95. Construction Has a People Problem: Why Inclusive Leadership Is the Industry’s Biggest Opportunity with Cathryn Greville

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Cathryn Greville, CEO of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), a lawyer, governance expert, and one of the industry's most passionate advocates for systemic cultural change. From collaborative contracting to parental leave, from male allyship to psychological safety, Cathryn makes a powerful case that construction's biggest challenges: productivity, skills shortages, and retention won't be solved by technology alone. They'll be solved by leadership. Cathryn shares the evidence: inclusive teams make better decisions 87% of the time, and twice as fast. She explains why the single biggest risk time for losing women in construction is pregnancy and return to work, and why getting more men to take parental leave is a retention strategy, not a social one. She also pulls back the curtain on NAWIC's $5 million "Allyship in Action" project, including site-based allyship programs, sponsorship training, and a cultural ambassadors program designed to reach young tradies before bad habits set in. Tune in for a frank, data-driven, and hopeful conversation about what it actually takes to build workplaces where people want to stay  and why inclusive leadership may be the most underleveraged commercial advantage in construction today. **What You’ll Learn in This Episode:** **Inclusive Leadership and the Future of Construction:** - Why inclusive leadership is a commercial advantage, not just a social initiative - How leadership styles directly impact workforce retention and project outcomes - The role leaders play in creating psychologically safe workplaces **The Link Between Inclusion, Productivity, and Performance:** - Why inclusive teams make better decisions and achieve stronger business results - How psychological safety improves productivity and reduces workforce risk - The hidden financial costs of poor workplace culture and employee turnover **Innovation Starts with People:** - Why innovation is about more than technology and AI - How diverse perspectives create better solutions and stronger decision-making - The connection between workplace culture, creativity, and problem-solving **Workforce Challenges and Talent Attraction:** - Why construction's workforce shortage requires a broader talent strategy - How inclusive workplaces help attract and retain the next generation of workers - What Gen Z expects from employers and why culture matters more than ever **Flexibility, Retention, and Modern Work:** - Why flexibility means more than working from home - How small adjustments can significantly improve employee retention - The importance of designing workplaces around people's real needs **Pregnancy, Parenthood, and Retaining Women in Construction:** - Why pregnancy remains one of the highest-risk points for losing women from the industry - The role parental leave and caring responsibilities play in workforce retention - How supporting fathers and caregivers benefits the entire workforce **Male Allyship and Culture Change:** - What male allyship looks like in practice - Why giving men the tools to support change is critical for industry transformation - How NAWIC's Allyship in Action program is helping shift workplace culture **Recruitment, Bias, and Untapped Talent:** - Why construction still relies heavily on traditional hiring methods - How transferable skills can unlock new talent pools - The importance of challenging assumptions about who belongs in construction **Building a More Sustainable Industry:** - Why workforce sustainability is becoming one of construction's biggest challenges - How governments, clients, contractors, and leaders can work together to drive change - What organizations can do today to become employers of choice **Key Quotes from Cathryn Greville:** - "Productivity all comes back to people." - "The biggest impediment to innovation isn't the technology. It's whether people are able to implement it." - "Innovation is not just tech. Innovation is about solving problems." - "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept." - "If you're not engaging 50 percent of the population, you're missing a huge opportunity." - "We need workplaces where people feel safe, valued, and able to do their best work." - "Inclusion is not just a diversity initiative. It's a business strategy." **About Our Guest:** **Cathryn Greville** is the CEO of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction), a lawyer by background with decades of experience in industry reform, regulation, and governance. She has worked across litigation, collaborative contracting, and cultural transformation in both the UK and Australia. Cathryn is currently leading NAWIC’s $5 million "Allyship in Action" project (funded by the Building Women’s Careers Grant Program), delivered in partnership with CPB Contractors, Adco Constructions, the Australian Workers’ Union, and Holmesglen Institute. Her mission: to make "male ally" an obsolete term within a decade by building a sector that works for everyone. **About Your Host**: Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers. **How You Can Support the Podcast:** - Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. - Share this episode with anyone interested in construction leadership, retention, team culture, and building a more inclusive industry. - Connect with Cathryn Greville and NAWIC to learn more about workforce inclusion and culture change initiatives. **Stay Connected:** - Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn. - Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content. **Let’s Connect:** - Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at reachout@buildingdoors.com.au. Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.