With no sign of an economic slow-down in the coming year and the skill gap widening, architectural firms need to engage and retain talent if they want to thrive in this market. To do so, focus on retention by keep employees happy and increasing engagement. Here are a few ways to retain great talent.
Compensate Fairly
One of the main reasons employees leave is because they don’t feel they are paid what they are worth. Compensation should reflect market trends and adjust according to each team member’s role and skill level. Look into what other architectural firms are paying their employees. Work closely with an architecture and design recruiter to understand competitive market salaries for the roles you are looking to fill. You’re going to have a hard time retaining talent if your employees can make more money doing the same kind of work at another firm, or even think they can.
Offer Career Development and Training
Training and development not only improve productivity and performance, they also keep your team more engaged. Your employees will not feel fulfilled in their career if they don’t feel like they’re learning new skills. Give employees more opportunity to work directly with clients or let them be the lead on a challenging project. They want changes to hone their leadership abilities. It also show the employee that you trust them, critical to retention.
Emphasize Career Progression
Your best talent is always thinking about their next step. If you want their next growth phase to be with your firm and not one of your competitors, you have to communicate to your talent what paths their career can take within your firm. If your team members do not feel like they are making progress toward their career goals, they’re going to look for a firm that is more supportive of their ambitions.
Foster a More Engaging Work Culture
While employees care about compensation, they care even more about their quality of life and the kind of culture their firm has. They don’t want to work at job that brings them constant stress and anxiety. Things like work-life balance, schedule flexibility, and remote work options can help improve the happiness of your team members. It also helps if you publicly recognize your team’s achievements. This helps them know their challenging work is paying off.
Most architectural firms can’t afford to have high turnover. Many firms are already understaffed or have strict deadlines they need to meet. Compensating your employees fairly, providing them with consistent training and development, emphasizing their career advancement, and fostering a more enjoyable work culture can all help you ensure your team stays engaged and committed to your firm.
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