The Irish construction industry urgently needs more women to ensure a sustainable and innovative future. What are companies like Ardmac doing to encourage more women into the sector?
More flexibility, phased returns, and better maternity benefits are essential to making construction a viable career for parents. Right now, the long hours and lack of structured support make it difficult for families. However, this is an area where Ardmac has worked to improve over the past several years and is committed to continuing that effort.
“Ardmac have been more than accommodating since my return. Once I was back to work a few weeks, it felt I had never left. Ardmac tied in with me, ensuring assigned projects suited in terms of location, requirements etc. I feel very lucky that the support was given to me as I know other organisations including those outside the construction industry would not be as accommodating” Annie Mullen, SHEQ advisor who recently returned from maternity leave.
At Ardmac, we are not just following industry trends—we are setting new standards. Our commitment to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) is reflected in our proactive recruitment practices and the support we provide for working mothers. With a current gender split of 78% men to 22% women (as of the end of 2024), we recognise that we are not yet where we aspire to be. However, we are proud to be ahead of the industry norm and are actively working to improve through the implementation of more inclusive recruitment practices.
We understand that the key to our success lies in our people, including the talented, dedicated, and hardworking mothers on our team. Ardmac has welcomed back 6 mothers from maternity leave over the past 2 years and supported their transition back into the workplace.
“Ardmac was quite supportive in terms of easing me back into work. I was able to stagger my return, starting with short weeks for the first two months. That helped me adjust gradually, both mentally and in terms of my workload. It made a big difference in managing the transition.” Kerrie O’Neill, Quantity Surveyor.
Supporting mothers as they return to work is essential for retaining valuable talent and experience, promoting gender equality, and fostering a positive, family-friendly culture. This approach helps Ardmac reduce turnover costs, enhance morale, and boost employee loyalty, while also addressing industry skill shortages and driving economic growth. By providing flexibility and clear communication, we aim to ease the transition back to work, reduce stress, and improve well-being for mothers. This not only breaks down industry stereotypes and encourages workforce participation but also ensures women can continue their career progression, contributing to a more diverse leadership pipeline.
While there are still significant challenges for women in the construction industry, particularly around work-life balance, maternity support, and gender stereotypes, we are committed to making Ardmac a truly inclusive company. We believe that creating an environment where every employee feels supported and valued is key to fostering long-term success—not just for the business, but for our people as well.
As one of our team members puts it, “I think once you work for the right company that supports and values you, you can’t go wrong. There are many women in the industry now. People, both male and female, understand that everybody has different circumstances. Once you choose to have the personal conversations, this impacts greatly on your experience.” Annie Mullen, SHEQ advisor.
We recognise that flexibility, better maternity and paternity benefits, and more realistic working hours are crucial to making construction a family-friendly industry. As another member of our team shared, “Construction isn’t yet a family-friendly industry. The long hours, commutes, and lack of maternity support make it tough for working parents, often leaving one parent to shoulder most of the family responsibilities. However, I love my job and have found ways to make it work. With better maternity/paternity benefits, more flexibility, and realistic hours, construction could be a much more viable career for parents balancing family and work” – Kerrie O’Neill, Quantity Surveyor.
Adopting family-friendly policies in the construction industry not only benefits women but also provides significant advantages for men. When men have access to flexible policies, including parental leave, it allows them to be more engaged in their personal lives, supporting their families and nurturing deeper connections with their children. This has been shown to positively impact their mental health and overall well-being.
Studies across industries show that paternity leave contributes to higher employee satisfaction, improved retention, and better mental health for employees. For instance, a 2019 report by McKinsey found that men who took paternity leave were more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction and were more engaged at work.
Also, research has shown that paternity leave policies can help reduce gender inequality in the workplace. Encouraging men to take parental leave challenges the outdated stereotype that caregiving is solely the responsibility of women and contributes to more equitable participation in both work and family life.
Unfortunately, studies by PWC in 2020 showed that while paid parental leave is now common across industries, take-up rates among fathers remain lower compared to mothers. Cultural expectations and concerns about career progression continue to influence men’s decisions to take parental leave, even though it is available.
“Arranging the leave was straightforward, and senior management was fully supportive of me taking the time away. I also took an additional week of annual leave, making it three weeks in total, which I found incredibly beneficial for both myself and my family.” Fergus Nugent, Operations Director
Today’s fathers want to actively participate in all aspects of parenting, from being present during early days to taking on a greater share of daily responsibilities and family friendly policies allow that to happen. In an industry like construction, where long hours and a male-dominated culture have historically been the norm, offering these policies is a step toward modernising the workplace, attracting a broader pool of talent, and retaining skilled workers for the long term. By fostering an environment where men feel comfortable taking parental leave and balancing their family responsibilities, the industry not only supports diversity and inclusion but also promotes a healthier, more productive workforce overall.
At Ardmac, we normalise and celebrate the working parents of Ardmac, we understand the impact if has on our people and in turn the great work they do.
We are committed to being part of the solution. By prioritising inclusivity, flexibility, and support, we aim to lead by example—creating a workplace where women don’t just participate but thrive.
