FAMILY SEASON – “RAISING PHASE”
The WHY • During the Family Season “Raising Phase” (i.e. 10 -20+ years experience), forces collide as employees often start their families at the same time as career pressure and responsibility mounts. • Balancing personal + professional responsibilities feels especially challenging and may cause parents to reconsider leadership pathways, take extended time off, or leave the industry entirely. • Millennials (born between 1981 – 1996) now make up the largest segment of the AEC workforce. At ages 28 – 43, many have entered the prime family raising stage and are working caregivers. • For many AEC firms, this demographic may now make up the majority of your workforce, and they have specific challenges that require your support. • In the current state, many AEC employers defer to state governments for any parental benefits, and do not see a responsibility to their employees beyond that. This guide provides ideas for potential policies and benefits that are characteristic of a “best in class” employer for working parents within the AEC industry.
The WHEN
“Raising Phase”
Graphic Framework Source: “Reversing Burnout” by Peter Atherton
RELEVANT RESOURCES
• “ Balancing Act ” article in Architect Magazine, July 2016 • U.S. Surgeon General’s Warning on Parental Mental Health & Well-Being related to parents consistently experiencing higher stress levels, August 2024 • McKinsey’s 2023 “ Women in the Workplace ” report
• Practice Disrupted podcast, episode #095 “ Voices of Mothers in Practice ” • Moms First playbook on “ Making Workplaces Work for Moms ,” July 2021
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