ElevateHER is about the future of the AEC industry and Zweig Group’s commitment to recruiting and retaining the best minds in the industry. This brochure captures cohort projects from 2020 to 2023
W E L C O M E & P A S T P R O J E C T S
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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WELCOME
Of all the programs and initiatives that you could have chosen to ded- icate your time and energy to, you chose ElevateHER. We are beyond honored. The journey ahead is exciting and invigorating, and more important- ly, it will be what you make of it. Zweig Group is fully committed to providing the connections, data, and other resources to help you with your thesis and subsequently bring your project to life. The most resounded sentiment we hear from those before you stresses the immeasurable value of the camaraderie and relation- ships formed throughout the process. The class of 2024 looks hella mighty and resourceful. We are eager to be right alongside you as you collectively move the proverbial needle for our industry. Thank you again for your time, effort, and commitment in ensuring that a career in AEC is impactful and enjoyable for all. LFG!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Key Dates
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Cohort Member Benefits-at-a-Glance
Past Projects: Entering an AEC Career
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Past Projects: During an AEC Career: Re-thinking
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Past Projects: During an AEC Career:
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Recognition/Assessment
Past Projects: During an AEC Career: Resources
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SAVE THE DATES
Jan 24
2 pm
Virtual Happy Hour/Meet & Greet
Jan 25
EOB
Official press release & announcement
Feb 14
2 pm
Virtual EDI training Part 1 –
Beyond Unconscious Bias
Feb 20
EOB
Last day to reserve hotel room
Mar 5
5 pm
ElevateHER Symposium Welcome Reception
Mar 6
All Day
ElevateHER Symposium
Mar 7-8
1.5 days
ElevateHER Cohort Kickoff Retreat
Apr 3
TBD
Monthly Check-in, virtual
May 1
TBD
Monthly Check-in, virtual
May 29
TBD
Monthly Check-in, virtual
June 26
3 pm
Mid-year Summit, virtual
Monthly Check-in, virtual
July 24
TBD
Monthly Check-in, virtual AND
Aug 21
TBD
finalize team presenters at
ElevateAEC Conference
2 days
ElevateAEC Conference
Sept 18-19
Virtual graduation celebration
Oct 9
TBD
Nov 6
TBD
Alumni Networking Event, virtual
All the times listed are Central Time Zone. Dates & times are subject to change, the latest and most accurate information will be distributed via email.
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MEMBER BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE
As a cohort member, you have access to Zweig Group’s entire 2024 research library (electronic reports only, valued at $5,700), a $500 credit towards registration for one Zweig Group seminar, discounted registration to the annual ElevateAEC Conference and Awards Gala in the Fall, access to the exclusive ACEC Diversity Roadmap Benchmarking Tool, access to other relevant workshops, materials and resources used in the development of project deliverables. Your registration costs to attend the ElevateHER Symposium and the cohort kickoff event in March are also covered (not including travel nor accommodation). Research library Every year, Zweig Group surveys thousands of AEC industry profes- sionals to compile the most comprehensive collection of industry research. Browse available and soon-to-be-released reports on the Zweig Group website: https://zweiggroup.com/collections/re- search-reports-and-benchmarking-tools The pdf versions of all the reports released from now through the end of the year will be saved in a private Sharefile folder for you all. A link to access will be shared via email. * Your access applies to electronic (pdf) reports only, and does not apply to access to Zweig Insights. Zweig Group seminars Browse all the upcoming learning opportunities here: https://zweig- group.com/pages/learning Use code at checkout to take $500 off any 2024 Zweig Group seminar. Other resources Other relevant trainings and resources will be uploaded directly to the class Google Drive folder.
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ENTERING AN AEC CAREER
She Belongs Here
Shibani Bisson Melanie Bowcutt Angel Farley
She Belongs Here
There is a proven leaky pipeline of girls and young women falling away from AEC career paths. Biases start when we categorize chil- dren by gender, race, and ability, which kids usually begin to experi- ence when they enter the education system. Throughout their lives, they are taught or exposed to biases, consciously and unconsciously. These gender stereotypes and biases often lead to girls thinking they cannot do certain things or be certain things – like architects, engi- neers or construction managers. In order to provide a real solution to the leaky pipeline, we need to start exposing all children to the wonderful world of AEC.
