Susan Carroll
Human Resources Director, Cairn
Susan Carroll, Human Resources Director, Cairn, says that the construction sector recognises how important it is to create a positive culture that empowers female talent.
How would you describe your company’s culture?
Susan Carroll: Our culture is very important to us.In everything we do, we try to create an environment where people feel valued, respected and empowered to do their best work. We listen to our employees and continually monitor engagement based on this feedback, we are able to target initiatives they would like to see implemented across the business to ensure the best possible employee experience.
Plus, we encourage everyone to collaborate, listen to each other and find solutions that work best for their teams and the business. That has been the key to Cairn’s success. We also make sure that our people are well looked after with health and wellbeing initiatives — and that they feel properly valued by being well-rewarded for the work they do.
How is the company leading the way in promoting female talent in the construction industry?
When talking about female talent within construction, the conversation can focus on the shortage of women and on the rates of women studying relevant subjects or entering the industry; and it is vital to increase that rate. We do so by going into schools and working with businesses and the community to highlight the breadth of roles and career opportunities within the industry, but that can’t be the only focus.
We must look closely at our existing workforce and whether women are progressing into senior roles. That means asking ourselves hard questions; examining the structure for promotions; and looking at our company culture. We see it as our responsibility to show leadership in making a change for women in the sector as well as in our own teams.
We have also implemented different initiatives — such as mentor programmes, female transition programmes and talent acceleration programmes — to retain and progress our female talent. There is also a social side with several clubs, societies and events, which offer networking opportunities and help with that sense of belonging. We know it can be difficult to get women to take the leap into this industry, so we must work hard to encourage them and inspire them to do it.
It can be difficult to get women to take
the leap into this industry, so we have
to work hard to encourage them.
Have these strategies been successful?
We have seen our female employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) go from 26 to 52 over two years. I think that this shows our female employees recognise the commitment and investment the company has made in creating a space where women want to work.
What initiatives do you find the most inspiring as a woman working in the construction industry?
Cairn believes that a workplace that inspires is a workplace that thrives, and this can take many forms from mentorship opportunities to development and promotional opportunities — but perhaps most inspiring is working for a company that prioritises sustainability, social responsibility and community.
For example, there are so many community volunteering opportunities that our people get involved with, and their active participation in these demonstrates how proud they are of the company.
We are continually encouraged and challenged to explore innovative and sustainable solutions to have a positive impact on our employees, communities and industry. For instance, through its sponsorship of the Cairn Community Games (a voluntary organisation), it gives young people the chance to develop active and healthy lives through sporting and cultural activities. That is something everyone feels proud to be associated with.
Initiatives such as the Home Together community initiative, our commitment to Biodiversity Net Gain, various community projects and our partnership with Make a Wish Ireland have all stemmed from the passion and dedication of our employees to give back and make a meaningful impact.
