Congratulations Peter Lee
Property Council member Peter Lee from HASSELL was awarded the 2015 Architects Board of WA Award on Wednesday 2 December at a ceremony attended by many members of the Architectural profession including 70 new architects receiving their registration certificates.
The award was presented by the Chairman of the Architects Board of Western Australia, Dr John Taylor, who said: “Peter’s contribution to our built environment, his professional conduct and commitment to using his skills to support the next generation of architects in an educational capacity, as well as volunteering to provide much needed help for our city’s homeless’ is simply outstanding.
“He really does exemplify the very best of the architectural profession – over and above his professional obligations. We are delighted to recognise this with the 2015 Architects Board Award.”
Peter Lee was singled out for the award due to the significant contribution he has made to the architectural profession throughout his career – going above and beyond meeting his expected professional and career obligations.
Peter is a member of the Property Councils Women and Diversity committee and he used his acceptance speech to highlight the work of this committee, The Property Councils Women in Property mentoring project, the continuing loss of senior women from the architectural profession and the importance of the Institute of Architects and the profession in general talking up the challenge in a much more aggressive way.
Peter commented in his speech that;
- The loss of women from the profession, particularly after they have children which seems to be a turning point in many women’s careers. We have % female graduates but about only 15% in senior roles – it is a huge loss of talent that we need to do something about. I’ve seen first hand the strength of women in industry, through my board positions on FORM, Foundation Housing and Open House Perth and as a Trustee at CEDA, and a committee member at Committee for Perth – all organisations run brilliantly by women.
- Our profession losing so many capable people is such a disgrace.
- My support for diversity is based on well founded commerce. Experience from the Scandinavian model which mandates 40% women board members shows that companies with boards with 40% or more women members and diverse leadership make less mistakes and outperform other companies in all industries.
- At HASSELL we have Architects, Landscape Architects, Interior Designers and Planners and the attrition rate amongst women Architects is much higher than the rest and usually occurs once the women have children.
- We think that part of the difference is to do with the ridiculous demands that builders, developers and project managers put on the architectural profession. So we need to do something differently that deals with this dilemma
In an attempt to keep women in the profession and make sure they don’t leave, there are four areas that we have addressed specifically:
1. Leadership
2. What we do when women are on parental leave
3. What we do when they return to work
4. Other policies to support their careers
We hope these changes will retain more senior women, make their work life more enjoyable and in turn improve how our organisation functions.
In the interest of encouraging the whole profession to make change in this area I am happy to share some of our ideas.
1. Leadership
- Diversity is a standing agenda item at the Board level
- Our CEO is participating at the industry level in the AIA Champions of Change program with other design firm CEOs
- Locally I am on the Property Council’s Women and Diversity Committee
- Brenden Kelly and I are involved with the Property Council’s mentoring women in the property industry and we have young women being mentored in that program as well as other mentoring programs
2. Whilst on Parental Leave
- We have a keep in touch program where team members are invited into training sessions, key meetings and consulted with whilst they are on parental leave so they are, kept up to date with what’s happening
- They are offered the opportunity for an annual review
- Team members are considered for promotion and consulted with their career development and there are examples of promotions occurring whilst on parental leave
- If team members have a laptop/ phone they retain these during their period of parental leave
- Team members on parental leave are reviewed as part of our annual salary review process
3. When returning to work
- We have a Paid Parenting Allowance to help with child care costs for the first year back
- A graduated return to work program
- Allocation of laptop to part timers
- Access to specific and flexible work practices
- We print part time team members working hours on business cards
4. Other policies that support their careers
- Salary audit – we continually undertake gender salary audit to identify any issues or inconsistencies
- Focus on ensuring high potential / high performing team members have both internal and external mentors to support their careers
- Ensuring that our senior team member know our high potential / high performing team members so that they can find ‘sponsors’
- All jobs at HASSELL can be part time or job share
- We are introducing gender diverse panels for interviews
- The Women in Property mentoring program – we have 2 young women undertaking the program and 2 of us mentoring and have 2 more next year. It’s been a real focus for me seeing the issues facing my mentee
- Unconscious bias training programs are being rolled out
These initiatives are starting to work and I would encourage the institute and the profession to take up the challenge in a much more aggressive way and make real change – the loss of talent is a disgrace.