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SHE BELONGS HERE (2020)
Scan here to watch the team’s presentation at the 2020 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
Girls Can Build The World
She Belongs Here
Career Cards & Fortune Teller
Scan and share these videos and materials to help guide young girls to AEC throughout early and secondary education, and prove to them that #SheBelongsHere .
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ENTERING AN AEC CAREER
Returnship: She is Welcome Here
Heather Calvert Jayna Duke Julia Passalacqua Kaley Konecny Katie Goodman
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2021 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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re T urn SHIP Accelerating the RETURNSHIP: SHE IS WELCOME HERE ( 202 1 )
connection between employers & returning talent through a back- to-work program.
What is a Returnship? A returnship is similar to an internship in that it is a pre-determined period of time for an individual to train and familiarize themselves with the practices of an A/E firm. They are specifically geared toward adults that have served in the A/E sphere for at least five years and have taken time away from their careers for at least one year. These individuals are interested in re-entering the workforce on either a full- time or part-time basis. In all cases, a returnship is a paid opportunity.
We connect AEC Industry employers with returners who can fill the talent gap. We are passionate about helping employers combat the talent shortage and passionate about getting those that have left the
industry back into a meaningful career.
Returnship Best Practices
Benefits p Follows the arch of an employee’s life, therefore increasing retention p Improves gender and age diversity in the firm p Provides access to a unique, highly professional talent pool p Assesses candidates before hiring them long-term p Increases attraction of new candidates at all levels p Supports a female talent pipeline p Cost-effective recruitment
Consider benefits in addition to pay
Train for new concepts,
Flexible timeframe and space
technology,
networking, coaching
Team of employees available for questions and support
Expect a
learning
curve
Provide structure, manage expectations, opportunites for exploration
Scan the QR code and visit our website at https://zgelevateher. com/returnship/
All firms and returners should agree on a system that is best for all parties. While all returnships will be different, the list above are best practices that will not only provide a supportive experience for the returner but aid the firm in developing a strong future employee.
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This initiative
Team members (l to r):
ENTERING AN AEC CAREER
TeacHER
Andi Vicksman Godfroy Anne Brummett Brittney Boyle Jennifer Llop-Noy Laurel Stone Michelle Huber
Thesis Many AEC firms are struggling to hire due to a shrinking workforce. In addition, there is a lack of awareness and interest about the AEC field in K-12 students. The teacHER group is hoping to combat this challenge by creating resources for AEC professionals to go out into K-12 classrooms and after-school programs and get students excited about the opportunities in the AEC industry. Our goal is to close the gap and increase diversity, equity and inclusion industry-wide. Target Audience Teachers, parents and members of the community who want to do outreach for K-12 students and want pre-developed curriculum and presentations.
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TEAC HER ( 2022)
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2022 ElevateHER Symposium.
Objectives • Create a calendar of important dates for AEC outreach (i.e. Engi- neers Week, Women in Construction, etc.) • Create a map of AEC experts (ElevateHER Network) that are willing to present to K-12 classrooms • Create a database of existing resources/curriculum for AEC activi- ties for K-12 students
Check out the K-12 resources here.
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ENTERING AN AEC CAREER
We Are AEC
Amanda Prosser Christina Turner Karen Purcell Kim Pham Misela Gonzales-Vandewalle Nicole Morris Dress
Thesis We Are AEC will expand the awareness of the AEC industry within the general public through imagery, reinforcing the premise that peo- ple from many different walks of life can find fulfillment within these careers.
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2022 ElevateHER Symposium.
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WE ARE AEC (2022)
Problem When one googles “architect,” “engineer,” or “contractor,” the images that appear do not represent the diversity of the various professions. For instance, women are more than 35% of registered architects and 20% of firm leaders, yet less than 2% of images of architects feature women. The situation is worse for engineering and contractors. While some may feel that the imagery depicts the current reality, they don’t, and they certainly do not depict the reality of the future .
Based on the premise that “you cannot be what you cannot see,” team We Are AEC set out to change this situation.
Proposal The Super Bowl ads are a major premise that reaches a wide-range of people. But they are very expensive. To raise funds, Team We Are AEC proposed to sell t-shirts that say “We are AEC [Architecture | Engineering | Construction] and “I am ….” with the options to insert a label including careers such as marketer, drone driver, data analyst, CFO, etc. To encourage knowledge of the project, we’ll ask everyone who receives the T-shirt to post a video of themselves on social media stating “I am ….” and sharing what they like best about that career. Once we have raised enough funds, we will create the Super Bowl ad that is a compilation of the “I am…” videos with additional professional content.
