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Organization/Productivity/Time Management

Discovering and Implementing New Technology in Your Civil Engineering Firm

October 5, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Nick Heim, PE

New TechnologyCivil engineers are designers and builders of everything related to infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, ports, and many others. While construction and maintenance of any asset happens in the physical world, there is a lot of work in the digital world that accompanies it. 

Today, I would like to talk about a few tips to discover and ultimately implement technology in your civil engineering firm. 

Note: For more information and insights related to this blog post, please refer to Episode #1 of the AEC Engineering and Technology (AECTECH) Podcast. 

1. Identifying Technology That Can Make a Difference

[Read more…] about Discovering and Implementing New Technology in Your Civil Engineering Firm

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Implementing New Technology in Your Civil Engineering Firm, Nick Heim, Pitch to Your Company, Technology That Can Make a Difference

How Engineering Firms Can Prevent Client Churn

September 19, 2022 By EMI

Client ChurnClients are arguably the most important aspect of running a successful and healthy engineering firm. What’s even more important is retaining them. Did you know it can be anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive to gain a new customer than to retain an existing one? So, how are you preventing client churn at your firm? On the surface, it can feel like there’s little control a firm can have over what its clients do, but in reality, improving retention starts internally.  

Keep on reading to learn our tips for improving your internal operations to boost client retention at your firm. 
[Read more…] about How Engineering Firms Can Prevent Client Churn

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Client Churn, communication, employee churn, Leanna Michniuk, Resource Allocation

The Five-Day Week Is a Construct, so Why Not a Four-Day Week?

August 29, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Dr. Rae Taylor

Four-Day WeekMaybe I should start by saying that I am all for the four-day workweek/three-day weekend. If that makes it sound like I’m trying to get out of work, I’d like to point out that I have been called a workaholic by three different bosses. In fact, one of those bosses refused my request to go part time because “part time would mean I start working 40 hours a week. And that’s still not right.”

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “Isn’t this the person who just reminded us about the shortage of engineers? And now she wants to let them work less?” Yes, I did just do that, and thank you for reading and remembering, but maybe this new topic could be one step in helping solve that problem. If engineers are retiring early, leaving to change careers, or not entering the workforce at all, then maybe we need to rethink fundamental things like the standard workload.

I’ve been thinking long and hard about this, and it’s a real concern that I think keeps getting overlooked. And frankly, this highlights the relatively shortsighted nature of business. Engineering, no matter the subdiscipline, requires a lengthy training process. I remember sitting through talks at university on how to gain chartership and being a little crushed to think that after all these years of school and exams, I would finally get to go out into the world of work, but would still have to do school and exams for yet another three to … infinity years. If we can’t get engineers trained faster (which we can’t), then we have to try our best to keep the ones we have. We need ways to keep people motivated and productive, and ways to reduce the burnout rate.

four-day week

So from the woman who brought you “Networking Is Hard, but Chatting Is Easy”, we now get “The five-day week is a construct, so why not a four-day week?”

[Read more…] about The Five-Day Week Is a Construct, so Why Not a Four-Day Week?

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Four-Day Week, GDP by hour worked, Networking Is Hard, people are feeling burnout, Rae Taylor

Not Enough Hours in the Day? These Tips Can Help You Out

July 27, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

enough hoursTime. It seems no one has enough of it, even though we all have the same 24/7.

Here I sit on a Friday morning with — get ready for it — free time!

This email came in late yesterday afternoon. “Pam, I hate to do this, but I’ve got to reschedule our call.” I’m glad that client couldn’t hear me cheering. Yes! Scheduled time has been freed! Now what?

If I had my druthers, I’d be out in the sunroom, immersed in a novel I’m reading. Instead, I’m writing this blog because it’s due next week, and I want to get it done now.

If you wrestle to get control of how you spend your time, check out these resources.

50 Questions That Focus on Your Relationship With Time

[Read more…] about Not Enough Hours in the Day? These Tips Can Help You Out

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Does Multitasking Really Work?, Not Enough Hours in the Day, Pamela Scott, Your Relationship With Time

3 Ways to Use Your Calendar to Make the Most Out of Your Workweek

June 20, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jacob Valentien, PE 

Your CalendarDo you feel like you have too much work and a too little week? Does your work sometimes spill into late nights or even weekends? Know that you are not alone and that throughout your career, you will often have to recalibrate your approach to optimize your workload. Obtaining a healthy balance is a very hard thing to obtain.

In one of my previous blog posts, I wrote about different ways to trigger flow state and to enhance productivity in the moment. Triggering the flow state is one thing, but knowing the best times to try to trigger it is probably the most important. Are you most productive in the mornings, after lunch, at the end of the day? It takes some self-awareness along with trial and error to figure this out, but it is important that you do.

This post provides three simple tips to organize your calendar around those flow state moments so that you can get the most out of your workweek.

Tip 1 – Block off Time on Your Calendar to Accomplish Tasks

[Read more…] about 3 Ways to Use Your Calendar to Make the Most Out of Your Workweek

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Block off Time, Calendar, Jacob Valentien, personal life, Workweek

Designing Our Ideal Day to Achieve Greater Success

February 28, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Peter C. Atherton, P.E.

ideal dayThe number one reason most often expressed to me in strategic planning and team development work for not taking advantage of new opportunities is a “lack of time.”  

A lack of time (and inability to effectively manage time) is not only holding many of us back from taking advantage of new opportunities, it’s hurting us individually and organizationally.  

Managing our time and energy has — and always will — be critical to our success in almost all aspects of our lives. If we want to lead ourselves and others forward, especially today, we need to proactively “change the game” and establish a new model for better time management.  

