Whether we’re in the midst of an economic downturn, feeling the squeeze of a tight labor market, or juggling the values of different generations, one thing remains the same – if you want to attract and retain top talent, you need to invest in cultivating a culture of employee engagement and growth that champions the advancement of the firm’s goals while making a specific positive social impact.

Beating the competition for the talent you need means more than great projects, perks, pay, and stability. True engagement, the kind that the best A/E/C contributors seek, centers on systems and supervisors that help employees make a strategic and effective social impact, enhancing both their own and their employer’s brands. A firm’s social impact strategy also addresses a cross-generational desire for more meaningful work and connections both inside and outside of the office.

Despite convincing data that well-designed social impact programs have a high return on investment, barriers still exist for many leaders and organizations. Understanding work-life seasons and ongoing demographic and societal shifts are key to eliminating these internal barriers and making your firm highly attractive to the candidates you need to hire, the talent you need to retain, and the clients you want to serve. Join Peter Atherton to look at both the data and ways to overcome those barriers, as well as:

• Why most A/E/C firms struggle with employee engagement
• How effective social impact fits within both traditional and new era A/E/C firm growth models
• How to make performance-based employee engagement and social impact initiatives work in tandem
• The four archetypes A/E/C firms can model: “shareholder maximizers”, “corporate contributors”, “impact integrators”, and “social innovators”
• Principles and practices for asset-based community development
• The 5-step IMPACT process that leaders and organizations can use to differentiate themselves: Inventory, Mission, Plan, Authenticity, Capacity, and Trigger

Presenter: Peter C. Atherton, P.E., President and Founder, ActionsProve LLC