Purchase yours. Or contact elevateHER@zweiggroup. com for a corporate order.
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ENTERING AN AEC CAREER
TeacHER 2.0
Amanda Roehl Chad Coldiron Kellie Delaney
Thesis Many AEC firms are struggling to hire due to a shrinking workforce. In addition, there is a lack of awareness and interest about the AEC field amongst youth. Our group will expand on the work originally com- pleted by the TeacHER group by focusing on the outreach to younger children in that critical life stage when they are starting to learn to read and develop a better understanding of the world around them. Target Audience Leveraging the collective power of public libraries will be our key delivery method for our content; because they serve as educational outlet, community hub, and cultural institution.
Our goal is to close the gap in understanding AEC careers for young- er children and increase diversity, equity, and inclusion industry wide.
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TEAC HER 2.0 ( 2023)
Objectives • Expand the original work of the TeacHER cohort to include pro- gramming and a toolkit for libraries, focusing on 2nd and 3rd graders. We partner with libraries to provide Building Dreams programming and career exploration kits. • Utilizing the characters from the one of the past projects, She Belongs Here career cards, the TeacHER 2.0 team tailored six career exploration kits for library patrons to check out. • A set of matching bookmarks was also created, and is available for purchase at the Zweig Group shop. • All of the resources are available for free for AEC firms to download, print, and donate to their local libraries.
Funding This project will rely on continuous funding, current- ly sought through donations & sponsorships. Check out the Building Dreams resources here, and/or donate today.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RE-THINKING
Breaking Bias
Carrie Casillas Carrie West Jenny Thomason Jen Harkleroad Lauren Kirschbaum Vanessa Davis
Mission Create gender bias awareness at all levels of an organization by de- veloping a survey along with engaging activities based on research and statistics, that break down defense barriers by using an approach that incorporates psychological safety, humor and competition that will inform, educate, enlighten and create a culture committed to breaking the bias.
Scan to take the self-assessment to find out which kind of bias you are most exposed to on a regular basis.
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BREAKING BIAS (2022)
Values Our vision is that this awareness goes beyond an organization and becomes a global movement of #breakingbias where people can share their stories, inspire change and support each other as we do the work to break the bias. Psychological Safety It’s a shared belief held by members of a team that others on the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish you for speaking up. “When you have psychological safety in the workplace, people feel comfort- able being themselves. They bring their full selves to work and feel okay laying all of themselves on the line,” Altman says. Self-Reflection The activity of thinking about your own feelings and behavior, and the reasons that may lie behind them. Tolerance for Learned Behavior A fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions, beliefs, and practices that differ from one’s own. Welcoming Environment for All Levels of Awareness Create an environment that allows individuals at every level of aware- ness to join the conversation in a way that gives them the freedom to engage authentically because they know their values and beliefs will be respected.
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2022 ElevateHER Symposium.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RE-THINKING
Redefining Success
●●●Alicia Eikenberry ●Dawn Kopecky Cindy Sachnoff Maggie Snape
Redefining Success The current vision of career progression in AEC firms needs to be redefined in order to attract the top talent to our industry and then retain that talent through their entire career. The new vision of career progression will include: clear and transparent career pathways, focus on empowering the employee to take ownership of their career de- velopment and define their own career success metric, progression that is both vertical (promotion) and horizontal (acquisition or expan- sion of skills and experiences), and the ability to accelerate or decel- erate rate of progression to fit with changes in life outside of work.
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REDEFINING SUCCESS (2020)
Scan here to watch the team’s presentation at the 2020 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
Notes
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RE-THINKING
TransformUS
Alejandra Ruiz Alicia Albini Katie Fitzpatrick
Objectives: Compile resources, anecdotal evidence, research, and data, as well as metrics collected by previous ElevateHER cohorts and Zweig Group, that support our assertion that a growth mindset is key to implement- ing DEI initiatives and improving recruitment, retention, and culture at AEC organizations. ●● Mission Create a Growth Mindset Framework that can be leveraged by change agents at AEC organizations togain buy-in from leadership for, and to assist in implementation of, DEI initiatives.
Scan here to study & download the framework.
