Construction’s People Problem | Ep. 95 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. [00:38] Episode preview and introduction: construction under pressure, workforce exhaustion, productivity challenges, and skills shortages. [03:32] Cathryn’s journey into construction and why she is passionate about creating a sector where everyone can succeed. [04:42] The systemic barriers holding construction back, including adversarial contracting, hierarchy, and command-and-control leadership. [06:20] Why construction’s biggest challenges come back to people, leadership, communication, and psychological safety. [08:26] What inclusive leadership really means and how NAWIC is working to improve recruitment, advancement, and retention. [11:54] The connection between inclusive leadership, productivity, better decision-making, and stronger business outcomes. [21:09] Flexibility, collaborative contracting, invisible barriers, childcare, and why flexibility is more than working from home. [27:20] Pregnancy, parental leave, return to work, and the biggest risk point for losing women from construction. [32:37] NAWIC’s $5 million Allyship in Action project and what practical male allyship looks like. [43:00] Australia’s workforce crisis, the infrastructure pipeline, and why construction needs broader talent pools. [51:27] Removing practical barriers, including school-hours roles, women in tunnelling, PPE, bathrooms, and safer pathways into the industry. [55:54] Transferable skills, hiring beyond word-of-mouth, and bringing talent into construction from adjacent industries. [1:00:12] Cathryn’s legacy and her vision for a construction sector where more people can succeed. [1:03:04] Closing reflections and final call to action. Related search: construction leadership, construction productivity, women in construction, inclusive leadership, construction workforce shortage, construction culture, talent retention, workplace flexibility, psychological safety, construction innovation, gender equity, NAWIC Australia, Building Doors podcast, Lauren Karan podcast, future of construction, male allyship, women in trades, construction recruitment, built environment leadership. Listen to The Building Doors Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast... Connect with Lauren Karan on LinkedIn:   / laurenkaran   Visit Karan & Co. website: https://karanandco.com.au/ Subscribe for more expert leadership and career insights!