Advice to Grow an Architecture Firm
- Written by Rebecca Lee
Having an architecture firm is great, but if you want to grow it into a true powerhouse, it is not an easy thing to do. You might have some of the best architects in the world working for you but that might not even be enough. As with any type of business it must be run properly. From top to bottom everything must be aligned to be able to have a company run successfully. In this article we will have a look at some of the things that can help you grow your architecture firm.
Set goals
Now this is usually done by the owner of the firm or by some of the firm’s partners. The goals that are set can be different from one firm to another. Some will want to revolutionise their industry by doing things that are a bit outside the box, while others will want to manage smaller projects and just plod along. When the time comes to setting the firm goals, the office will oversee making it happen and all the employees need to be on the same page. The goals that the firm sets will lay the groundwork for the approach to progress that will be at the forefront of the firms’ values. Some of the things that will be mentioned in this article can also help you out if you want to change your bedroom too, along with getting the best mattress possible, visit Sleepify to find the best one for your needs.
To be the best you must attract the best
This goes without saying, if you want to have great growth in your firm, it will come down to the employees the company has. If you want your firm to become one of the best, then having great employees is paramount to its success. Having good people in your firm will help create that philosophy. Now the employees that are highly regarded at the firm will have the best chance to follow through on this, based on the fact that they can be trusted to work by themselves, are always willing to learn and are always in a position to contribute to the company in many different ways.
When it comes to working on projects, it is a good idea to space them out so that everyone in the firm can be working on a little bit at a time and also because everyone wants to work on something exciting, so give them the chance to do so. As any boss can attest to, the best employees are the ones that are well respected in the company, go beyond the needed guidelines and know that they are a valuable member of the firm. After all it is a business and if your firm has people that are not pulling their weight and not meeting the objectives then they should be let go and get people who will.
Have regular team discussions
Most of the projects that the best architecture firms have, last a reasonable amount of time and people missing the little details is something that does happen on the odd occasion. That is why having regular get-together as a team is important so you can go over everything and make sure people are on track for their goals and to see how the company’s goals are coming along. For example, establish a workflow that integrates 3D architectural visualization into their design process, allowing them to create accurate and realistic representations of their designs for clients and stakeholders.
Usually during the meetings, the goals are discussed and if employees are doing their jobs properly then this could be the time for some good feedback to increase morale.
Most or nearly all the great firms have the opportunity for people in the company to get promoted and eventually to become a partner of the firm. There are usually great enticements to the highly regarded employees in the firm. Some of the high-level employees can act as a point of reference to others and can act as their teacher in some cases. By doing this it can create a great base for all employees to become successful.
Do not let employees become overloaded with work
This is a basic thing to be aware of, not just for an architecture firm but any business. If one person has a high volume of work to do, then this can be when projects can go downhill. Sometimes because of the amount of work, the smaller details are often missed, and it is something that firms do not want to be known for. So, keep an eye of the work volume for all the employees.
