“Culture is everything. If you don’t have a good culture, you have nothing.” – Kim Allen

When Kim Allen speaks about construction, it’s never just about building walls – it’s about building people, culture, and opportunities. A familiar guest on The Good Builder Podcast, Kim returned for another candid conversation, diving deep into leadership, inclusion, and why July is her ultimate reset button.

July Is for Resetting – and Regrouping

Before the industry talk, Kim let us in on a little secret: July is her reset month.

“I’ve taken myself away with the kids,” she said. “We all got sick, which kind of defeated the purpose of a week away as a family, but it forced us to stop. You’ve got to be thankful, right?”

For Kim, these breaks aren’t random. They’re strategic.

“We book a trip every school holidays, doesn’t have to be big but it takes you out of the routine. Feet in the grass, fresh air in your lungs… you can’t complain,” she said. “July is usually one of our quietest months. Then boom August hits and the run into Christmas is just insane.”

And if you’ve been in construction long enough, you know she’s not exaggerating.

“The run into Christmas gets earlier every year,” she added. “By September, it’s just go, go, go. So if you can stop and regroup while you can, that’s gold.”

Culture First – Because Without It, You’ve Got Nothing

Once the small talk was over, we went straight to the big stuff: culture and leadership.

Kim didn’t hold back.

“We’ve got a new general manager at CRA,” she said. “So a huge focus for us has been training, onboarding, and most importantly, alignment. Who we are. What we stand for. What CRA means. It’s hard because when you’re flat out, it’s easy for culture to slip.”

Her advice? Treat culture like an ongoing project.

“It’s not a perfect picture,” Kim admitted. “It’s every day asking: how can we get better? What do we need to focus on? Where’s our energy being taken?”

Women in Construction: Progress and Blind Spots

Kim has long been a strong voice for women in the building industry, and she brought refreshing honesty to the topic again.

She recently attended a meeting with the QBCC commissioner and government reps about industry reform and the room told a story of change.

“Over 60% of the people in that meeting were women and every single one spoke up,” Kim said. “That was awesome. What really impressed me was that the feedback was heard. It wasn’t tokenistic. There’s movement.”

But there’s still work to do.

“What we bring is a whole other perspective,” she explained. “If you want fresh thinking, if you want to problem-solve in new ways, that’s what happens when you combine different perspectives. It’s not feminism. It’s not about ruling the world. It’s about contributing to better outcomes.”

Three Things Builders Can Do Today

Aaron pressed Kim for practical tips builders can implement right now to create more inclusive and positive worksites. She delivered three clear, actionable steps:

1. Check Your Language
“It’s not ‘the Mrs.’, it’s not ‘the office girls,’” Kim said. “It’s Kim. It’s Alice. Use names. Respect roles. Words matter.”

2. Invite Input
“Women often have incredible ideas but are scared to voice up,” she explained. “Invite them in. Ask: what do you think? How would you do this? And frame it as we – not you. Make it collaborative.”

3. Call It Out
“If you see poor behaviour, call it,” Kim said firmly. “That sets the standard. Are you above the line or below the line? That’s what defines your culture.”

Culture Before Marketing

As the conversation wrapped, Kim dropped a truth bomb every builder should hear:

“If your culture’s broken, don’t worry about marketing. Fix your culture first,” she said. “No one wants to work for a toxic business. No one wants to build with one either.”

Aaron agreed. “I’m all about marketing, but Kim’s right. Culture comes first. That’s what builds a brand people trust.”

The Standard We Set Today Shapes Tomorrow

Kim left us with this:

“We’re not asking for crazy changes. It’s small steps checking language, inviting input, calling out behaviour. That’s how you build an inclusive culture that people want to be part of.”

And when you think about the big picture, a construction industry crying out for talent, heading into a boom leading up to the Olympics it’s clear: we can’t afford to leave half the population out of the conversation.

TGB Take:
Better culture isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a business advantage. Builders who lead on inclusion and respect will attract better people, build stronger teams, and deliver better projects.

Author: TGB Editorial