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A Growth Mindset Framework to DEI Initiatives in the AEC Industry
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" The AEC industry must stand together to take meaningful and evident steps towards creating a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive industry. - Autodesk University
our framework will provide the data and information needed to support and advocate for DEI and a growth mindset shift in the aec industry.
Gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to notice higher financial returns. (McKinsey)
Inclusive companies get 2.3 times more cash flow per employee. (Josh Bersin)
Of job applicants say that a diverse workforce is an important factor when deciding where to work. (Glassdoor)
What is a growth mindset? People with a growth mindset embrace challenges, view failures as opportunities for growth, and are willing to put in the hard work needed to achieve their goals.
Embracing a growth mindset can lead to increased motivation, resilience, and a willingness to take on new challenges and learn from setbacks.
Diversity in thought (cognitive diversity) can enhance team innovation by up to 20%. (Deloitte)
A Forbes study assessed 200 business groups and found that inclusive teams made decisions 2X faster with half the amount of meetings. (Forbes)
A Sneak Peak at What’s inside: DEI and Growth Mindset Definitions
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The Downfall of a Fixed Mindset The Benefits of a Growth Mindset Why DEI How to Implement an Action Plan Based on Leadership Buy-In
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No matter where you are in your DEI journey, our framework has an action plan for you; from no leadership buy-in and just getting started, to full leadership buy-in but looking for more of a culture shift, TransformUS is here to help you unleash a growth mindset to DEI on the AEC industry.
DURING AN AEC CAREER: RE-THINKING
Well Engaged
Ana Ramirez, Chris Haas, Christine Sheng, Dathan Gaskill, Emily Waldenmeyer, Emily Winfield, Kim Thompson Smith, Kristen Jacobs, and Scott Tanner
Thesis A confluence of factors is impacting our AEC workforce. Taking care of people, finding people, and retaining people are challenging like never before. The challenges show no sign of letting up and likely will continue to influence our industry. We believe wellness is a sound
way of thinking about and addressing challenges. Simply: Healthy people for a healthy business.
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WELL ENGAGED (2022)
What is wellness? Wellness is a holistic integration of all aspect of the human expe- rience. It is an active and intentional endeavor to achieve health in many dimensions including, but not limited to, physical, intellectual, financial, emotional, spiritual, environmental, and social. We believe wellness programs that are long-term and people-oriented not only create healthy employees but also produce benefits such as prevent - ing burnout, reduce absenteeism, mitigate turnover, aid in recruiting/ retention, and improve productivity. All add value to organizations and produce well-engaged people.
Our team will deliver tools, demonstrated benefits, a financial impact comparison and a way to get wellness started if you have not already.
Benefits • Company differentiator – recruiting/retention • Enhanced company culture – positive impacts in relationship and community engagement • Quality of life and work-life balance • Decreases turnover • Long term impact on health plan costs – healthy employees equals fewer claims and lower premiums Action Plan We will provide metrics for companies to evaluate existing wellness programs or to use as a framework to launch a holistic wellness pro- gram. We will develop an impact statement to support the integration of holistic wellness programs in the AEC industry.
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2022 ElevateHER Symposium.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RECOGNITION/ASSESSMENT
Drive
Andrea Dumont Jennifer Ridd Mary Heath
Maryanne Wachter Shannon Acevado ●Thy Daniels
DRIVE We want our industry to strive to have performance best practices that have beneficial impacts on our communities. As industry leaders in the built environment, we want to create a world that is representa- tive of the communities we serve in order to better serve them. That’s why we’re committed to building a certification program that recognizes efforts and success, measures inclusion adequately, and strives for continued advancement of inclusive projects to meet the needs of our diverse 21st century world.
DRIVE stands for Diversity, Real, Inclusivity, Value, and Equity.
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DRIVE & CARROT (2020)
Carrot
Carrot Data proves that the lack of intentional diversity initiatives is nega- tively impacting recruiting and retention. Team Carrot believes that an award program will incentivize firms to deliberately change their practices. Liz Bartell Kristan Greene Aaron Tippie ●Fred Vinciguerra
Carrot Data proves that the lack of intentional diversity initiatives is negatively impacting recruiting and retention. Team Carrot believes that an award program will incentivize firms to deliberately change their practices.
