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O P I N I O N
Support your support staff
Set a tone firmwide to recognize the valuable work that’s done by people in every role at your firm – not just your technical staff.
I n the AEC industry, it’s common to distinguish between “technical staff” and “support staff.” Generally, we all understand what those terms mean. Technical staff are engineers, architects, contractors, surveyors, planners, scientists, landscape architects – the list goes on. They may have a few letters at the end of their name, they are responsible for the company’s billable work, and they are experts in their chosen professions. Support staff are financial controllers, marketers, business developers, office managers, contract specialists, administrative assistants, IT, and human resources staff. It’s a workforce that is (let’s be honest) largely female, fulfills a huge variety of roles that make the day-to-day operation of their firms possible, and are often also experts in their chosen professions.
Katie Batill- Bigler
Unfortunately, professionals in these support roles can be regarded as interchangeable, easily replaceable, or even an unavoidable burden; they may not be offered the same professional development opportunities as their “technical” colleagues and/or their hard work may not be fully recognized for the benefits it brings to the firm at large. It should go without saying that such notions or practices are not only unwise but can pose a real threat to the success of a business. At the very least, it can seriously dampen the work culture and company morale.
I’m proud to say this is far from the case at Patel, Greene and Associates, LLC. I genuinely believe our firm’s success is thanks, in large part, to a shared mentality that everyone plays a crucial part and that each should strive to achieve excellence within his or her area(s) of expertise. Our core values of Integrity, Commitment, and Excellence guide this way of thinking, as every member of our staff embraces the call to excel for the benefit of PGA’s growth and success, for our clients’ success, and for the opportunity to reach their own highest potential.
See KATIE BATILL-BIGLER, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER MARCH 28, 2022, ISSUE 1434
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