Recently, I’ve noticed that no matter what meeting I am in or conference I am attending, diversity comes up in conversations. The last several years, diversity and inclusion has received lots of media attention, both good and bad, and corporate America is putting initiatives together to focus on this issue.

The good news is that it’s gaining strength and attention. As diversity continues to be redefined we need to continue the discussion – diverse workforce, diverse seats at the table, equal pay for all, etc. Research has shown, and we have seen in our consulting business and in the HR world in general, that when you have diverse and inclusive cultures, companies gain a competitive edge over their peers.

While this issue impacts all industries and types of organizations, data suggests that A/E firms are behind in diversity and inclusion efforts. Long known for the demographics of being primarily made up of “white, middle-aged men,” engineering is not as welcoming a career choice for women and minorities.

If we look just at the effect on women alone, a 2018 research update from the Society of Women Engineers, provides some sobering numbers:

  • Only 13% of engineers are women
  • Female engineers earn 10% less than male engineers
  •  61% of women engineers report that they have to prove themselves repeatedly to get the same level of respect and recognition as their colleagues
  • 30% of women who have left the engineering profession cite organizational climate as the reason
  • Only 30% of women who earn bachelor’s degrees in engineering are still working in engineering 20 years later

Architecture is not immune to a lack of diversity. In late 2017, Dezeen Magazine published results from a survey that found that women have only 10 percent of the highest ranking jobs at 100 of the world’s leading architecture firms and 16 firms have no women at all in senior positions. The number of women steadily declines at each ascending level of management.

So, let’s take a look at why leadership needs to champion diversity efforts at their firms:

  • Innovation – A/E firms and other organizations strive to create innovative approaches to solve problems. The more diverse your workforce, the more diverse the perspectives, experiences and understanding of customers’ needs that your workforce brings to developing innovative solutions.
  • Talent – At a time when talent can be difficult to recruit and retain, women and minorities provide a valuable pool of talent that shouldn’t be overlooked. And the more diverse your workplace, the easier to attract, retain and engage talent.
  • Growth – Through diversity, you get out of a single mindset and bias and are open to more opportunities that allow your firm to stretch, change, innovate and grow.

Now the hard part, how can leadership make diversity happen, regardless of your industry?

#1 – Eliminate implicit or unconscious biases that affect who gets hired, who gets promoted, who gets which assignments, etc. In a recent Forbes article, Karen Horting, Executive Director and CEO at the Society of Women Engineers, states that implicit bias mostly affects women and minorities in the U.S. and that there is a direct correlation between levels of bias and feelings of inclusion at work, as well as whether an employee wants to stay or leave the organization.

The specific initiatives needed to meet this goal are unique to each organization. But some recommended actions may include:

  • Provide awareness training to help employees recognize biases that they may not realize they have
  • Conduct interviews of a diverse group of candidates using a diverse interview panel
  • Offer mentorship opportunities for women by women either within your firm and/or within the industry
  • Assess compensation practices to ensure that merit increases, bonuses and other compensation are fair and equitable to all staff
  • Review work arrangements, schedules and leave programs to provide flexibility so employees can take care of personal needs and priorities while still doing quality work
  • Examine your organizational culture to ensure that leadership is building a culture of trust where all employees feel valued, trusted and recognized
  • Create a culture of inclusivity and civility where all employees are accepted, respected and their voices are heard and understood
  • Complete an internal review of current and future leaders to determine efforts needed to diversify at the top.

Human Resources can develop and manage the diversity and inclusion program, but leadership needs to own the efforts and champion these initiatives. It’s important that leadership speak to the need to overcome any implicit biases at the firm and provide a climate that women, as well as minorities, ethnicities and other cultures, feel welcome and can thrive.