by Eva Read-Warden, AIA, Principal-In-Charge, Arkitex Studio
Intro
Small and small-mid-size firm owners wear many hats and often struggle to find the time to develop a plan for acclimating new employees. Many of us wish people could walk into our offices and immediately be productive, but this is not realistic! Let’s look at onboarding of recent graduates; though most of the concepts, if not the specifics, could apply to any new employee.
Onboarding is more than showing people where to find supplies, learning how to fill out a timesheet, or training on BIM software. Onboarding merges new employees into your firm's culture and provides them with the foundation for success in your firm and throughout their careers. Does this require valuable time? Of course. Is it beneficial? It most definitely is. Your investment in the newest, greenest employee will not only benefit the employee but will benefit your firm and the profession.
So how do you develop an onboarding process?
Set expectations for everyone.
Everyone in a small office plays a role in onboarding, but project managers are particularly important. Initial steps are the responsibility of firm and human resource leaders, but the people who have day-to-day contact with new employees on projects also bear significant responsibility. Because of their role in day-to-day staff interactions, project managers are critical to learning and building initial relationships. It is also important that project managers learn to give honest yet kind and timely feedback. Without this, learning and advancement will suffer. Provide guidance and set expectations for your project managers.
Project manager's involvement with new employees is critical to their success.
Create a first day and 1st week agenda.
The first day and first week agendas are critical. This should include interactions with the office manager, principals, project managers, and business development /marketing personnel. These early days will set the tone for the rest of the new hire’s first 90 days. Besides the role of the project managers already discussed, others are important to this process.
- Office manager: Sets expectations for the new employee’s role in the office function as a whole and explains why seemingly mundane and tedious tasks, such as timely timesheets, are important to the business of practice.
- Principals: Time with firm leadership during these early days shows a new employee they are important.
- Business development/marketing: Early understanding of the importance of business development and marketing will make employees more aware of everyone’s role in client relationships and getting new work.
New employees feel recognized and important when a firm leader engages in their onboarding process.
Develop a timeline for the first 90 days.
That first week will be gone in a flash, so make a plan for the weeks to come. Set goals, determine learning activities beyond project tasks, and provide guidance in AXP to encourage emerging professionals to gain licensure. Intentionally define your early goals and their path to success.
Set goals for each period
These may be both conceptual and specific. Here are examples for the 10-, 30-, 60- and 90-day marks.
- Days 1-10: Complete HR paperwork; complete IT orientation; begin software training; get to know fellow employees; become familiar with the office’s core values, vision, mission, and goals; absorb company culture; enroll in NCARB’s Architectural Experience Program (AXP) if not already enrolled.
- Days 11-30: Gain deeper understanding of the office’s values/ strategic goals; continue to understand the new employee’s role in the office and on projects; understand core processes and office standards; learn about project phases; understand office and project manager expectations, begin to participate in projects.
- Days 31-60: Become an active member of project teams; understand the importance of checking work; know and understand project standards and processes; become familiar with typical codes and accessibility standards; understand the importance of communication; understand the importance of good project record keeping.
- Days 61-90: By the end of 90 days, be fluent in office culture, processes, and standards; be a fully participating member of project teams; broaden understanding of project services; learn about project delivery methods; understand potential job advancement; set goals for the future.
Set learning activities within and outside of project tasks
The office education of emerging professionals needs to involve learning opportunities both on projects and on topics that their project tasks may not cover. The following are example of activities that may broaden their exposure. (Note: repeated items are intentional to show ongoing importance.)
- Days 1-10: Read Chapter 1 Ethics & Professional Practice from The AIA Handbook of Professional Practice; thoroughly read the office policy manual; participate in dedicated software training; shadow others at client meetings and construction site visits.
- Days 11-30: Read Chapters 2-3 (Diversity, Career Development) from The AIA Handbook of Professional Practice; spend time with project managers to learn more about project expectations; shadow others at client meetings and construction site visits; reference past project documents to learn about design and detailing; review standard office details; software training continues.
- Days 31-60: Read Chapters 6-7 (Marketing, Financial Management) from The AIA Handbook of Professional Practice; meet with Director of Business Development to learn about Arkitex business development/marketing; on-the-job training by working on projects under the tutelage of a project manager; ask questions; review work by printing and redlining own work; understand and use the BIM project template and graphic standards; shadow others at client meetings and construction site visits.
- Days 61-90: Read Chapters 9-10 (Project Delivery, Project Management) and Chapter 15 (Project Definition) from The AIA Handbook of Professional Practice; continue learning by working on projects; shadow others at client meetings and construction site visits; review reading content with AXP supervisor or other knowledgeable staff member.
Encourage participation in AXP.
Make it known that licensed architects in your firm are ready and willing to serve as their AXP supervisor. The onboarding process should encourage new staff to meet with their supervisors regularly within the 90-day timeline and beyond, until they fulfill the experience requirements. It should also encourage them to track their AXP experience credits weekly and review it with their AXP supervisor. This will make reporting the time to NCARB easier and lessen the likelihood of losing experience time credit for delayed reporting.
Bringing everyone together during the new hire's early days helps them understand the office goals and values
Conclude the 90-day timeline with a 90-day review.
Consider hiring with on a 90-day probationary period. This isn't meant to intimidate new employees, but to give both parties a chance to confirm they are a good fit for each other. At the end of the initial 90 days, conduct a 90-day review to give feedback on how this initial period has gone. This will confirm the employee is aligning with the firm’s core values and is meeting expectations. The employee should be encouraged to provide feedback on how the firm has done in this onboarding process and meeting their expectations for inclusion and learning.
At the end of 90 days, though everyone realizes there is still a lifetime of learning ahead, we hope to have established a foundation and tone that promotes alignment with firm values, continual learning, and success for both the employee and the firm.
Group design activities can help a new hire feel a part of the office.
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Eva Read-Warden, AIA, is a firm, project, and professional leader. During her 28-year tenure with Arkitex Studio in Bryan-College Station, Texas, Eva has designed and managed commercial, higher-education, and faith-based projects. She has a particular passion for projects that serve the community and for historic buildings and places. In addition to her role as a Principal, she leads business operations for the firm. After serving in several volunteer roles for the Texas Society of Architects, Eva served as President in 2022. In 2024, Eva was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners for years 2024-2028.
(Return to the cover of the April 2025 PM Digest)