Scan here to watch the two teams’ respective presentation at the 2020 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RECOGNITION/ASSESSMENT
PromoteHER
Adrienne Taylor Amanda Thomas Kara Koenig Laci Budd M. Jackie Chang
Objective Together, PromoteHER created this workbook filled with resources to grow professionally and promote equitable opportunities within the A/E/C industry. We hope you find this resource helpful and use it as a space to track your professional advancements, imagine your goals, recognize your achievements, determine the next steps in your career, and promote your value as a professional. Mission PromoteHER is a resource that empowers women and BiPOC com- munity members in the A/E/C industry. We encourage self-advo- cacy, professional development, and building confidence. To do this, PromoteHER provides opportunities to cultivate and retain equity in the industry.
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PROMOTE HER (2023)
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RECOGNITION/ASSESSMENT
Route DEI
Ana Maria Collins Mickey Garcia Lisa Huddleston Rob Matthews Will Schnier
ROUTE DEI is a road map that paves the way for companies to be more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces. It identifies key criteria and best practices that a company can assess, adopt, deliv- er, and measure through a points-based index on quantitative and qualitative levels. ROUTE DEI also becomes the vehicle by which a firm can submit to be recognized and awarded the Zweig ROUTE DEI award. This award showcases a firm’s progress and success in be - coming a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization, as measured by the ROUTE DEI road map.
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2021 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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Companies know the tangible value of diversity, equity, and inclusion but, do they have a vehicle that takes them on the journey?
ROUTE DEI (2021)
Competition is fierce. We cannot afford to remain on the course we are on.
42% better at team collaboration 31% more responsive to customer needs 70% likely to capture new markets 83% increased ability to innovate How do organizations and firms take steps to achieve such goals and performance?
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Paving the Way for More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplaces
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The survey that identifies key criteria and best practices that a company can assess, adopt, deliver, and measure.
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Diversity is not just about race and gender. Having a DEI Program is not good enough. It’s a start, but not the solution to addressing the problem. Training is educating. Transparency and authenticity are integral aspects of communication. Encourage employees to come together to engage and inspire.
Create an inventory of information on DEI-related topics that can lead to learnings, interventions, and actions to promote positive change in a firm. ROUTE DEI becomes the vehicle by which a firm can submit to be recognized and awarded the Zweig ROUTE DEI award.
DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
Elevators
Alixandria Henley Amy Jones Rathi Perumal Lauren Waldon
Thesis The Elevators believe A/E/C firms require a significant lift (thus the team name, The Elevators) to improve in areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We are in the most competitive recruitment & retention era we have ever seen. Firms must pay attention to DEI for hiring top talent, sustaining growth, and fostering innovation. BUT, it can be overwhelming to find the tools and resources to feel knowledgeable and confident about DEI issues. Our project aims to make the resources easier to locate, thus resulting in increasing knowledge and action around these issues.
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ELEVATORS (2021)
Result The Elevators created a centralized, online portal of DEI resources on the ElevateHER website, so anyone – from employees to firm leader - ship can: • Access resources that strengthen individual skill sets, • Foster diverse and inclusive workplaces, or • Demonstrate a commitment to prioritizing DEI initiatives The portal includes books, articles, podcasts and a database of knowledge experts/speakers on topics including: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Data & Statistics; Human Resources; Multi-Cultural Aware- ness; Workplace Culture; and Leadership.
The resulting portal continues to evolve, take a look at all the resources today.
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2021 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
Empower Space
Hillary Crabb, Kristin Worrell, Melissa Frausto, Michele Spinowitz, Rachel Paterno, Sam Collins, Tasha Bolivar, Jessica Schmidtetter, and Tony Casagrande, PE
Thesis Due to fear of speaking up, people are finding increased job dissatis - faction leading to people exiting the work force and not moving up to higher level roles. Self-advocacy, confidence, and assertiveness are meaningful tools that everyone can use to increase their job satisfac- tion by being an active contributor to their own success. Unfortunately, the opportunities to learn these skills are not evenly distributed in the workforce. By creating an easily accessible space that is curated to address common issues and provides an opportunity for mentorship when you need it, more people can learn to speak up.
