How does parental leave policy benefit the architecture industry?

Professional growth

How does Parental Leave Policy Benefit the Architecture Industry?

The architecture industry remains one of the most male-dominated industries. Despite women making up half of architecture students, only 17-18 percent of licensed architects are women. It is predicted that it won’t be until around the year 2222 that women will achieve 50 percent leadership in architectural firms.

How does the parental leave policy benefit women in the architecture industry?

Challenges of Being a Woman Architect

“Women are the ghosts of modern architecture, everywhere present, crucial, but strangely invisible,” – Beatriz Colomina

Termed “the missing 32 percent,” during the American Institute of Architects’ San Francisco chapter event, the committee aimed to uncover the challenges within the profession. By 2015, 70 percent of the women cited that along with the inability to work remotely, job-share, or maintain flexible hours, as reasons for the underrepresentation of women in architecture.

Given the option between hiring a man with lower-cost benefits and hiring a woman with mandated and costly leaves, businesses often prefer the former. This can pose particular challenges for women who often juggle career responsibilities with caregiving duties at home.

To shift this mindset, it’s crucial to highlight and consistently demonstrate the value that women contribute to their work.

Women Representation in Architecture

This underrepresentation of women in architecture has a number of negative consequences for the profession. It limits the diversity of perspectives and experiences that are brought to the table, which can lead to less innovative and creative solutions.

Moreover, women are especially important to diversity in companies. Many studies show how women improve employee engagement, contribute to higher sales, and even the environmental impact. Despite these contributions, the underrepresentation of women persists not only in architecture but across various industries. This only means the need to not just attract women to our field but also provide support once they are part of it. But how?

Click on the floor plan where you want the stair to start. You can click again to define the end point or draw the entire path if needed.

Parental Leave Policies in Architecture

A healthier workforce is also a more productive one, and architects who are able to take time off for family or personal reasons are more likely to be engaged and motivated at work. When women architects have access to the same opportunities as their male counterparts, they are more likely to thrive and succeed in the architecture industry.

Such policies play a crucial role in dismantling traditional gender norms and fostering a more balanced distribution of caregiving duties. Numerous companies have embraced parent-friendly policies to support their employees.

Liz Westgarth, the Managing Director of Hassell International, has declared the implementation of a parental leave policy across the entire company. The policy seeks to enhance the work-life balance of Hassell team members, placing a priority on the well-being of both workers and their families.

TURNER, an architecture and design studio, is committed to addressing gender imbalance in the construction and architecture sector by providing 18 weeks of paid leave to all parents.

Zach Wideman, from Perkins+Will, came across a new parental leave policy in his work email. He made the decision to implement a paid parental leave policy last summer, especially meaningful as his wife was pregnant with their child at that time.

During the initial six months after Perkins+Will implemented the new policy, 44 employees utilized this benefit. Among these individuals, new mothers accounted for 54.5 percent, while new fathers comprised 45.5 percent.

Conclusion

Addressing the gender imbalance in architecture requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders in the industry. This includes implementing policies that support work-life balance, such as parental leave and flexible work arrangements, creating more opportunities for women to advance into leadership positions.

At MGS, we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. We support all employees, especially working parents, with flexible leave policies and adaptable work-from-home options. These measures help our team balance personal and professional responsibilities, creating a more productive workplace for all.

By taking these steps, the architecture industry can create a more equitable and inclusive environment for women, which will ultimately benefit the profession as a whole.

Was this insightful? Give a thumbs up or post a comment.

For more of our blogs, check out https://mgsglobalgroup.com/blog/.