Principals Roundtable Recap: San Diego Firms on Navigating the Path Forward
Posted by StarChapter on Dec. 10, 2020 / Subscribe 0
First Principals Roundtable, held May 2, 2017 at the offices of Sillman Wright Architects.
How have San Diego A/E/C firms fared under the pandemic and what are their plans for 2021? This timely topic generated a lively discussion among 16 principals participating in a virtual meeting of the SMPS San Diego Principals Roundtable earlier this month.
From electronic polling conducted at the beginning of the meeting, about two-thirds of the participants said they already have made adjustments as a result of the pandemic, while the remainder said they are holding steady but giving serious thought to making adjustments when the new year rolls around.
The group was offered a number of topics to discuss, ranging from financial issues to company culture, strategic leadership, expanded client experience and marketing. Although principals showed interest in all the topics, much of their discussion centered on employees, with 27% saying their employees have been more productive during the pandemic, 33% saying they have been less productive, and 40% saying there had been no change.
Beyond the numbers, all attendees said they were sympathetic to what employees are going through with this sudden, dramatic change in their lives caused by the pandemic.
Paul Ericson of Stantec, which sponsored the event, said he has found it difficult to coordinate with the younger staff in a virtual world. “Senior management’s challenge is to find a way to do a better job of mentoring them,” he said.
Farzad Tadayon of Salas O’Brien said he makes it a priority to regularly call employees for no reason other than to chat and see how they are doing. “They need reassuring. They are handling many challenges they didn’t realize they would be facing, and it takes a toll. It’s important for them to know that someone cares and understands,” Tadayon said.
Margaret Bornyasz of ECORP Consulting said she stays in touch with employees by frequently reaching out and having 30-minute conversations with each person to go over their work and to see how they are doing.
Concerned that younger staff are not getting the training they need, Ari Isaak of SDGIS, said his company arranges for senior-level managers to have regular Zoom hours, much as a teacher or professor offers students office hours. This way, the senior manager works at home on one computer and keeps a Zoom meeting open on another. The manager is notified when someone logs in, so they can have a 5-10 minute Zoom office chat.
How to show employees they are valued, especially during the upcoming holiday season, generated much discussion among principals who acknowledged that monetary rewards for employees may not be possible in the near future.
To recognize employees for their hard work, Carmen Kastner of NV5 said she sends handwritten personal notes to employees with a $25 gift card to let them know how much their efforts are appreciated. For team building and boosting company morale, Nanette Newbry of Comet Creative said she arranges online Jeopardy parties with gifts for the winners.
Leigh Kyle of Spurlock Landscape Architects shared that her firm plays virtual Trivia or Pictionary once a month and gives out prizes to the winners. They also offer field trips because it’s easy to social distance outdoors.
Kristen Olszak said Helix Environmental Planning is sending out something special to each employee for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.
Client interaction during a pandemic also presents new challenges for the A/E/C industry, which is based on interpersonal connections and relationships.
Paul Ericson of Stantec said he has been striving to maintain client relationships during the pandemic but noted that Zoom doesn’t replace face-to-face meetings. “It’s not a struggle, but we’re still trying to figure it out,” he said.
Although he misses the traditional meet and greet introductory meetings with new clients, Paul Schroeder of Delawie said the firm has pivoted to being very targeted and creative in their pursuit of new opportunities.
Ari Isaak of SDGIS still does coffee meetings with clients, but he does them virtually. He arranges for a cup of coffee to be delivered to his client before the online meeting. “A cup of coffee might end up costing $15 once you pay delivery fees, but it’s worth it to establish a more personal connection for a virtual meeting,” Isaak said.
Other changes on the horizon discussed by the group involve office space – how much is needed and how it should be configured. Many said they are reconsidering their space needs due to reduced staff levels and the fact they believe some form of teleworking is here to stay.
Olga Bastiaannet of Randall Lamb Associates (RLA) said that in addition to the pandemic, her firm has had to deal with a fire that destroyed RLA’s La Mesa office in June. The situation forced the company to lease new office space, which they are redesigning with open space to meet the needs of a rapidly changing work environment. The plan involves both in-office and remote work arrangements.
When asked if they saw any silver linings with the pandemic, Keith Pittsford of SGPA said he was amazed at how well everyone is doing. “If you had asked me last February how we would do with the shutdowns, I would not have been able to predict that this work could be done from home,” he said. “But it has and we should be proud.”
Casey Whitsett of Coffman Engineers said even when pandemic restrictions are lifted, they will still be holding Zoom meetings and conference calls. They are more efficient and more cost effective since travel time and costs are not involved. “It’s pretty impressive industry-wide,” he said.
Brian Dersch of Dersch Design & Engineering said ultimately that he sees this pandemic period as a time of employee empowerment. “Our engineers are learning to make their own decisions. It’s very important for their career paths.”
The Principals Roundtable is a series of quarterly meetings sponsored by the Chapter to provide principals with a forum to discuss issues of importance to the industry. The next Roundtable will be a virtual meeting on Feb. 2 from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM. It is sponsored by Brian Dersch of Dersch Design & Engineering, who has selected Financial Strategies as the topic to discuss.
The Roundtable Planning Committee will provide attendees with Power Point slides and links to their research on the topic. Watch this site and our social media channels for updates and registration information.
Beth Bateman, Owner, Bateman Communications, Past President, SMPS San Diego
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