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EMPOWER SPACE (2022)
Mission Self-advocacy, confidence, and assertiveness are meaningful tools that everyone can use to increase their job satisfaction by being an active contributor to their own success. Unfortunately, the opportu- nities to learn these skills are not evenly distributed in the workforce. By creating an easily accessible space that is curated to address common issues and provides an opportunity for mentorship when you need it, more people can learn to speak up. By building off of MentHER Match and Elevators, we intend to provide internet and media options to help employees not feel alone and gain real world examples of finding their voice. Objectives Provide testimonials and additional resources to navigate some of the most common stressful situations that underrepresented profession- als are facing within their career. Long-Term Objectives • Collaborate with other organizations to increase the resources, access to mentorship, and testimonies by either including them in this program or linking their programs to this program. • Grow podcasts each month to include new episodes and topics that can be searched by date, subject, or name. • Create a plan for the ideas and concepts developed by the Empower Space team to be sustainable and carry on into the future.
Scan the code on the left to listen to the podcast, and the code on the right to watch the team’s pro- mo video, and full presentation at the 2022 ElevateHER Symposium.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
HostAgE Crisis
Emily Havelka Laura Morton
Thesis Architects and some engineers have an inherent lack of value in themselves and their service – this creates liquidity issues when they accept being paid inappropriate fees and late or derelict payment by clients. We need to expose this issue, raise awareness that it is prev- alent, shared, mutually challenging, and creating a negative ripple effect across the industry. We must create contract language or fee negotiation structures to advocate for us, educate the next gener- ation, and change this undervalued treatment. By increasing fees and/or ensuring prompt payment, we can stay liquid and profitable – allowing us to attract, maintain, and train top talent and restore the pride and dynamism of the Industry.
Scan to hear from Emily & Laura.
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HOSTAGE CRISIS (2023)
Result HostAgE Crisis Fee Negotiation: A Guide for AEC Professionals on Negotiations, Contracts, Collections and Reclaiming Your Value The topic may seem, at the surface, unrelated to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), but we believe the conversation around how AEC firms value themselves, the contracts they use, the negotia - tions they engage in, and how and when they collect their payments, is all too relevant to the solution to how we advance the industry. Because if we value our expertise and our services, if we charge and collect on our real value, then the conversation of how to plan, fund, and act on DEI initiatives would be a much easier one. If our industry could exalt the same flexibility, benefits, pay, and work/life balance as our peers in technology and other professional services industries, our recruiting challenges would not be quite so insurmountable. Authored by Emily Havelka, MBA, CPSM, and Laura Morton, AIA, NCARB, this guidebook details the research on liquidity issues, and offers an actionable framework for AEC firm leaders to follow.
Download or get your copy of the book here.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
MentHER Match
Christine Manhart, Caitlin Pennington, Jonathan Postell, Julia Jack, Lauren Lint, Maria Lucio, and Stephanie Teetes
Scan here to watch the team’s promo video, and full presentation at the 2021 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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MENT HER MATCH (2021)
Even though the program is still in development, you are encouraged to complete the application to be a men- tor or mentee here.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
MentHERship
Amy Kunselman, Andrea Narendorf, Carmen Pemsler, Jessica Bazán, Lalitha Benjaram, Shelby Harvey, and Stephanie Putzke
Mission MentHERship is a program designed to address the lack of accessible mentorship opportunities in the AEC industry by facilitating intentional and personalized matches.
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MENT HER SHIP (2023)
Download the MentHERship program framework.
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DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
The Right Fit
Erin Conaway ●●●Katie Batill-Bigler Susan Dawson La Tonya Whitfield Horhn
Thesis Work-life fit is about creating a work and lifestyle that fosters both personal and professional life at the same time. Work-life balance, on the other hand, is the idea of creating and maintaining clear distinc- tions and boundaries between what is work and what is not.
Scan here to watch the team’s presentation at the 2021 virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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THE RIGHT FIT (2021)
Katie Batill-Bigler | Patel, Greene & Associates Erin Conaway | American Institute of Steel Construction Susan Dawson | GHT Limited
The Right Fit An online toolkit that empowers employees within the A/E/C industry to advocate for better “work-life fit” policies within their own firms.
Creating a work environment that prioritizes work-life fit, and rested, more fulfilled employees as a result, equals: • increased performance and productivity, • a stronger bottom line for the company, and an • improved employee experience leading to improved recruitment and retention .
73% Reported work-life balance was the most important factor when selecting a job.
