New research offers a pathway to increasing gender equity through reforming parental leave in the industry
A National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)-commissioned research project into parental leave in the construction sector has provided more than just statistics and lived experiences in offering clear recommendations for government and industry.
NAWIC’s mission is to collaboratively drive gender equity through culture change in the sector and we are committed to providing research backed pathways to meaningful reform.
With funding from the NSW government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program (IIP) Year 2, NAWIC’s NSW Chapter partnered with the University of Sydney Business School to conduct the study.
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The ‘Boosting retention of women in construction: Supporting women through parental leave’ project explores how to better support women working in frontline construction roles across Australia during pregnancy, parental leave and their return to work.
Research has previously found that the transitional periods in and out of parental leave are pivotal in a woman’s decision to remain in or return to work. This report delves much further into lived experiences of women and offers a pathway to better parental leave support.
The comprehensive parental leave study includes first-hand accounts and a toolkit with practical recommendations to guide change.
The construction industry continues to face real challenges attracting and retaining women. One of the most critical, and often overlooked, moments in a woman’s career journey is the transition into and out of parental leave.
The research found that women often go it alone, policies are patchy, there are often long hours and rigid roles, there is minimal flexibility and support, and the new generation of women entering the industry are expecting much better.
The report recommends coordinated action by government, trade unions, employers and clients, setting out practical, evidence-based actions focused on:
- the introduction of a parental leave levy to support small businesses and sole traders
- normalising family-friendly work hours and flex on site
- investment in safe and inclusive site facilities and practices for pregnant and female workers
- enhanced paid parental leave and support for women and men.
As I regularly say, we simply cannot deliver the pipeline of construction projects in housing, infrastructure and energy without people – lots of them. At no other time has it been more critical to attract, retain and advance women than during this period of massive skills and talent shortages.
The industry needs more than 400,000 new workers over the next five years, yet a staggering 110,000 workers leave each year through attrition. The full talent pool remains largely untapped, with women making up only 12.4 per cent of the workforce and just 3.4 per cent of trades roles.
Getting culture right doesn’t just make a difference for women, it’s essential to unlocking the potential of our sector. Providing better parental leave options makes the industry more attractive to all workers.
The Workplace Gender equality Agency’s recently released 2025 Gender Equity Insights report, The Power of Balance, shows organisations taking action to improve gender equality see lower staff turnover, more women in leadership and better shareholder value.
It also warns Australian businesses could fall behind their competitors if they don’t take strong action to address gender balance.
Congratulations to everyone involved in bringing our parental leave research project to fruition. Thank you to our NSW Chapter for commissioning this report and to the University of Sydney.
Learn more about the research project and download the toolkit at www.nawic.com.au/parental-leave