You should have already sensed this around your office, but most design and engineering firms I know are having trouble finding and hiring people to fill vacancies on their teams. This quote, from the ABI commentary linked below, is telling:
The short supply of professionals continues to be the issue, and many local firms have revised their business plans to not accept new clients at the moment. We are utilizing outsourcing resources available both within the US and outside the country to keep up.
Even if there were more designers and architects looking for employment, it is always more expensive to bring in a new employee than it is to keep a current employee.
As we roll into the last few months of 2022, firms are starting to develop budgets for next year and will soon be assigning bonuses and salary increases. You have the leverage in this current environment so you should make sure you are being paid fairly and should ask for a raise. It is important to get that raise now since there are continued fears of a recession where salary increases are likely to stall.
Asking for a raise is often anxiety-inducing. If you want help determining your value and developing a plan to confidently ask for a salary bump, check out our Guide to Negotiating a Salary Increase. It is written specifically for architects and interior designers.
-Michael
Billings Still Growing, but at a Slower Pace
The July AIA Architecture Billings Index fell to 51, which is the lowest we’ve seen since January. Design Contracts are up slightly to 52.9 showing that owners are still moving forward with new projects.
However, the commentary indicates that more firms are hearing rumors of delayed or cancelled projects. It doesn’t appear to be affecting work now, but owners are becoming cautious about inflation and the potential for a recession.
July: 51.0, June: 53.2, May: 53.5, April: 56.5, March: 58.0, February: 51.3
ABI July 2022: Architecture firm billings grow at a slower pace
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Architects at New York Firm Form Union
Architects at Bernheimer Architecture established the first known union of workers at an architecture firm. They will join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The firm has voluntarily recognized the union and a collective bargaining agreement will be negotiated soon.
Architects at a New York Firm Form the Industry’s Only Private-Sector Union (paywall)
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Cybersecurity is a Concern for Design Firms
Yeah, those [External Email] notices are very annoying, but they are probably necessary. While attacks mostly affect larger organizations with more to lose, design firms are a target for ransomware and other cyber attacks.
Even small firms should consider cyber insurance and make sure their data is backed up offline. Please develop a data-continuity plan.
Cybersecurity Threats Drive AEC Firms to Better Data Practices
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Record Interiors 2022
We tend to focus on practice and technical issues at Archtoolbox, but it is also nice to see some of the top designs of the year. Architectural Record released their annual Record Interiors for 2022.
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New at Archtoolbox: Steep Sloped Roofing Systems
We just uploaded an article about steep sloped roofing materials to help you and your clients select the best roofing for your projects.
