​In 2020, in response to the death of George Floyd, many people at Hoffmann Architects + Engineers looked to coordinate what, up to that point, had been piecemeal efforts toward inclusion and equity. We had held training programs on gender and bias, conducted a company culture study, and prioritized recruitment of diverse team members, but we lacked a cohesive strategy and the kind of substantive firm-wide conversations needed to really shift the status quo. So, we launched a Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which immediately drew members from across the company, ranging from the president, who has been at the firm for over forty years, to new hires fresh out of school. With people from all three offices and a vast reserve of energy, we were ready to ask the hard questions and launch new initiatives.
     By the start of 2021, we had conducted a firm-wide survey on inclusion and belonging, using the results to guide action items. We set up an internal blog devoted to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with resources, a discussion board, an events calendar, opportunities for service and action, and more. We reached out to the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) to take steps toward establishing a scholarship for promising students of color in architecture and engineering. We launched a book and film club on topics related to diversity and inclusion. Recognizing we had much to learn, we reached out to a DEI consultant to craft workshops for staff and the leadership team on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a business imperative. 
     One piece of advice the consultant gave us – one we’ve admittedly had trouble sticking to – was not to take on too much, too soon. “Baby steps,” he advised. Trying to go in all directions at once can lead to burnout and disengagement. So, we focused first on the programs most important to us: the scholarship and our employee student loan repayment benefit. Hoffmann contributed nearly $25,000 toward helping employees pay down student debt, which disproportionately impacts people of color. We continued to develop our scholarship program, the first at CAF to offer a paid internship. Our goal was to not only assist with paying for college, but also provide valuable real-world experience. Hoffmann contributed $25,000 to fund the scholarship, and individual employees contributed several thousand dollars more. In June, we finally saw the years of planning come to fruition, as our first recipient received her award. 
     While we developed these initiatives, our committee continued to pursue varied strategies for fostering greater inclusivity at the firm and in encouraging a diverse pipeline of talent in the industry. Several Hoffmann employees joined the ACE Mentor Program, devoting hours each week to educating high school students and serving as role models. We continued to host book and film club events and DEI workshops on topics ranging from transgender identity to the underrepresentation of women and people of color in architecture. Our team-building events incorporated more service-driven elements, such as Habitat for Humanity builds, clothing/food/school supply drives, food bank volunteer days, fundraisers for people with chronic illness and disabilities, and outreach at schools serving diverse populations. These efforts not only helped build connections among staff, but also strengthened our relationship with the places where we work. 
     This sounds like a lot, and we are proud of everything we’ve accomplished. Earlier this year, we were tremendously honored to be selected by the Construction Institute for the Special Industry Recognition Award for our efforts promoting diversity and equity. However, we still have much work to do. This year, we re-issued our inclusion and belonging survey, and we found that while we’ve made progress in building work-life balance and shared purpose among our staff, there is still room to grow. That’s the biggest takeaway we’ve had so far from our DEI work: that it’s critical to pause and reflect, to listen and be open to new ideas. As we look ahead to 2024, our Diversity and Inclusion Committee is already abuzz with plans to build more community in the workplace, redouble our outreach efforts at local technical schools, expand our volunteer opportunities, and offer more employee events and shared experiences. Our DEI consultant would probably warn us to slow down, take baby steps… but if we have one shortcoming, it’s an abundance of enthusiasm. We take on too much, perhaps, but the stakes are too high to slow down. 

     Teams are formed to cohesively work together towards goal attainment. However, effective collaboration and cohesivity are not always present within working teams. Sometimes creating synergy in teams is challenging. Members often fail at working together for common goals because individuals’ expectations and objectives are unclear. Effective communication is one key success contributor to building stronger teams and achieving organizational goals. Therefore, building effective communication within teams is paramount and begins with leadership. Leaders can be the initiators of communication.  Leadership communication significantly influences team building, follower’s behaviors, team performance and the overall organizational success. More importantly, it is useful to understand that team communication is beyond transmission of information. Team members may be more receptive to change and organizational processes and goals if leaders are able to properly communicate expectations and potential outcomes. 
        Challenges may arise in managing communication within teams.  Team diversity is one major challenge leaders may encounter when managing communications1. The new modern workplaces include virtual spaces which are bombarded with emails, telephone calls, electronic discussion boards, pushes intranet letters, reports, faxes, and calendars. Teams consist of multi-generational cohorts who respond to communications methods differently. Cultural differences challenge how leaders effectively manage team communications, which impacts team cohesion2. Therefore, it is recommended that leaders examine and understand their teams’ composition, and not from assuming that one method of communication will be suitable for all team members. Effective communication is essential to building stronger teams. 

