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OPINION
Retaining working moms in AEC
By engaging working mothers in the workplace effectively, we can help retain top talent in our industry and create a better tomorrow for our daughters.
R ecently, I listened to “The Secret to Great Teams” episode on NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast. In the episode, they cited a study that shows just how beneficial it is to have women on successful teams. Generally speaking, women tend to bring more social perceptiveness to the table which helps bring awareness to each individual’s needs within a team. That’s not to say that men cannot do this, just that it is a more prevalent characteristic of women.
Rachel Wilde, PE
With the industry needing to attract and retain diverse talent now more than ever, this ability women bring to the table needs to be nurtured within the industry. Approximately 86 percent of women do choose to become mothers and the struggles associated with being a working mother are not lost on many. While I’ve seen more awareness of this in the industry, I’ve also seen a disproportionate number of women leave the industry. Some of this is inevitable and we should support women making the best choice for themselves, however, there is plenty we can do as employers to retain this talent. While this list is not all- encompassing, I’ve encountered some dos and don’ts that can help industry leaders retain working mothers:
■ Do treat each woman as an individual. It is easy to fall into assuming that people with similar backgrounds may have similar challenges, but this is not necessarily true. As is typical for any other employee, recognize her unique perspective and what she can bring to the table. Is she great at influencing and engaging younger employees? Does she really lean into the technical aspects? As employers, it is important to take what our employees individually bring to the table and use that to help our people and business grow.
Don’t assume the same 23rd chromosome
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See RACHEL WILDE, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 11, 2023, ISSUE 1516
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