黑洞社区

It鈥檚 time to turn the tables. 黑洞社区鈥檚 next generation takeover is all about amplifying the voices that do not always get a platform in the industry. But equally important for these younger people is having the chance to be heard within their own working environments.

For junior staff, being listened to is often key to feeling valued, and an important factor in whether they choose to work at a company and stay there. Also, fresh recruits can be an invaluable source of new ideas 鈥� not least for feedback on how firms can retain their younger employees and attract more in future.

The sector鈥檚 well-reported skills gap is continuing to widen as waves of construction鈥檚 ageing workforce retire and companies say farewell to many workers from elsewhere in the European Union, so it鈥檚 vital that construction finds ways to engage and empower its future leaders.

黑洞社区鈥檚 guest editors felt it was time that the experienced professionals in the industry asked their younger colleagues some questions instead. So that鈥檚 what we arranged. 

What is reverse mentoring?

Reverse mentoring spawned from other mentoring schemes. Popularised by General Electric chairman Jack Welch in the 1990s, who paired 500 senior and junior employees, it is now widely used by some of the largest companies in the world, such as KPMG and Cisco, as well as several in construction 鈥� Mott MacDonald, among others. Broadly, it involves senior members of staff 鈥� potentially at board and executive level 鈥� learning from junior colleagues who may have expertise in other fields, such as new technologies and tools that can advance the business.

But it is not just an opportunity for the older generation to learn about technology from millennials. Reverse mentoring begins to break down barriers that may currently be in place, blocking younger staff from any opportunity to make connections and build a relationship with people in the business they might not normally interact with professionally. Likewise, it鈥檚 a chance for the business to hear fresh ideas.

Typically, a senior member of staff would be paired with a junior colleague and encouraged to meet on a semi-regular basis 鈥� perhaps monthly or quarterly 鈥� with a desire to learn and a level of trust on both sides. 

Fly on the wall

Three members of 黑洞社区鈥檚 graduate panel sat down with a senior figure within their company 鈥� with 黑洞社区 acting as a fly on the wall 鈥� to talk about a range of issues, including what they are looking for in their personal development; what they feel makes them work most effectively; and their contact and connection with senior figures. Those senior figures got a chance to find out more about what attracts young members of staff to the industry and what keeps them there.

鈥淭hese sorts of things help break the boundary of hierarchy and seniority, which I think is really important for a team鈥�

Emily Scoones, Ramboll

Perhaps the most striking outcome from each interview was just how much each senior figure was gleaning from their junior member of staff. Ramboll鈥檚 Alex Lawrence was scribbling down so many ideas to follow up in the immediate aftermath that it was clear the discussion was just the start of many more and perhaps a catalyst for real change.

And for the younger members of staff, fairly new to the industry, the reverse mentoring process itself has already helped to alleviate concerns raised in the discussions. The graduates cited a need to feel empowered and trusted by their managers and leaders within the business, to help them develop and improve their confidence. Asking questions and receiving open, honest answers built that trust and sense of making a difference.

鈥淚 find it difficult to speak to senior people I don鈥檛 know,鈥� says Ramboll鈥檚 Scoones. 鈥淚鈥檓 better at it now, but perhaps that鈥檚 why younger people are more hesitant about speaking out and asking for something. These sorts of things help break the boundary of hierarchy and seniority, which I think is really important for a team. It鈥檚 a great support tool because it鈥檚 an open discussion, rather than just saying that something is wrong.鈥�

Her mentoring partner Lawrence agreed: 鈥淭he industry should be receptive to this 鈥� anything that makes things easier can only be a good thing.鈥�

So what did the junior staff choose to discuss? What did their senior colleagues want to know? Overleaf are four key issues that came up in each conversation.

