Episode 218: ‘Change Starts Together’ with Faye Allen
In this episode:
Christi and Angela welcome returning guest Faye Allen, now Managing Director at Rimkus and Head of Global Quantum Services, to discuss her book Building Women, released last June, its Goody Business Book Award, and its audio edition. Allen shares that readers’ responses—especially from men—have emphasized the book’s focus on working together and giving practical tools for improvement. She discusses allyship as an active role involving listening and calling out behaviors such as speaking over women in meetings and derogatory comments, stressing action in the moment. The conversation covers progress and remaining challenges in construction, including UK changes driven by #PPEThatFits, ongoing welfare issues like toilet facilities, industry stress from squeezed budgets and programs, poor payment practices, and mental health and suicide risks. Allen encourages accountability, apologies, and kindness.
Show Notes and Links:
Faye Allen - LinkedIn
Faye Allen - Website
Rimkus - LinkedIn
Rimkus - Website
Building Women - Faye’s Book
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
00:39 Faye’s New Role Update
01:15 Book Release and Awards
01:45 Reader Reactions and Men as Allies
04:14 Stories That Prove the Point
06:43 Practical Allyship Tips
10:33 Mental Health PSA Break
12:15 Industry Progress and What’s Next
13:38 PPE That Fits and Site Welfare
16:02 Culture Change and Mental Health
18:37 Accountability and Self-Awareness
20:43 Connect With Faye and Wrap Up
About Faye:
Faye is a highly experienced Chartered Quantity Surveyor with three decades of experience in the construction industry. Faye has significant knowledge of the construction process from the first 20 years of her career, working for various contractors as a quantity surveyor and commercial manager, running large and varied teams on multimillion-pound projects from inception to completion. She has worked in numerous sectors and now supports a variety of construction and engineering clients to avoid, mitigate, and resolve disputes.
Faye is also the author of the book 'Building Women - How everyone in construction can win', a call for change to tackle systemic issues affecting women and men in construction and the built environment.
