Investigating the challenges that women employees face in the construction industry in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces in South Africa

Abstract

The construction industry is naturally male-dominated, and this presents significant equal opportunity obstacles for women to enter and prosper within the industry. The South African construction industry has a principally low involvement proportion for women and represents a robust male culture where relationships are characterised by obscenity, quarrels, fights, and crises. The primary objective of this study was to explore and understand the challenges faced by women in the construction industry in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. The study population consisted of South African women of different age groups, all races, belonging to different socio-economic statuses, living in various residential areas, and having diverse educational statuses. All the women work or have worked in the construction industry in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces of South Africa. This study used a non-probability sampling technique (snowball sampling) because it has traits that enable the researcher to reach out to rare populations to research. Snowball sampling enabled the researcher to establish initial contacts with a tiny cluster of individuals and then use these clusters of individuals to expand the reach and contact others. Qualitative data collection instruments, namely a semi-structured questionnaire and protocol, were used as part of the more extensive interviews. Quantitative collection instruments were also used for the survey to validate the findings of the in-depth interviews as a triangulation method. A web-based questionnaire was created, and participants downloaded it using the link they received through email. The qualitative data collection was done using in-depth interviews on Zoom, Skype, Microsoft teams, while the quantitative data were collected via a web-based questionnaire link. Some questionnaires were also personally distributed to the sample. Where possible, face-to-face interviews were used instead of an electronic meeting platform. In this research, the thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the qualitative data (interviews) because this technique employs the gathering and thematising of diverse information sets. It is also not limited to a theoretical or epistemological viewpoint. Based on the findings of the survey and in-depth interview results, the following conclusions were drawn: construction industry tailored for men's need; women being regarded as less capable than men in the construction industry; there is unfairness of the recruitment processes as women experience discrimination by recruiters because of their gender; there is poor communication which creates a problem between men and women; women are not recognised since they are classified under administration roles most of the time; there is a glass ceiling as most of the opportunities are given to men as they are believed to be physically fit to perform better than women; harassment came out as one of the main challenges faced by women in the construction industry; there is unequal treatment like women being paid less than their male counterparts, and there are fewer leadership opportunities for women in the construction industry.