Employee retention is a buzz-word that is being heard throughout our industry. With unemployment rates balancing around 4.1% nationwide, the impact we’re seeing on the workforce is that it is increasingly becoming more difficult to find and retain young, high-quality talent. As Personnel Development Director, it is my responsibility to oversee how our firm responds to these challenges.

I’m sharing my thoughts on how to attract and more importantly, retain young talent in a professional world that seems to be constantly changing.

1. Provide hands-on learning experiences. In the age of technology, there seems to be new software created on a weekly basis that promises to revolutionize the efficiency of our daily operations. However, it doesn’t matter how many tools you have in your toolkit, you’ll never be “more efficient” if you don’t understand how, but more importantly, why, the tools were created in the first place. At our office we make a point to schedule on-site visits to active construction sites, because there is a plethora of information that can only be learned by seeing and doing. These hands-on learning experiences provide our employees the opportunity to learn and gain in-sight on real-world issues they haven’t experienced in the classroom.

2. Break down hierarchical barriers. I believe it is crucial that the “workplace” is seen as a learning environment. Mentorship is a focus within our firm and it is important to create an atmosphere where employees are both challenged and empowered, equally.

3. Invest time in developing your employee’s soft skills. Provide opportunities for development of skills that cannot necessarily be taught from a textbook – skills such as verbal and non-verbal communication skills, work ethic, problem solving and interpersonal skills.

4. Cultivate a culture that focuses on the individual. The concept of the individual should never be taken for granted within the workplace. Invest time getting to know your employee’s strengths and weaknesses so you can better lead them.

5. Have fun. At the end of the day, it’s important to make everyone within the company feel valued and appreciated. Whether its donuts on Friday, or fun social events, never underestimate the value of laughter and a good time.

Here at Berardi+ our expertise is architecture, but our passion is people. That’s our mission and we strive to create an environment where our employees feel welcomed and empowered to become the best versions of themselves.