, men are highly likely to have their masculinity policed by their coworkers. This experience can lead to lower psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and job performance.1
Almost three-quarters (74%) of men in frontline construction roles have experienced sexual harassment at work — 30 percentage points more than women (44%).2 In comparison to women, (44%), the type of harassment men most often experience (72%) is not a sexualized “come on” but rather a “put down” such as a crude joke or insulting remark about their gender (think locker-room talk).3
One study conservatively estimated that sexual harassment costs the Australian economy a total of $3.5 billion in lost productivity and other costs.4
How does sexual harassment show up?5
- Hostile, sexist behavior: Also known as gender harassment, this is the most common type of sexual harassment, which can take the form of derogatory put-downs such as comments that one gender is better suited for a specific job, or “locker-room” jokes or insults that reinforce gender stereotypes or mock a person’s body, appearance, or sexual activity.
- Unwanted sexual attention: This includes inappropriate touching and staring, and repeated come-ons for dates or sex.
- Sexual coercion: This involves threatening an employee with punishment if they withhold sexual favors and rewarding them if they comply.
This sexist, hostile behavior reinforces rigid expectations about how men should act, look, and feel and punishes them for defying those expectations.
In this environment, it’s no surprise that previous Catalyst research has found that 92% of men in frontline roles experience distress about living up to rigid standards of how to be a man at work, and 91% feel boxed in by those standards.6
Take Action
HR leaders in the construction industry who want to reduce incidents of hostile, sexist behavior on work sites should address the climate of silence — when employees don’t think they can speak up about work-related problems because they will experience negative consequences. Catalyst research shows that hostile, sexist behavior increases in frontline workplaces with higher levels of climate of silence.7 It also shows that fair treatment can reduce climate of silence.8
- Align policies and practices: HR leaders should ensure that policies and practices prioritize equal treatment for all employees, create and communicate multiple pathways to report concerns, and enforce accountability.
- Galvanize leaders: Encourage senior leaders to commit visibly to addressing sexist, hostile behavior and modeling inclusive behavior. Equip project managers, supervisors, and forepeople with the training and authority to resolve conflicts and make decisions fairly.
- Gather data. Find out what’s really going on in your company and at your work sites. Survey frontline employees about their experiences and hold focus groups to learn how pervasive hostile, sexist behavior is and whether men feel constrained by rigid standards of masculinity. Then, take targeted action to address the issues that are raised.
Methodology
Catalyst surveyed 93 employees (68 men and 25 women) in frontline roles in the construction industry in 11 countries to understand the prevalence of sexual harassment. We define frontline roles as those directly involved in production, processing, and service delivery in non-office settings that typically do not require higher-education qualifications. In these jobs, employees are required to work in-person at a specific physical location during shifts that may be set or variable and often include hours outside the current Monday to Friday, 9-to-5 paradigm of office work.
How to cite: Robotham, K. (2024). Policing “manliness” in the construction industry. Catalyst.
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Endnotes
- Funk, L. C. & Werhun, C. D. (2011). “You’re such a girl!” The psychological drain of the gender-role harassment of men. Sex Roles, 65, 13-22; Holland, K. J., Rabelo, V. C., Gustafson, A. M., Seabrook, R. C., & Cortina, L. M. (2016). Sexual harassment against men: Examining the roles of feminist activism, sexuality, and organizational context. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 17(1), 17. The countries surveyed included Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- A chi-square test of independence found that the percentage of men compared to the percentage of women who indicated they had been sexually harassed once or more was statistically significant, χ2 (1) = 7.06, p = .008.
- A chi-square test of independence found that the percentage of men compared to the percentage of women who indicated they experienced hostile sexist behavior once or more was statistically significant, χ2 (1) = 6.29, p = .012. Cortina, L. M. & Areguin, M. A. (2021). Putting people down and pushing them out: Sexual harassment in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 8(1), 285-309.
- The economic costs of sexual harassment in the workplace. (2020, March 2). Deloitte.
- Brassel, S. (2021). Sexual harassment at work: What it is, what it isn’t, and how it harms your organization (Topic overview). Catalyst.
- Brassel, S. (2024). How to reduce hostile, sexist behavior in frontline workplaces. Catalyst.
- Brassel (2024).
- Brassel (2024).