Dive Brief:

• The American Institute of Architects San Francisco Equity by Design committee released select findings from its 2016 Equity in Architecture Survey and found that women and minorities do not have equitable representation in the profession's leadership roles, according to Architect Magazine.
• The survey also found that women are not paid as much as men, with women earning only 76% of what their male counterparts made, even those in lead design positions.
• Although many of the survey results were split along gender lines, the report made it clear that gender was not the only deciding factor of success. Work and mentor-mentee relationships, feedback, a transparent promotion process and shared values were also factors.

Dive Insight:

The survey found that firm culture — social activities, quality standards, educational opportunities, company reputation — was the biggest factor in accepting a job, while pay, career opportunity and no potential for advancement were the main reasons for leaving a job. Mentor relationships were more common among women, who cited those collaborations as a reason for optimism in their careers and views on work-life balance.

Earlier this year, the AIA released the results of a 2015 study on diversity and found that women believe there is gender inequality in architecture but only half of men hold that same view. Both men and women responded that they believe there is a lack of diversity concerning people of color and said that new initiatives could bring a wider variety of professionals into the industry.

Some experts have cited the ongoing labor shortage as a motivating factor that is getting AEC industry executives to take notice of the lack of diversity and, possibly, take steps to improve it. With retention problems exacerbating the current dearth of qualified laborers and professionals, construction companies are being forced to re-examine their policies and find ways to both recruit experienced workers and keep them.