A|E|C Industry Pillars: April 2023

Every year we see different workplace pillars arise due to social, financial, and technological shifts in the workforce community. Here are some for 2023: Learning & Development, Inclusion, Employee Engagement & Retention, Mental Wellness, & Flexibility. When these are implemented correctly, organizations and individuals can see better outcomes for all.  

Pillar #1: Increased Learning & Development (L&D) Opportunities:  

A career professional should have the opportunity to never stop learning in the workplace. According to LinkedIn, 93% of organizations are concerned with employee retention, and how to increase L&D opportunities is typically at the forefront of that conversation. Not only does L&D increase employee engagement, but it also helps prepare teams for success in an increasingly agile workplace. By providing robust learning opportunities, organizations can assist their employees in becoming well-rounded experts and building a wealth of knowledge.  

Questions to start thinking about L&D: 

• What L&D opportunities does your employer have? Are they consistent/accessible to everyone at the company?  
• What L&D opportunities would you like to see? 
• Are the opportunities relevant & beneficial (i.e.- are you actively using the skills that you have learned)? 
• How many individuals are taking advantage of the L& D opportunities?  

Pillar #2: A Focus on Inclusion  

Increased visibility and action surrounding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging has grown over the past few years. However, companies have been misinformed into thinking that they can hire diverse employees without taking the next step of being inclusive. It is detrimental to a company’s growth to just hire employees from different backgrounds, without having systems in place that allow them to feel safe and supported.  According to McKinsey & Company in 2020, 40% of respondents surveyed have turned down a job or chosen not to pursue an opportunity because of a lack of inclusion at that organization. Simply, an organization can’t have diversity without inclusion; in order to have inclusion, they have to think about ways to be equitable. Only then can they really have an environment of belonging.  

Question to ask to see if you are in an inclusive working environment:  

• Does my workplace value everyone’s opinion and in what ways is that shown? 
• What are some systems that my company has put in place to be more inclusive? 
• Do you feel the training and induction you receive promote inclusivity? 
• Does my company provide a safe place to voice opinions?  
• Is there career growth in my company and who has access to it?  

Pillar #3: Employee Engagement & Retention  

Increasingly, questions come up regarding how to keep employees engaged long-term. A study done by ActionsProve and the Engineering Management Institute stated that two-thirds of A/E individuals said they would consider leaving their current employer in the next 12 months for the right reason. If an organization has a high turnover rate, they can look at several factors including, but not limited to a lack of onboarding & training, lack of career development opportunities, low work-life balance, managers’ behavior, and non-competitive compensation & benefits. 

Questions to start thinking about regarding Engagement & Retention:  

• What would get professionals more engaged? 
• What do the employees at this organization like?  
• What have been some recent industry trends and topics that have consistently been brought up in meetings and how can they be incorporated?   
• When was the last employee engagement survey, and what were the results? 
• Does the organization actively make changes based on employee feedback?  

Pillar #4: Mental Wellness 

Mental Wellness is the ability to handle stress and adapt to changes. Over the past 5 years, we are seeing more of a push to not only talk about how a person’s mental wellness affects them at work but also about how organizations can help increase the mental well-being of their employees. With 1 in 5 Americans experiencing a mental illness within a given year, organizations should be increasingly proactive about positively impacting the mental well-being of their workforce. Supervisors can create a healthier workplace by providing additional resources and creating support structures within the workplace.  

Questions to start thinking about Mental Wellness in the workplace: 

• What is working well, and what is not?  
• Are people taking advantage of the opportunities?  
• What company initiatives are you seeing to increase employee well-being?  
• Have you seen an increase in dialogue between employees and your organization concerning mental well-being?  

Pillar #5: Flexibility 

In 2020, Covid showed the professional world that it is possible to work a hybrid or a remote schedule and be productive. Yet, three years later, employers are pushing back and demanding employees return to the office. According to Zippa, 44% of U.S. employees prefer a hybrid work model, compared to 51% of employers. This means that employees and employers have different views on the benefits of flexibility and what the best working environment is. The fact of the matter is, hybrid and remote work is not going away. Within the A/E/C industry, there are varying opinions on how to create a balance between what the employees want and what the employer wants. Employers recognize that hybrid work is not going away, but they also want their employees to have hands-on experience and note how much more beneficial having hands-on experience is to become a well-rounded professional.  

Questions to start thinking about flexibility in the workplace:   

• Can my business be successful with a hybrid or remote model?
• What systems and supports do I need to put in place to ensure a hybrid schedule is successful for me?  
• What will a hybrid schedule look like for my company?  
• What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?  
• Will I retain more employees if I offer more flexibility?  

These Pillars are here to stay and will not only challenge our current systems but replace them to ensure that employees have a better working environment. If your organization needs help identifying and strategizing on how to make its environment more people-oriented, reach out to info@designforce.me or call (202) 400-3678 today!