How DEI and Inclusive Culture in Construction can become a reality
The construction industry right across the world has a huge challenge in sourcing talent (full stop) let alone in making strides in gender balance. Many firms make firm commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion and are taking proactive steps to drive change in the long term. We’ve seen this at Mantra Strategy working with some of Ireland’s biggest construction companies who have made huge strides in this space, for example in our work with PJ Hegarty, Walls and Ecocem.
PJ Hegarty is a strong example of what’s possible when DEI is treated as a core business priority rather than a side initiative. The company recently progressed from Silver to Gold Investing in Diversity accreditation with the Irish Centre for Diversity, recognising the depth and impact of its work in this area. This achievement reflects a coordinated effort across the organisation - from leadership teams to site-based roles and an ongoing commitment to cultural change. At PJ Hegarty, this has included developing a clear DEI strategy, creating a team charter, establishing an employee resource group (ERG) focused on inclusion, and rolling out targeted training across inclusive hiring, reception and front-of-house experiences, neurodiversity, autism acceptance and more. The focus is not just on policy, but on culture and everyday behaviour.
Beyond writing policies, and issuing statements, setting targets and committing to this, many construction companies still really struggle to effect real cultural change. So why does DEI sometimes fail in construction and what needs to shift for it to succeed?
Where DEI Goes Wrong
1. It’s treated as a compliance exercise
DEI initiatives are frequently driven by external pressure rather than internal belief. When inclusion is framed as something organisations have to do, rather than choose to do, it quickly becomes performative and disconnected from day-to-day reality. This leads to a bare minimum without recognising the value, or reason for doing it.
2. A focus on policies over behaviours
Well-intentioned policies are important, but they don’t change culture on their own. Without addressing how people behave, make decisions, and lead on a daily basis, DEI remains words on paper rather than lived experience. It is critical to pick a few key policies, communicate why they are being changed and ensure there is support, training and management around how they are adopted and maintained.
3. Lack of Accountability
DEI can often be delegated to HR or sidelined as a “people issue”, and inclusive behaviours are not modelled, it sends a message this is not a real priority and just virtue-signaling.
4. The industry’s norms go unchallenged
Long-standing norms around masculinity, hierarchy, capabilities and talent not being out there are not addressed or challenged. Without addressing these deeper cultural dynamics, change struggles to gain traction.
What Actually Works
1. Starting with leadership, intent, commitment, and communicating the rationale
Inclusive cultures are shaped by leaders who are willing to reflect, listen, and adapt. When leaders understand why DEI matters to safety, performance, retention, and reputation, change becomes more sustainable. But it is important that this is communicated and shared across the organisation, often.
2. Focusing on everyday behaviours
Inclusion is built in small moments: who is hired, who is listened to in meetings, how mistakes are handled, how sites are managed, and how decisions are made. These daily actions shape culture far more than any policy document. DEI works best when it’s grounded in the realities of construction site environments, project pressures, and operational demands. This is also about how the organisation from front of house to onsite is set up to enable diverse employees to belong and do their best work.
3. Making Inclusion a whole organisation strategy
Making DEI the responsibility of the whole organisation, all leaders, from Board to managers being responsible for key areas of focus. At PJ Hegarty five leaders hold responsibility for key pillars of the DEI strategy, and are all charged with developing plans, and reporting on progress to make everyday strides. From training, to policies, culture, to recruitment hiring and inclusion this is embedded as a core focus for the business.
4. Embedding DEI into purpose and values
When inclusion is clearly linked to organisational purpose, building better teams, safer sites, and stronger outcomes, it stops being a “nice to have” and becomes a strategic advantage.
5. Committing to changing the long term picture
Organisations such as PJ Hegarty and Walls know that it will take time to diversify the overall pipeline of talent coming through, and they work with graduates, TY students, doing STEM talks and earn and learn programmes that allow diverse talent the opportunity to consider careers in this field.
The Bottom Line
DEI doesn’t fail because the construction industry is incapable of change. It fails when organisations try to shortcut culture work or treat inclusion as separate from leadership and purpose.
When DEI is human, practical, and led from the top, and people understand and buy into the rationale for the commitment-it works.
Mantra Strategy works with a range of Construction companies on their DEI and EDIB strategies. If you would like to find out how this could work for your company, reach out to hello@mantrastrategy for a confidential chat.
