2023 was an exciting year for our workplace culture; it was the first in which more than 50% of all new hires were women, and 48% of new hires in the U.S. were nonwhite. These figures surpass the AEC industry averages of 36% and 31%, respectively, according to the Environmental Financial Consulting Group (EFCG) benchmarking survey. We also improved our already industry-leading employee-retention rate, lowering attrition for the third year in a row.
New & Expanded Benefits
Our benefits program continues to evolve to promote diversity, with the goal of making our firm a great place to work, according to a variety of metrics. A valuable shift in our medical benefits took place this year: we switched from two benefit tiers – one for individuals and one for families – to providing options that cover all types of families, beyond the traditional nuclear structure.
We began offering expanded mental health programs through our health insurance provider, Cigna, including an additional year of membership in the mindfulness and meditation app Headspace. Our hearing-aid benefit, which previously only covered a one-time purchase, grew to allow one every two years. And after the U.S. Internal Revenue Service suspended its exclusion of bicycle-commuting reimbursements from employee income, we opted to sponsor the benefit and continue to help pay these expenses.
In 2023, 16 women and 42 men took advantage of our paid family-caregiver leave. And our reimbursement program for gym memberships and fitness classes was used by 289 U.S. employees.
Employee Wellness
Our wellness offerings in 2023 ranged from financial-health seminars to our popular (with 41% participation) Wellness Challenge, a multiweek event in which offices compete against each other for prizes. Employees accessed Cigna’s diverse health resources and counted their steps using our group membership in the Walkingspree fitness app. In our large offices, wellness fairs featured health seminars and free massages, and healthy snacks were distributed in all our U.S. locations.
Of the 21 offices that received funds from our annual corporate responsibility grants program, 13 engaged in local wellness events. The program, which is now in its 11th year, allows offices to apply for a variety of locally appropriate activities. In 2023, these included structured fitness activities in our offices in Australia and India, as well as in wellness activities in our Houston office.
Cybersecurity
Employee peace of mind and job satisfaction are, to some degree, dependent on a workplace that is safeguarded against computer scams and cybersecurity attacks. In 2023, we expanded our cybersecurity awareness program for all staff by hiring a world-class training firm, supplementing it with internally developed content, offering an employee discount for password vault programs and establishing stringent criteria for secure computing in many of the countries where we operate.
2023 Wellness Challenge
Twenty-nine offices participated in our 2023 Wellness Challenge. Points were awarded for activities like drinking enough water daily, bringing in homemade meals and taking a workday walk. The challenge also brought co-workers together for volunteering, group fitness activities and office lunches.
With 92% participation, Pune, India (pictured above), was the medium-large office winner, while Houston and Philadelphia tied to win in the small-office category, with over 80% participation.
This challenge promotes healthy workday habits by offering opportunities for wellness at work and office comradery. Alan Kanybek, a senior engineer in our Philadelphia office, says, “These activities not only revitalized us professionally, but also strengthened our bonds as colleagues. Wellness is no longer just a trend for us; it’s a commitment to a balanced work-life equation.”