Lean In’s History at Haselden Construction

Creating Support for Women in Construction

Lean In’s mission is to empower women in construction through support, interpersonal relationships, and professional development. It began when several women got together, inspired by the book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead and driven to create a similar support system at Haselden Construction. The informal group began to get together for discussions and to build a community with each other. As it began to grow, they realized it had much more potential than a simple book club. Encouraged and supported by CEO Byron Haselden, the group was formalized as our Lean In committee and developed a framework to provide educational and engagement opportunities for all the women at Haselden. The committee is based on three pillars of development, community, and service and is dedicated to retaining and attracting women both to Haselden and the construction industry. 

Building Connections

Today, Lean In boasts 41 members and is a driving force for inclusion at Haselden Construction. Each month, the advisory board and members hold an event based on development, service, and community in an effort to empower women at Haselden and in the construction industry. Members are encouraged to take on leadership roles and provide feedback on how to improve events. Through an increasing focus on service, they have built incredible partnerships with Girls Inc. Denver and Habitat for Humanity as they work not only to support Lean In members, but build up women in the construction community. These partnerships have led to ongoing relationships and have brought in the whole of Haselden. 

Looking to the Future of Women in Construction

As the Lean In group plans for 2023 and beyond, they are focused on increasing participation with Haselden’s women in construction and connecting to the larger Haselden Community. They plan to take events to the field and work with supervisors to encourage all women onsite to attend. As they work to empower women, build connections, and develop partnerships within Haselden Construction, they also plan to continue exploring new ways to attract women to the construction industry and educate girls on how rewarding a career in construction can be.