A team of AUT researchers – F.E. Rotimi, N. Naismith, M. Mohaghegh, M. Burfoot, and M. Brauner – are studying the mental wellbeing of women in the construction industry in New Zealand. They have identified a noticeable research gap in that, to date, no studies have been undertaken on the mental health of this sector’s female workforce. This, despite the fact that women make up approximately 13–15% of the New Zealand construction workforce, i.e. about 30,000 women (Ministry for Women, 2016; Sweet Analytics, 2020).

The general aim of the wide-scale study is to achieve wellbeing targets for this minority group. The research team anticipates its findings will help industry, government and the wider public understand the nature of the challenges faced by the female workforce and their effects, with the aim of establishing coping mechanisms that could be applied to the industry as a whole. 

The study aligns with the current Construction Sector Transformation Plan to lift overall performance and improve the sector’s wellbeing (MBIE, 2020). The research group holds similar aspirations and is hoping to help reduce workplace mental health issues for women and create a more supportive work environment.

If you would like to help with this study, the research team is looking for interview candidates with a minimum of one year’s experience in the construction industry, within the last five years.

Email:  [email protected]