Breaking down barriers

I was struck by how often the word ‘choice’ was used. Choices made by women, choices made for women, the notion of ‘false’ choice and of course, lack of choice. I particularly liked hearing Deborah Garnier’s story and the choices she’s made during her career at a recent ANZ International Women’s Day lunch.

"I’m also aware that I am a nurturer, so my team members feel they can talk to me about issues and opportunities which ultimately drive better performance and customer outcomes” - Deborah Garnier, Built Complete CFO.

Deborah works in the construction industry, which has one of the largest gender pay gaps at 31.8 per cent. The results present a challenge for the industry which will play a critical role in relieving Australia’s housing shortage by building an estimated 1.2 million homes over the next five years.

Given current labour constraints, the industry will need to attract, recruit, and retain a more diverse pool of workers, including women.

Increasingly women are making significant contributions to Australia’s small to medium business sector and economy, with the number of female small businesses owners rising by 24 per cent between 2006 and 2021, more than three times the growth of their male counterparts. 

Deborah established her family-owned company, Built Complete, in 2010, alongside her son Jace, while juggling a corporate job. The company is involved in commercial, industrial, hospitality and residential construction.

She’s now the business’s Chief Financial Officer and her daughter, a qualified builder, and her granddaughter have been heavily involved in Built Complete, which recently diversified into housing.

Deborah is focused on supporting employees by identifying their key strengths as a way of building confidence, something she believes still holds many women back.

“Many women will go for a job if they believe they’re qualified, but men will go for a job because they want that level of pay or more recognition and know that someone in the team will help them do that job,” she says.

“My advice to women is to have confidence in what you know. I’ve always worked in industries I’m familiar with which has built my confidence and people’s belief in me.”

Deborah believes a combination of experience and education are key to building confidence, as well as surrounding yourself with people you respect and trust.

“I had a senior mentor in a parallel division within the same organisation and our engagements gave me the opportunity to talk through issues or ideas. It really helped me to evaluate my views and next steps, building my confidence in the process.”

“I started my education during a marriage breakdown, at a time when family had always been my priority. I put my toe in the water, starting with TAFE and I was hooked.”

“At the time I lacked confidence in my capabilities even though I knew I could make a difference.”

“I thought to myself, nobody knows me here, I am going to say what I think and see what happens and I flourished. I blossomed. It gave me a real sense of empowerment which encouraged further studies.”