HR Corner Top firm achieves near-zero turnover by Ella Lee Favourable packages and ongoing training programmes retain architectural talents In today's knowledge-based business environment, companies of all sizes realise that they must not only rely on their workforce's skills and knowledge to win over competitors — they must also retain such skills and knowledge. As the biggest architectural company in Hong Kong and the fourth largest globally, Aedas Ltd has an ongoing demand for talents to cope with rapid business growth. However, it is in the happy position that it not only possesses the attractions to draw new staff but has near-zero turnover rates, achieving a healthy workforce balance. According to Keith Griffiths, chairman, Aedas Limited, the scale and reputation of the practice are the key elements attracting mid-level to very experienced talents. "Aedas operates 25 offices across Europe, Asia and the Middle East," he says. "In Hong Kong alone, there are about 600 employees and the number is continuing to climb. Our size and network can be interpreted by job applicants as being opportunities for career development and international exposure. It is also a guarantee of steady work in the local market." Aedas's close connections with The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and The Chinese University simplifies the intake of fresh graduates. "Several staff members give lectures at both varsities, and this gives us access to the top students before they graduate," says Mr Griffiths, who is himself an honorary professor of architecture at HKU. To retain valuable human resources, Aedas uses an encouraging incentive system. "People working for us are good, very good or excellent," he says. "There's nobody here under the good level." Also, pay packets are not under the good level. Without disclosing the actual figures, Mr Griffiths describes salaries in Aedas as slightly above the market rate for the good and very good performers. Excellent graders are paid "exceptionally competitive wages". "Our size and network can be interpreted by job applicants as being opportunities for career development and international exposure" Besides its attractive compensation and benefit packages, Aedas offers exclusive training and work experience for the right persons. "Like doctors and lawyers, architects are people who need to keep learning throughout their career," he says. "To maintain our professional levels we are required to know the latest architectural design, materials and technology. For this reason, we provide every staff member with the highest international levels of training, consistently giving all our architects the most up-to-date job knowledge." To align with the technical side, for example, internal presentations of new materials and documentation courses for all staff are regularly organised by the in-house training team, which also oversees other aspects of staff development. Training programmes like executive development workshops are carried out periodically, while out-of-workplace sessions such as intensive psychological development programmes also take place at weekends. Appropriate training is tailored to the needs of every position in Aedas. Likewise, learning from outside the company is also encouraged, and generous scholarships offered, provided the course is relevant to the employee's work and is delivered by a formal education institution. Aedas' workforce also benefits from the company's industry-leading designs, documentation standards and systems. "We are the only practice in Hong Kong using the REVIT three-dimensional design and construction system," Mr Griffiths adds. Along with the use of web-based project management and office management systems, Aedas is noted as being a top employer providing staff with distinctive job experience. "In this profession, many people are looking for challenges in their career. Instead of asking how much they will be paid, they focus more on how interesting their projects are. As a company well known for the variety of architectural designs it uses, we give these professionals space for innovation in their work, providing the sense of satisfaction they are seeking," Mr Griffiths points out. A friendly and interactive working environment is created for Aedas's people. Physically, the four-floor office has no rooms columns or partitions. Work tops connected in rows have practically no boundaries for the people using them. The open layout allows staff members to move about in a dynamic manner, discussing among one another to examine a problem and find a solution. Culturally, teamwork and peer review are highlighted to enhance staff development. While the staff number in a team depends on the complexity of the project concerned, each team always includes people with different levels of work experience. Team members are free to give and get opinions, both within their team and among others.The performance of a team member is evaluated by the mentor, the supervisor and the directors. The mentor, who has two or three more years' experience than the team member, will make comments from a side by side perspective. Complementing the supervisor's and directors' report, the mentor report constitutes part of an all-angled observation. "We put a lot of resources into our IMS system which provides 24-hour access to staff members," says Mr Griffiths. "It is a platform to collect viewpoints on what is needed in career development for all of us." Salient points - Encouraging incentive system in place to retain staff Highest international levels of training tailored to needs of every position - Industry-leading designs, documentation standards and systems offer staff distinctive job experience - Space for innovation provides job satisfaction - Friendly and interactive working environment created to motivate staff - Teamwork and peer review enhance staff development - IMS system collects viewpoints on what is needed in career development for all staff Taken from Career Times 26 January 2007, p. B20 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]