How we work is changing, and even construction worker culture has been overhauled from being loose and wild to professional and rigid.
When builder Steven Sousamlis, 28, started his apprenticeship 10 years ago, the way he was treated was so unhinged he wasn’t even sure if he should repeat it.
“I got abused all the time,” he told news.com.au.
“I’m not sure if I should say this, you probably can’t write it, but I got called like a dumb c**t even worse than that …. just every name under the sun,” he said.
A decade later, he said that kind of treatment just wouldn’t “fly now,” at least not on bigger construction sites.
“I think there’s been a big and needed change in tradie [construction worker] culture,” he said.
When he started, he had to be “mentally strong” to survive the culture and learn how to “back” himself.
It wasn’t just about learning how to do the job, it was also about learning how to succeed when people were actively working against you.
Sousamlis said that, despite the horrible treatment he endured, it did teach him “resilience,” but he is glad Gen Zers don’t have to put up with it.
“As much as I hated it. It made me the person I am today,” he said.
“No one is going to put up with that crap now. It isn’t good for your self-esteem and hounding a kid isn’t going to get you the results you want.”
Now, if he saw someone talking badly to another person on site, he’d immediately call it out and never treat someone he works with this way.
“You want to build a good work culture. Once you abuse someone, they aren’t going to want to work for you or go the extra mile for you,” he said.
Former construction worker Charlie Trewin has also noticed the cultural shift. He now works as a manager at Apprenticeships Are Us in Western Australia.
Trewin is off the tools now, but he has noticed that there’s far less mucking around on construction sites.
“It used to be common for practical jokes that were passed down through the years, which has changed now and the culture is focused around a more safety-conscious and focused environment,” he said.
“For example filling someone’s work boots with expander foam. You just wouldn’t get away with that now.”
He said the days of getting on the beers with the boys during work-time have also ended.
“Having a cheeky beer on a Friday afternoon in the workshop, which is now not acceptable,” he said.
“The culture used to be a louder and rowdier group who would want to leave school and get stuck into working.”
The former construction worker said that the change has been good and made work “safer” for workers but it isn’t as exciting.
“It might be a little less fun,” he said.
Gen Z construction worker, Dane McKay, 22, has only ever worked in the newer more “professional” tradie culture.
“These days, the job is definitely more professional than people might think, but I understand why it has to be that way,” he told news.com.au.
McKay said that he works with a great bunch of guys and they have fun, but “everyone is focused on their work”.
“They are fun to work with, but we don’t really socialise outside of work except sometimes for birthdays. I also don’t drink on call so there are no beers outside of work,” he said.
The young construction worker said that, when he hears stories from his uncle, who is also a construction worker, he can’t believe what it used to be like.
“It seems there was a lot more mucking around than there is now. When I hear about some of the things that were OK back then, I can’t believe it. It isn’t like that now,” he said.
McKay reckons things have been too strict now but he also understands why things have had to change.
“I understand why it has to be that way. If there is an incident over in another state, for example, we all have to have a meeting about it, and I know why it needs to happen,” he said.
