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News March 10, 2022

Digital transformation may lead to more opportunities for women in construction

A recent joint survey by the National Association of Women in Construction and Safe Site Check In shows 71% of construction companies view digital transformation—integrating digital technologies to help reshape business processes—as a top priority, with new technologies opening doors for women in the workforce, according to www.forconstructionpros.com.

“Digital transformation is gaining significant momentum in the construction industry,” said NAWIC Executive Director Crissy Ingram. “Along with making work easier without compromising the quality of the finished product, it also opens up more opportunities for women. The survey shows the importance of digital technology and, ideally, its potential to address some of the issues driven by the construction labor shortage.”

The organizations surveyed participants regarding digital transformation, the industry’s labor shortage and the effects of supply chain disruptions. Participants represented all areas of the construction industry across private and public sectors and included 600 NAWIC members throughout the U.S. working in construction at companies with revenues between $500,000 to more than $1 billion annually.

Following are key findings from the survey.

  • Seventy-seven percent of respondents believe digital transformation will make their jobs easier; 17% believe it will have no effect; 5% believe their jobs will be more difficult; and 1% believe it will eliminate their jobs.
  • Ninety-five percent report new technologies designed for the construction industry have allowed them to be more productive.
  • Seventy percent of survey respondents were excited about learning new technology at work; 24% are indifferent; and 6% expressed frustration.

Additionally, when asked which of the latest construction technologies are most helpful, 72% of respondents said smartphone apps for managing projects and the workforce, followed by GPS layout (13%), drones and robots (9%) and augmented reality and wearables (3%).

Fifty-two percent of respondents work in the office, and 44% split their time between the office and the job site; only 4% work solely on job sites.

When asked how the construction labor shortage affects their job, 53% of respondents said projects take longer, and 19% said days are longer. Twenty-six percent said the deficits did not affect their job, and 2% reported more accidents as a result.

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