Firm staffing during stagnant business conditions

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/press-releases\/6660434-aiadeltek-architecture-billings-index-sees","target","_blank"]]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"In\nJuly\u2019s AIA\/Deltek "],[0,[0],1,"Architecture Billings Index"],[0,[],0," (ABI), firm leaders were asked if\nthey felt over- or under- staffed after an extended period of weak billings.\nAIA\u2019s Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, breaks down the responses as\nnearly half of all firm leaders report imbalance in their current staffing\nsituations."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"After\nnearly one year of stable billings, Baker believes there is no clear path\nfor when an uptick in work may return to the industry or when staffing issues\nwithin firms will be considered satisfactory. While more than half (53%) of\nfirms report an appropriate number of architects on staff, almost 40% of firms\nreport the need for more architectural staff. On average, firms considered\nunder-staffed have more than a quarter of needed architecture positions\nunfilled. Likewise, the low number (7.1%) of firms indicating they have an\nexcess of staff still consider employee issues problematic because on average,\nover-staffed firms have 16% more architecture positions than needed."]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cStaffing\nstill seems to be a big issue with firms,\u201d said Baker. \u201cEven in what has been a\nperiod of unusual stability in billings activity.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The\nmarket and a slow economy \u2013 not a staffing disruption \u2013 is to blame for the\nflat workloads."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe\nslowdown we\u2019ve seen in the economy has very clearly hit architecture firms,\u201d\nsaid Baker. \u201cIt\u2019s interest rates, number one; related to that, number two, is\ninflation and availability of building materials; and number three is weakening\nmarket demand, slowing growth of the economy and therefore the need for new\nbuildings.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Baker\nsays during the next six to 12 months, firm leaders should use this slow but\nstable work period to realign staffing with current needs."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cFirms\ndon\u2019t have to anticipate downsizing and likewise shouldn\u2019t feel the need to\nhire for an anticipated surge of activity,\u201d said Baker. \u201cHowever, nothing is\ncertain. The fear among many is, does this period of stability morph into a\ndownturn? I am not sensing any signals that business conditions will shift\ndramatically given the current economic environment, but unforeseen things can\nchange that outlook very quickly.\u201d"]]]]}