We have the power right now to better manage our time, and as leaders and managers, a “lack of time” can no longer be an excuse for not doing what needs to be done or not investing in what needs to be invested in, because:

  1. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, and we make time for what we value or what we are “valuing.”  
  2. In the eyes of top talent and clients, constantly being busy and consumed is not a “badge of honor.” In fact, it’s become a “red flag.”
  3. Asking ourselves and most others to just put in more time is untenable.  

So, how can you begin to solve the “lack of time” problem? Learning how to design your ideal day and then aligning it with others is a great place to start. I recommend five key steps in designing your ideal day.

[Read more…] about Designing Our Ideal Day to Achieve Greater Success

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Account for Your Time, Achieve Greater Success, achieve success, Align with Your Team, Defragment Your Days, Greater Success, Ideal Day, Iterate & Fine-Tune, making time for what we value, Peter C. Atherton, Recognize the Chaos, Spontaneity & Administration, Time Blocking & Prioritization, work-life planning

Trends & Predictions for Professional Services Firms in 2022 (From a CEO)

January 17, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Leanna Michniuk from BigTime Software

Professional ServicesWhether we can believe it or not, 2022 is here. What does this mean for people and firms in the professional services industry? If it’s anything like the past two years, we can expect … well, the unexpected.

Using what he’s learned and experienced firsthand throughout his career and leading a company through a pandemic, Brian Saunders, CEO of BigTime Software, sat down to share his predictions for the new year with one key theme in mind — preparation.

Keep on reading to get an inside look into what Brian foresees in the upcoming year and his advice for making it a successful one.

[Read more…] about Trends & Predictions for Professional Services Firms in 2022 (From a CEO)

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: BigTime Software, Brian Saunders, Converting to Cloud-Based Software, Firms in 2022, generation of consultants, Hybrid Offices, Leanna Michniuk, On-Premise Software, Operational Management Software, paused growth, professional services, Professional Services Firms, recruiting people, Remote Working Environment, rush to staffing, train staff properly, Trends & Predictions

The Ways Technology Maintains Productivity of Teams That Work Remotely

September 24, 2021 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Brian T.

TechnologyWondering how advanced technology can assist businesses in making their teams productive? In this article, I will discuss several ways how technology has already optimized the work of remote employees! 

Last year, businesses witnessed a fundamental transformation of the traditional office due to the havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in a kind of “remote-work economy,” which is presumably to be a foundation even after the pandemic is long since passed. 

The above-mentioned became a new issue for businesses as well as staff because remote work has become a common practice. However, the growing access of super-fast internet, side-by-side with the development of cloud computing, has enriched present businesses with the infrastructure that is necessary to promptly adjust to multiple remote work challenges. 

As a result, according to Statista, small and medium-sized enterprises are expected to invest more than $100 billion on teamwork tools, cloud-based apps, cybersecurity platforms, and many other remote digital services during 2021-2023. Online business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces like Engre are also gaining momentum. This innovative technology has turned out to be an integral part of business daily routines. Offices, educational establishments, and even hospitals count on contemporary tech to guarantee that business processes function as usual. 

Nowadays, people are free to work from anywhere, partner with each other seamlessly, optimize client care, and gain new skills and competencies online. Let’s explore how technology maintains the productivity of employees who work remotely. 

Technology Reconsiders Remote Work Culture 

[Read more…] about The Ways Technology Maintains Productivity of Teams That Work Remotely

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Autonomy, Business Operations, Collaboration and Communication, community, Innovative Tools, Location Restrictions, Productivity, professional development, Remote Work Culture, Staff Accountability, Technology Maintains Productivity, Work Remotely, Worldwide Talent Pool

How To Write SMART Goals, Courtesy of a Moose

January 11, 2021 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

SMART GoalsSeveral years ago, we took a family vacation to Maine. Being a savvy professional, I set official goals for the trip. I wrote them down, of course. Goals aren’t real unless you write them down.

I shared my written goals with a peer group. I even wrote them down in the visitors’ registration book at a Maine information center.

“Goals for Maine trip: to get a green tourmaline ring and to see a moose.”

Before I tell you what happened, let’s look at how to set goals using the SMART method, a tried-and-true model for goal setting. And very fitting for this time of year.

SMART goals

Identify Your SMART Goals

[Read more…] about How To Write SMART Goals, Courtesy of a Moose

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: Attainable, goal setting, goal setting for engineers, Measurable, model for goal setting, Pamela A. Scott, quantify your goals, Realistic, Set SMART goals, SMART acronym, SMART method, Specific, Timely, Write SMART Goals, written goals

How to Discover Your Work Style and Personal Value

September 28, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Kyle K. Cheerangie, P.E.

work styleEngineering requires deep and focused thought. There are two primary engineering positions: the Engineer and the Engineering Manager. Each requires a unique work style.

The main performance environment of the Engineer is at their desk in solitude. Engineers, the technical staff, typically require silence in order to focus on their work. The main performance environment of the Engineering Manager is in the group. Engineering Managers, the group leaders, must thrive in leading a group to accomplish the work.

Although their working environments and work types are different, each professional must understand their personal work style.

There Are Several Factors That Make up Your Personal Work Style:

[Read more…] about How to Discover Your Work Style and Personal Value

Filed Under: Blog, Organization/Productivity/Time Management Tagged With: engineer, Engineering Manager, Feedback Analysis, Fixed Size Workplace, group leaders, Kyle K. Cheerangie, leading a group, Personal Liberty Workplace, Personal Track Records, Personal Value, Personal Values, personal work style, structured environment, Top-Performing Engineer, Work Style, Worker Bee Workplace, working environments

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