Policy Hubs
Leave Policies • Parental Leave • Elder Care • Personal Leave (i.e. sabbatocial)
Flexible Work Models • Flexible Schedules • Flexible Work Location • Reduced Hours Model
Healthy Work Environments • Ergonomic Workstations • Active Furnishings • Improved Indoor Air Quality
The Toolkit
The Steps Visitors to the Right Fit website are guided step by step through the toolkit. Take the self-asssessment, explore the most appropropriate policy options for you, build your pitch, talk to firm leadership, enjoy a better work-life fit!
Work-Life Balance Work-life balance is the idea of creating and maintaining clear distinctions and boundaries between what is work and what is not.
Under the policy hubs within the toolkit, users will find scalable policy guidelines and examples, fact sheets, talking points, and identification of potential obstacles or points of resistance. Users can also download a pitch presentation template to build their proposal.
VS.
Work-Life Fit Work-life fit is about creating a lifestyle that fosters both a personal and professional life at the same time.
The Self Assessment
Change begins from within. It’s critical for users to take the time to evaluate their current situation and articulate what their vision is for a successful work-life fit adjustment within their firm.
Finding the Right Fit for you and Your Firm
Finding the Right Fit for you and Your Firm
Planning your Pitch Which areas do you feel would help you achieve a better work-life fit and that you are interested in addressing with your leadership? Check all that apply. Each of the following is included within the Right Fit database. Leave Policies If so, what type of leave policy do you wish to address? Parental Leave Family Leave Personal Leave (Sabbaticals, etc.) Eldercare Leave Other (Educational, Community Service) Healthy Work Environments If so, what type of leave policy do you wish to address? Personal spaces in office (ie. wellness/privacy rooms for staff) Health/Wellness Programs Access to exercise facilities/subsidized gym memberships (ie. access to shower) Employee Assistance Program Flexible Work Models If so, what is most important to you regarding “Flexibility”?
This evaluation is meant to help you organize your thoughts as you begin to build your Right Fit policy pitch to your company leadership. Consider your own feelings and experi- ences, as well as your colleague’s experiences that you’ve observed to help you build the work-life fit policy program that is the Right Fit for you and your firm.
Finding the Right Fit for you and Your Firm
What areas do you feel are lacking in your personal work-life experience?
Self-evaluation On a scale of 1-5 (1 being no fit; 5 being a great fit), what level of “fit” do you feel your company’s current policies have allowed you to sustain a work-life fit?
1 2 3 4 5
Why?
Is there anything about your company that does support your work-life fit goals? If so, what?
How often do you feel that you’ve suered from “burn-out” as defined below?:
World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 defined burnout and added it to its Internation- al Classification of Diseases: “Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental dis- tance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupation- al context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”
Company-wide On a scale of 1-5 (1 being no fit; 5 being a great fit), what level of “fit” do you feel your company’s current policies have allowed your co-workers to sustain a work-life fit?
When you work Where you work How much you work
Check out the toolkit for yourself!
1 2 3 4 5
What are the schedule adjustments that would most dramatically affect your stress level and happiness?
Never
Rarely
Sometimes Often
Always
Why?
What are your two most important demands or interests in your life outside of your day job?
What potential resistance do you anticipate from your firm leadership (funding, resources, etc.)? You will find guidance and recommended responses to address specific resistors under each policy category.
Have you had any discussions with co-workers about policies that are lacking or missing from your company that would improve their work-life fit? If so, what?
Does your firm have the policies in place to support and/or allow you the time desired to dedicate to these demands/interests? Yes / No
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Visit www.zgelevateher.com
DURING AN AEC CAREER: RESOURCES
WeRise
●●●Blake Calvert, Dara Davulcu, Elide Pantoli, Ginger Lacy, Jacqueline Devereaux, Janki DePalma, Jason Pereira, Jennifer Porter, Susan Dawson, Susan Osterberg, and Veronica Porter
Scan the code on the left to down- load the deck, and the code on the right to watch the team’s presenta- tion at the 202o virtual ElevateHER Symposium.
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WE RISE (2020)
WeRise Team WeRise focused on employee experience and on creating a culture where employees want to stay. The WeRIse deck features a series of discussion opportunities to engage with underrepresented demographics, as well as reassess, evaluate, and improve workplace culture. This deck provides valuable recommendations that will impact em- ployee satisfaction and retention. Use these for self-reflection, or as conversation starters with groups at or outside of the workplace. Get creative, and get talking. We’ve all heard the adage “we rise by lifting
others,” and Team WeRise truly believes that. Lift those around you and further the discussion today with this fun and easy-to-use tool.
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