Barriers to Integration and Attitudes towards Cultural Diversity in the Construction Industry

 
Introduction.

The construction industry in Australia, with around 20% of workers being overseas-born, is increasingly recognizing the importance of cultural diversity. Effective management of diversity can positively impact work productivity, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, and competitive advantage. However, cultural diversity can also have negative implications, such as increased workplace conflict, low morale, high labor turnover, lower quality work, absenteeism, stress-related illnesses, and a poor corporate image. Research has shown that mismanaging diversity in the industry can lead to increased safety risks, particularly for non-English speaking workers. Additionally, workplace discrimination is a significant issue, with 40% of Asian-Australian operatives experiencing discrimination. Many firms in the Australian construction industry neglect to address this issue, leading to a struggle to integrate different cultural groups into a harmonious and productive workplace. This paper aims to explore the attitudinal reasons behind this deficiency in integrating cultural diversity into the construction industry.

Methodology

An investigation was carried out on workers and supervisors at major urban building sites in Sydney, Australia, with a focus on workforce diversity. The survey was conducted in two phases: for site operators from May to December 2008 and for supervisors from May to August 2009. The questionnaires evaluated respondent’s perceptions of cultural variety, encounters with intolerance, fairness of treatment on construction sites, and interactions between workers from various ethnic origins. During weekly meetings with subcontractors, the survey was conducted by hand, and 1233 questionnaires were gathered in total. The poll also aimed to compare the experiences of workers on sites with the views of supervisors. During the weekly meetings of subcontractors, the survey was conducted manually, and nine participants sent back completed surveys. The questionnaire was optional, and only three supervisors refused to participate.

3. Discussion of results

3.1 Cross-cultural interactions

Cultural diversity in the construction industry is a complex issue, with both supervisors and operatives recognizing it as an unavoidable fact of life. However, 31% of operatives do not actively interact with workers from different ethnic backgrounds, and 32% of operatives and 23% of supervisors believe different groups should stay away from each other. The majority of managers believe there are sufficient opportunities for workers to mix with different ethnic groups, but 64% of operatives would like more opportunities to mix with people from other ethnic groups. This contradictory view could be explained by communication problems and conflict among operatives, as supervisors perceive diversity as increasing conflict and decreasing communication. Social and political discourses also play a role in shaping intergroup relations, with the title “they steal our jobs” often found in the Australian media expressing intolerance towards Asian Australians. Tensions between Anglo-Australians and Lebanese-Australian and Australian-Muslims reflect recent Islamaphobic discourses within broader media and society.

3.2 Equal opportunity

The construction industry generally offers equal opportunities for both supervisors and operatives. However, concerns about perceived inequality differ between the two groups. Operational express a strong concern for unequal involvement in decision-making on site, while supervisors view it as unequal access to higher-paying jobs and managerial positions. Supervisors believe operatives experience discrimination due to limited English skills, not structural discrimination.

3.3 Racism

The common belief among supervisors and operatives is that they experience discrimination due to their limited English skills. Ethnicity-based humor and name-calling in the workplace intensify stereotypes and devalue out-groups, leading to exclusion. However, humor can also serve anti-racist purposes by bringing differences to the surface and reducing conflicts between different ethnic groups. In some cases, jokes represent friendship between workers from different ethnic groups.

3.4 Managing cultural diversity

Supervisors in the construction industry face challenges in managing cultural diversity, particularly with non-English speaking workers. Communication problems caused by language barriers are a major challenge, particularly for Asian-Australians and trades dominated by non-English speaking workers (NESB). Supervisors often struggle to determine whether NESB workers can speak or understand English, making it difficult to manage this issue. Safety issues are considered the most significant negative impact from ethnic diversity, as suggested by Loosemore and Chua (2001).

To address these communication problems, supervisors rely on multilingual supervisors, workers, and alternative language signs. However, site pressures, a highly competitive work environment, and a sense of acceptance that NESB operatives are well known to walk onto site with an inadequate understanding of safety risks limit efforts to manage this problem more proactively.

Site managers were responsible for managing cultural diversity, but many felt supervisors and project managers were also responsible. Human resource (HR) managers, managing directors, and CEOs were reported as the least responsible people for diversity management.

Equal opportunity, gender, and sexual and racial harassment policies were the most widely understood, while affirmative action and Aboriginal employment policies were the least understood. Diversity policies were reported as the least implemented of all policy types.

Organizing social events, training for site workers, and multilingual induction processes were common strategies used to manage cultural diversity. However, attempts to overcome language problems remain limited within the construction industry.

4. Conclusion

Cultural diversity is an important aspect of the construction industry, but it often faces problems such as racism, communication issues, and safety risks. Asian-Australians are particularly affected by uneven access to higher-paying jobs. Despite these issues, cultural diversity is often seen as an inevitable part of daily life. To address these problems, creating business case incentives for construction companies to implement cultural diversity strategies actively and ensuring a safe, productive, efficient, and harmonious environment for foreign workers is crucial.

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