December 2007 - ASCE National Conference Report
posted by Larry J SmithOn October 31, 2007 I attended the ASCE National Conference. One session of interest was the CEO Forum: “Every Engineer’s Duty – What Tragedy Has Taught Us about Professionalism, Ethics, Leadership and Public Safety.” For those having one-hour to view the web cast of a portion of this 3-hour session I highly encourage watching: CEO Forum
One topic of interest for leaders in Civil Engineering is “How are we going to be prepared to move ahead in a dynamic manner in a changing world?" The CEO’s on the panel were asked several questions pertaining to recruitment and hiring of engineers in today’s marketplace. The panel recognized there is a shortage of engineers and they recognized it was difficult to keep talent without stealing from each other.
There is a common theme throughout the industry – “transformation.” All companies, agencies, etc. are undergoing transformation as we adjust to the generational differences as boomers move out and generation “X” and “Y” moves in. One common mistake we’re all making…“transformation is slow” and to Generation “X” and “Y” “slow is boring.”
The panel identified five key ingredients for recruiting and retaining engineers:
1. Career Path
2. Interesting Work
3. Lifestyle
4. Excitement
5. Highlighting Impact
As I consider each of the five ingredients I’ve used some of my thoughts, views from the CEO panel members, and the NSPE Young Engineers Advisory Council to define each as follows:
Career Path – What defines it? Are steps for advancement clear and are employees guided in the needed direction? Not everyone wants the same career as you. “Young engineers want to be innovative, and any job that becomes stagnant and devoid of purpose will loose their interest. A suppression of growth, as well as a lack of mentoring, challenges, and effective and targeted training will undermine these goals.”
Interesting Work – Work is interesting when leaders take interest in our work. Are we doing enough to “showcase” everyone’s contribution are we only taking interest in a few who always find their way into the spotlight? It has long been understood that leaders can create interest and therefore make work interesting for the employee. Look for ways to show case everyone’s contribution. It’s not just the “project manager” that does work. Technical aspects of the projects can be presented in papers, presentations, professional society meetings and routine corporate forums. Open your eyes, move around the building, visit the worksite and take interest in everyone.
“I am motivated as long as my job is never boring-there is a new challenge every day.”
“I don’t think it’s too much to ask that work be fun and comfortable. I expect to be challenged and given responsibility. But if I don’t get a chance to smile and laugh on the job regularly, then I need to find a new one.
Lifestyle – Recognize how long it has been since you struggled with child care and managing a household with two careers. Today’s employees have different needs. “They do not want Friday afternoon meetings and they do not want your work schedule.” Generation “X” and “Y” live a much different lifestyle, get over it and allow it to happen.
Excitement – Work needs to be exciting, it cannot seem like work. Identify what today’s employee “loves” or is “passionate” about and shape the work place to allow that excitement to happen. Example: Veterinarians love to work with animals. That’s what they look forward to coming to work and that’s why their job is exciting. Engineers do not like our corporate systems and procedures and that is not why they hired on in the first place. These are “not exciting and they do not turn them on!”
Highlight Impact of what our engineers do – Examine the corporate culture of recognition. If there is only one forum then the real work will not be “highlighted.” Leaders simply do not get around enough and they do not highlight the work of our engineers. “It does not matter what career stage an engineer is in; rather it is whether he or she can contribute to the greater good of the firm and society. One survey respondent comments, There are so many Baby Boomers that say, “Gen X/Y are lazy and don’t work hard’…proving them wrong motivates me a lot.”
Following the ASCE National Conference I taught a group of professionals in Seattle, WA. I asked the students to rank order the 5 items above as reasons for hiring on or staying with their firm. The students added a sixth ingredient: “People.”
People – The individuals you work with every day are reasons for getting up and coming to work. The people we work with are like a second family.
The informal survey results from an audience of 35 students, all mid careers and higher showed the following as their number one ingredient for hiring on or staying with their firm:
37% - Interesting Work
30% - Impact (they defined as “public service”)
15% - People
7% - Lifestyle
7% - Career Path
4% - Excitement
The CEO’s indicated that salaries (starting and continuing) vary by region. In some regions salaries have increased in order to attract and retain engineers. The feeling was that salary needs to take care of itself when you look at all the other reasons or ingredients for hiring on or staying with a company. Salary Surveys give each of us a perspective of where we stand when we compare similar duties, experience and responsibility. Companies will need to offer starting salaries commensurate with the market.
“Salary is a significant motivator because young engineers are trying to manage not only the costs of basic necessities associated with food, clothing, and shelter but also increased costs for educational expenses, raising a family, and outside interests and hobbies. One response stated ‘We also would like to be paid what we are worth. You shouldn’t have to go looking for a new job to find out how much you are worth.”
During the CEO Forum Dr. Gerry Galloway speaks about “Leaders and Engineer’s of the Future.” His view is engineers are our future and engineers need to subscribe to a new body of knowledge that demonstrates fundamentals, breadth (professional practice and technical depth) and attitude. That new attitude means showing up prepared to work (professional licensure). There is no better time than now to state the value of continuing education for engineers as a reason and need to stay (retention).
“Self improvement comes from the desire to develop and perform successfully to better serve the employer, client, society, and the environment. This improvement can be accomplished when the employees are wiling to devote time to personal and technical improvements.”
The panel of CEO’s state concern about ethics in today’s workforce. Too many decisions are being made by non-engineers who have not subscribed to the canon of ethics. The move to “best and final offers” as a standard procurement practice is something we need to think about and consider before we face another Katrina or a Challenger mishap.
LTG Hank Hatch (Ret) moderated the CEO Forum. He asked a question to the audience “How many engineers in government are in the audience today?” The response was very few hands were raised, and the concern about the competence level of engineers in Government is raised when they don’t represent themselves at a professional society national conference. The participation in professional meetings is an indicator of engineers’ work ethic, highlighted as having impact to our nation. It shows that we are excited about what we do, and it keeps our interest plus it shapes our career path.
About 70% to 76% of the respondents to the NSPE survey “view their professional sense of obligation as a motivator. This factor appeals to the sense of duty and the emotional importance that engineers place on their reputation, competence and ability to protect and enhance the public welfare.”
ASCE believes recruitment and retention of engineers in today’s marketplace is a great challenge for today and the 21st century. One common theme from the CEO Forum was “we cannot make things exciting enough to recruit and retain today’s engineers. If Interns are giving you the “cold shoulder” look at what you are offering and what are you doing with engineers. It’s not just all about money. It’s more about a new attitude (being prepared to work). Start by telling engineers “we’re glad you are here!” Let’s begin a new direction for today’s engineers – provide interesting work, highlight the impact of what every engineer does as part of project delivery, open up the cubes so people can work with one another, allow for a variety of employees lifestyles, provide career path choices, and most importantly we must make things more exciting for engineers.
The NSPE survey reveals the top “demotivators, which include a demotivating physical workspace and office layout; negative office climate and mood, and inadequate equipment, prestige, recognition by company management, and mentoring relationships.
I encourage your comments or feedback concerning recruitment and retention of engineers in today’s marketplace. Please send comments to me by clicking on the link above this article.
Footnote - NSPE Today – "Survey Reveals Young Engineers’ Top Motivators. PE Magazine, November 2007"