Evaluating the management's role in addressing gender and racial disparities to promote DEI in the US construction industry: Exploratory study

The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the US construction industry has become increasingly evident as the industry struggles with persistent racial and gender disparities. Numerous psychosocial stressors stemming from racial and gender-related discrimination impact the occupational safety and well-being of marginalized and underrepresented workers. While existing studies have identified numerous barriers faced by underrepresented groups and pertinent DEI indicators to improve workplace diversity, research, to our best knowledge, often falls short of assessing the management's level of awareness and responsiveness in tackling this pressing issue. To bridge this gap, this study aimed to evaluate the role of construction management in mitigating workplace disparities and promoting DEI within a company. The main objectives of the present study were to examine management's awareness levels in addressing psychosocial stressors related to workplace disparities and their responsiveness in implementing DEI success indicators at the company level to eliminate the exposure level of the stressors. To achieve these research goals, the researchers conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey aimed at collecting insights on the study topic from US construction professionals at all levels. The results revealed that female and nonwhite groups experience higher exposure to psychosocial stressors compared to other groups. Individuals of color, regardless of gender and age, demonstrated greater vulnerability to psychosocial stressors. A moderate level of awareness was identified among the study participants' immediate supervisor and management regarding the impacts of psychosocial stressors. Construction company management was found to be low to moderately responsive in implementing the DEI success factors at the company level. Using natural language processing, several new DEI challenges and strategic recommendations, including well-being programs, psychosocial safety, and work-life balance, were determined on top of the existing ones. The findings of this exploratory study provide valuable insights and practical guidance for US construction practitioners, policymakers, and management in improving DEI practices to eliminate systemic workplace disparities.