The Business of Architecture*

For decades people have been hired on the basis of cultural fit, but sameness is not a strength when it comes to the workplace. HR specialist Merilyn Speiser highlights that savvy employers aim for cultural add rather than cultural fit, allowing practice culture to stretch and grow.

The traditional concept of leadership is evolving. Increasingly, professionals are moving away from conventional management roles to prioritise flexibility, autonomy, and more purpose-driven careers. Recruitment specialist Anna Roussos explores the trend and offers practices tips on how to adapt.

In late 2024, the federal government gave Australia’s privacy laws their biggest overhaul in decades. If you’re a practice owner, manager or HR professional, you need to be across the changes now, or face the possibility of legal or reputational risk, writes Merilyn Speiser from Catalina Consultants.

HR professionals and practice managers play a crucial role in the business, but too often their time is consumed by repetitive, manual tasks. By leveraging AI, businesses can free up these key people to focus on what truly matters – strategy, building great workplaces and supporting teams. The ACA’s HR advisor, Merilyn Speiser from Catalina Consultants, offers some useful tips on streamlining HR processes with AI.

How do I manage the under-performance of one of my employees if they seem disengaged and are not meeting the requirements of their job? The ACA’s HR advisor Catalina Consultants offers ACA members a range of options in managing under-performance, from informal first steps to a more formal approach, including the use of Performance Improvement Plans.

In today’s competitive job market, retaining top talent is essential for organisational success. Anna Roussos discusses key strategies to ensure your best employees stay motivated, engaged and committed for the long haul.

As we approach the end of the financial year, employers and employees need to be cognisant of salary trends in an ever-evolving market. Anna Roussos, founder of Adelaide-based recruitment company ROUSSOS, discusses her observations of recent salary fluctuations within the architecture industry.

Small, cost-free workplace adjustments can make an enormous difference to staff with invisible disabilities, with a flow-on effect for everyone in the business. Ainsley Ryan shares some of the adjustments she has requested and implemented at work to ensure she can thrive in the workplace.

Given the recent Right to Disconnect legislation, what adjustments would you recommend we make in our practice to ensure compliance with the new rules? The ACA’s HR advisor Catalina Consultants outlines what the new rules mean for employers and some practical measures to aid in the promotion of a healthy work-life balance while still safeguarding productivity.

From AI to hybrid work to legislative reform, 2023 was a big year in the world of HR. Merilyn Speiser from Catalina Consultants looks back at the six trends that defined the year from an HR perspective.

On 28 September 2023, the SA Practice Managers Lunch featured Anna Roussos from ROUSSOS Recruitment, who presented the topic, Understanding Today’s Top Talent: What They Seek and the Future of Architecture Jobs in 2023. Anna has shared the following summary of her insights.

Hybrid work isn’t just a trend – it’s becoming the new norm. But offices still matter, especially when it comes to collaboration, writes HR specialist Merilyn Speiser.

What motivates candidates when pursuing roles? What are the key things they are looking for in a practice? Anna Roussos from ROUSSOS Recruitment outlines some of the recent shifts in the employment landscape.

Finding skilled, capable, and motivated staff has become an increasing challenge for Australian businesses, with the labour market at its tightest since the 1970s. What are the push and pull factors for candidates who have the pick of the market? Macquarie Bank shares how business leaders are winning the hearts and minds of great recruits.

In 2023, talent attraction and retention promise to be ongoing challenges for Australian architecture. So, how do you hold on to the amazing talent you’ve got? Deltek outlines the benefits of conducting regular staff retention interviews and offers tips on how to conduct them.

Employee engagement surveys are becoming one of the most important leadership tools, having positive impacts on internal communication, problem solving and staff retention.

Our wonderful sponsor, Anna Roussos from Roussos Recruitment, offers a roundup of the Adelaide architectural employment market – a market with a challenging talent shortfall and an industry that is likely to remain buoyant in 2022.

Architecture and engineering firms across the Asia Pacific describe the business challenges they are currently facing and how they are planning to overcome them.

This year has been one of the toughest periods for sourcing talent in the Australian construction industry. Recruitment specialist Anna Roussos offers some timely tips for attracting and securing candidates.

Recruiting the right people and then managing them well is essential to the success of your practice. Merilyn Speiser offers a guide to getting the HR fundamentals right.

How do you build a strong HR policy without impacting on the culture of your practice? Merilyn Speiser provides a brief guide on implementing change as seamlessly as possible.

Providing support and easing the transition for an employee returning to work makes good business sense, argues Jennekin Dicks.

An employee usually won’t succeed in an unfair dismissal or bullying claim if the conduct of their employer is considered ‘reasonable management action’. But what does that term mean? Merilyn Speiser from Catalina Consultants investigates.

Nurturing a company culture of opportunity and challenge, support and appreciation is not just about giving you a warm fuzzy feeling - it can increase your bottom line. Rena Klein makes the case.

Retaining high performing employees and managing performance have major business benefits. Peta Tumpey and Katie Simon of TressCox Lawyers provide a guide.

With the release of the new ACA HR Policy Templates, we outline the benefits of having policy in place for practices of all sizes.

A new guide for small business from the Fair Work Ombudsman.

How do you make performance reviews productive for both the business and the employee?