Liz Hartley, director at Hive Projects, joined other trailblazing women from around the Liverpool City Region to discuss their thoughts, showcase their opinions and share their personal stories about what it means to be a woman thriving in business within a male-dominated sector such as construction or engineering.
Joining the panel event led by WoConnect at The Women’s Organisation on Wednesday 18th May, Liz Hartley provided her invaluable perspective on gender equality in the workplace as well as discussing how Hive Projects is positively tackling this gender bias and transforming its working environment so all colleagues feel appreciated, valued and represented.
Liz Hartley discusses any challenges they’ve experienced as a woman in the workplace,
“There have been some challenges along the way and I’ve definitely had to shout louder at times than my male counterparts.
“I feel like now is the time to change. At Hive Projects, we have no gender pay gap and everyone is entitled to the same opportunities.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes in recent years, it’s great to see more women sitting around the table and in senior management positions. Companies aren’t just hiring women to tick a box, it’s because they genuinely bring added value to the team”.
Covering sectors as diverse as construction, professional services and maritime, the panel aimed at inspiring a thought-provoking discussion as well as empowering other business leaders across the city to consider their own gender equality policies. Ultimately, both the challenges and opportunities raised will offer a blueprint to help future generations of women who want to continue to break down those traditional barriers in careers whereby women are hugely misrepresented.
When questioned in regards to the gender pay gap Liz commented,
“I struggle to understand how we are still discussing this, and that level of bias remains in the industry – how can people say that one person is worth less than another because of their gender?
“Until there is more female representation at higher levels, how can we make a change?”
Looking to the future, positive steps must be taken to improve gender diversity,
“There are great opportunities within the construction industry that when I was growing up you just weren’t aware of. So my aim is to help people become more aware of the opportunities and help our careers become more accessible. Whether that’s in the trade or managerial, no job should be out of reach.
“My inspiration is my two boys, I love that they see me as a builder – and have no bias as to why this wouldn’t be the norm. Seeing these new generations grow up with no gender bias, and I want us to support and encourage that.”
