International Women's Day 2023

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International Women’s Day is an opportunity for us to recognise the wonderful women in our workplace and the progress which has been made towards gender equality within our industry. Construction is traditionally a male-dominated sector, with only 13% of the workforce being female – that’s why at Anglian we are committed to creating a culture that values and supports our employees, regardless of their gender.

To celebrate the contributions of our female employees, in this blog we will be sharing how we support our female staff and talk to one of our team members to provide an insight to life in our workplace.

Supporting Women In Our Workplace

We are committed to promoting gender equality at work and have implemented a range of family friendly policies and practices. To support our women, we offer initiatives such as flexible working requirements to help them balance work and family life.

Our female staff are involved in a variety of roles within the company, from HGV Drivers to Marketing. They all bring a wealth of skills and experience, and we are grateful for their commitment to our success. We appreciate that their presence in our workplace not only benefits our company, but also the industry as a whole.

Celebrating Our Female Employees

We spoke to Lucy Parkinson, our Business Development Manager, about work life at Anglian as a female.

What’s it like working at Anglian as a female employee?

Construction is an industry that deviates away from the corporate normality and is an amazing sector to thrive in. I love the sense of community, not only in our workplace, but also with the stakeholders of our business activities through various partnerships. I feel privileged to work with extremely accomplished and talented females, so I’d like to give them a little shout out:

Toni has been my main support over the past two years and has guided me through many challenges. Lucy C is one of the warmest women I’ve met and excels in her HR role to support staff. Maria is a tenacious lady who handles all admin duties meticulously for all areas of the business. Emma has a level of creativity and professionalism that complements the company, resulting in a new level of brand exposure. Holly brings a wealth of knowledge to our scrap metal operations and has an amazing way of interacting with all of her customers. Becs, the latest addition to our team, has such a bubbly charisma and is super driven – I know she is going to fit in well here!

Have you faced any challenges working in a male-dominated industry?

I personally believe that although we are making some strong movements within recent years, the biggest challenge for women in business is feeling obliged to prove themselves or to go the extra mile. I have a strong, vivacious personality and thrive off my passion for business. I refuse to let my gender stand in the way of my role and I embrace challenges to motivate me.

With the progress made towards equality in the workplace, it is great to see so many women gain confidence and succeed in their careers, especially locally in Norfolk.

What achievements from your time at Anglian are you most proud of?

During my time with Anglian, I am grateful to have received support to help me reach many personal career goals as well as contribute towards the success of the divisions. My role has allowed me to manage and implement new systems across the company, including within our finance department.

Being crowned Large Business of the Year at the Norfolk Business Awards 2022 is definitely a career highlight for me. After completing the application process and interview stages, we were shortlisted as finalists. Our team had the pleasure of attending the awards evening where we were announced as the category winner. Along with numerous networking events and being featured in news articles, I am pleased to have increased brand awareness.

Who is your biggest role model and how have they influenced your career?

I work closely alongside Toni Storer, one of Anglian’s Directors. She has an amazing ability to get stuck into any activity, whether that be office based or physical labour – her willingness to adapt to any task is admirable. Toni thrives in her role, despite the stereotypes within the Construction industry, which has always been inspiring to me. Her work ethic motivates me to work towards my goals and be the best version of myself. Toni shows that steel cap boots can in fact be stylish for women and has been an amazing supporter for me and the whole team.

Would you recommend the construction industry to other females?

Yes! Construction is such a diverse industry which has opportunities available for anyone. With the recent progress towards gender equality, construction is more accessible for females than ever before so I would highly encourage women to explore this career path.

Lucy Parkinson – Business Development Manager

Breaking Boundaries Within The Construction Industry

We want to express our gratitude to our female employees and to all the women who have made significant contributions to the Construction industry. By promoting diversity and inclusivity, we can create a more dynamic and innovative workforce that better reflects the communities we serve.

We are proud to have a team of females who are helping to lead the way and highlight the importance of diversity. This International Women’s Day, let us celebrate the progress that has been made and let us continue to work together to create a more equitable and inclusive world.