Now in its fifth year, the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firms To Work For list has increased to include 25 firms and five honorable mentions.
Now in its fifth year, the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firms To Work For list has increased to include 25 firms and five honorable mentions; see "Structural Engineer honors Best Firms To Work For" for the full report. Each year the applicants impress our staff and the judges with their noteworthy offerings and commitment. This year is no exception. With remarkably low voluntary turnover—7 percent for all of this year’s applicants and 5.5 percent for those firms that made the list—these firms are clearly doing many things right to maintain their top talent.
Interestingly, when responding to the question, "What are the top three causes for voluntary turnover, as determined by exit interviews or anecdotally, if you don’t conduct exit interviews?," 71 percent of the companies who applied for the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For list stated that they lose employees because the staffer moves to another area (most firms commented that staffers move to be closer to family). Additionally, 37 percent of the applicants believe that voluntary turnover occurs within their firms because of employee commute time, and 27 percent responded that retirement from the profession is a top cause for employee voluntary turnover.
While retirement is generally a celebrated occasion to be leaving a firm, the other top reasons for voluntary turnover—employee relocation and commuter woes—are not. Many firms are solving the latter problems creatively with win-win ideas for both the employer and employee. For example, although not a contender for the structural engineering list, I recently met a landscape architect who—although she enjoyed her current job—wanted to move back to her hometown to be closer to family. She told me that she searched for a job, interviewed, and accepted a position before telling her current employer of her desire. When she resigned, her current employer asked if she would consider working remotely and maintain her current position. "I was surprised and thrilled," the senior designer told me, "because I hadn’t even considered that option. I just assumed I had to resign from a job that I really liked."
Of course this situation may not work for every firm or every employee, but it is an example of the type of creative thinking that allows firms to retain their top talent. Additionally, this out-of-the-box solution presents an example for employees to consider and discuss with employers as an alternative to resigning.
Top firms know this! In fact, 76 percent of the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For applicants indicate that they provide flex time or flexible working hours for all staff; 67 percent responded that they provide the ability for select staff to work at home; and 16 percent offer job share options.
Of course, there are many facets to creating an exceptional workplace and voluntary turnover is only one of many metrics evaluated each year. I would like to congratulate all of the firms on the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For list, including top-placing Walter P Moore and Associates, Inc.; Beaudette Consulting Engineers, Inc.; and PCS Structural Solutions!
Speaking of attracting top talent, I am pleased to announce that Group Publisher Maureen Slocum has joined ZweigWhite’s media division—which includes Structural Engineer and CE News magazines, Bridges ezine, as well as Civil Connection and Revitalization e-Digest electronic newsletters. She will introduce herself and many of our exciting plans for next year in the January 2008 issue of Structural Engineer.
Interestingly, when responding to the question, "What are the top three causes for voluntary turnover, as determined by exit interviews or anecdotally, if you don’t conduct exit interviews?," 71 percent of the companies who applied for the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For list stated that they lose employees because the staffer moves to another area (most firms commented that staffers move to be closer to family). Additionally, 37 percent of the applicants believe that voluntary turnover occurs within their firms because of employee commute time, and 27 percent responded that retirement from the profession is a top cause for employee voluntary turnover.
While retirement is generally a celebrated occasion to be leaving a firm, the other top reasons for voluntary turnover—employee relocation and commuter woes—are not. Many firms are solving the latter problems creatively with win-win ideas for both the employer and employee. For example, although not a contender for the structural engineering list, I recently met a landscape architect who—although she enjoyed her current job—wanted to move back to her hometown to be closer to family. She told me that she searched for a job, interviewed, and accepted a position before telling her current employer of her desire. When she resigned, her current employer asked if she would consider working remotely and maintain her current position. "I was surprised and thrilled," the senior designer told me, "because I hadn’t even considered that option. I just assumed I had to resign from a job that I really liked."
Of course this situation may not work for every firm or every employee, but it is an example of the type of creative thinking that allows firms to retain their top talent. Additionally, this out-of-the-box solution presents an example for employees to consider and discuss with employers as an alternative to resigning.
Top firms know this! In fact, 76 percent of the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For applicants indicate that they provide flex time or flexible working hours for all staff; 67 percent responded that they provide the ability for select staff to work at home; and 16 percent offer job share options.
Of course, there are many facets to creating an exceptional workplace and voluntary turnover is only one of many metrics evaluated each year. I would like to congratulate all of the firms on the 2007 Best Structural Engineering Firm To Work For list, including top-placing Walter P Moore and Associates, Inc.; Beaudette Consulting Engineers, Inc.; and PCS Structural Solutions!
Speaking of attracting top talent, I am pleased to announce that Group Publisher Maureen Slocum has joined ZweigWhite’s media division—which includes Structural Engineer and CE News magazines, Bridges ezine, as well as Civil Connection and Revitalization e-Digest electronic newsletters. She will introduce herself and many of our exciting plans for next year in the January 2008 issue of Structural Engineer.