​The AEC industry is currently facing a number of major changes, making professional development more critical than ever. Luiza Mills, Senior Vice President at Interstate Electrical Service, and a member of the Construction Institute's education committee, shared her insights on the challenges and opportunities facing AEC professionals today.
 
Tori Muscara asked, “What are some of the biggest challenges that AEC professionals are facing in terms of professional development?”
 
Mills: “The industry is in the phases of some monumental evolution with many things hitting all within a window of time such as COVID, Supply Chain Issues, Rising Costs, Labor Shortages, Consolidation, and throw in Current Economic Conditions/Relapse. Although this is daunting, we can’t become discouraged on needing, now more than ever, to power ahead. We need to find new ways to continue to build on the AEC platform. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. That is what is so great about the industry, it survives and evolves and then in most instances comes back stronger.”
 
Muscara: “How can we encourage AEC professionals to continue learning and developing their skills?”
 
Mills: “We need to help them understand that they can’t keep doing the same thing, especially with the fast changes and challenges being faced. By encouraging people to stay informed, stay current, and step into this evolution of the new way of doing things, we can hopefully support people and continue to empower them, even if a little at a time. Therefore, we need to flip the conversation when reaching out, with a focus on taking steps where we see opportunities such as in technological advances. We need to find areas of education where we can continue to impact the challenges and turn them into opportunities and help in areas and topics where some might be afraid to approach, such as AI.  Build them a platform of knowledge and resources so they can embrace what the next steps are.
 
Muscara: “What are your personal goals for professional development?”
 
Mills: “My personal goals are to never stop evolving, embrace new technology and ideas, and never stop learning or looking for ways to better enhance things even if a small percentage at a time. Nothing should be viewed as perfect but rather – is it still relevant, impactful, and efficient? In addition, continuing to listen and support new avenues of mentoring and training for future generations so they may have more opportunities to come into the trades and succeed in the industry.”
 
The AEC industry is predicted to experience growth in the upcoming years despite the challenges it faces. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including the expected population growth of 2 billion people by 2050, which will create a demand for new housing, infrastructure, and other built environments. Urbanization is also on the rise, which is driving the demand for new commercial and residential buildings. Additionally, there is an increasing demand for sustainable buildings and infrastructure, creating opportunities for AEC firms.
 
Muscara: “What are your thoughts on the future of the AEC industry?”
 
Mills: “The future is still bright! The industry can’t stop and won’t. Technology, AI, Prefabrication, Automation, Robotics, Repurposing of spaces, Energy Efficiency, etc. will continue to be at the forefront. In addition, modifications to regulations will help support the change needed, while funding issues, lack of resources, labor changes, etc. will continue to force the change that is required.”
 
Lastly, we asked Luiza Mills to share her advice with young AEC professionals who are just starting out in the industry. Mills offers this feedback:
“You selected an amazing career in which you will not only impact the world to make it a better place, but you will experience every step of that journey and get to see the end results of the foundation you are setting for future generations yet to come. The best advice is never to stop learning, embrace new means and methods even if at your own pace, and keep evolving. Don’t fear change as an obstacle, but rather as evolution.”
 
In addition to the above, Luiza Mills also emphasized the importance of networking and building relationships with other AEC professionals. This can help you learn about new opportunities, stay up-to-date on the latest trends, and find mentors who can support your professional development.
 
The AEC industry is facing a number of challenges, but it is also full of opportunities for those who are willing to learn and adapt. By collaborating with educational institutions and networking with other professionals, AEC professionals can develop the skills they need to succeed in the future.