On communication and confidence

鈥淓ven if it鈥檚 a small thing, being asked to help out on a particular bit of research, being asked what you think 鈥� it can be a real confidence boost.鈥�

Annabel Le Loh茅, WYG

Issues around self-confidence and support were broached fairly early on in conversations.  While graduate professionals in the industry have on their courses generally acquired a depth of knowledge of many aspects of their role, WYG鈥檚 Annabel Le Loh茅 told her mentoring partner, HR director Rich Roberts, that the confidence does not always transfer from academia into the workplace and can need a boost from an employer.

鈥淲hen coming into your first job as a graduate, there鈥檚 a real nervousness,鈥� says Le Loh茅. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e scared, thinking 鈥楢m I doing it right? Do they secretly think I鈥檓 terrible at my job?鈥� Even if you were confident in your area of expertise, what you studied at university, coming into a working environment is so different. Even the most confident of people will feel stressed and anxious about the work they鈥檙e producing.

鈥淓ven if it鈥檚 a small thing, being asked to help out on a particular bit of research, being asked what you think 鈥� it can be a real confidence boost.鈥�

Mace鈥檚 Victoria Caines pointed to the role a strong support network and working environment can play in helping new recruits thrive. 鈥淜nowing you鈥檝e got good management around you really helps to drive your career forward,鈥� she said. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a confidence boost to be given responsibility for work as a graduate 鈥� it might feel like being thrown in the deep end, but the culture of being able to say, if you鈥檙e doing it wrong, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 ok, learn from it, we鈥檙e right behind you鈥�, it鈥檚 a safety net of support. That culture of being supported with without being spoon-fed 鈥� it is a difficult balance.鈥�

Ramboll鈥檚 Emily Scoones gave similar advice to her mentoring partner, regional director Alex Lawrence: 鈥淢ake it ok to fail. If you鈥檝e got a safe environment, you can suggest ideas and go and test them without fear of saying something stupid.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge psychological shift when you realise it鈥檚 ok if things aren鈥檛 going well,鈥� agreed Lawrence.

And it鈥檚 not just in the workplace where support is welcomed.

鈥淟oneliness within the graduate demographic is bigger than you think,鈥� explains Le Loh茅. 鈥淲hen you first come out of university and you find a job, you may move to a new location without any connections or friends there 鈥� that can be incredibly draining.鈥�

Caines also pointed to the importance of job titles in allowing graduates to integrate quickly into the main workforce: 鈥淔or example, I started at Mace as an 鈥榓ssistant鈥�, rather than a 鈥榞raduate鈥� 鈥� you鈥檙e not automatically labelled as just coming out of university.鈥�

Her mentoring partner, COO Mark Holmes agreed: 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 like the idea of 鈥榯rainee鈥� 鈥� you鈥檝e been working hard and gaining a degree for three years.鈥�

The senior partners in the discussions showed interest in gleaning ideas on how best to develop recruits once they鈥檝e started. 鈥淒o you think you need honest open feedback on things?鈥� asked WYG鈥檚 Roberts. 鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 want to be seen to be critical to their team members.鈥�

鈥淢ore frequent, informal feedback is probably more beneficial, rather than being in the middle of a pressurised environment, such as a probation review,鈥� Le Loh茅 said. 鈥淚 think it would be taken so much better as constructive criticism.鈥�

Caines also noted that tone can be very important: 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 say thank you any more. It鈥檚 a little thing, but just adding 鈥減lease鈥� or 鈥渢hank you鈥� in your email goes a long way.鈥�

鈥淎 lot of people stereotype millennials as self-centred鈥�

Victoria Caines, Mace

On motivation and retention

鈥淕raduates here love the challenge of problem solving 鈥� it鈥檚 something that interests them,鈥� says Scoones. 鈥淢oney plays a part in terms of being recognised for doing a good job, but people in engineering aren鈥檛 driven purely by money.鈥�

Mace鈥檚 Caines voiced a similar view: 鈥淎 key thing is the opportunity for learning,鈥� she tells her mentoring partner Holmes. 鈥淎s long as the company is offering these opportunities, and stimulating your mind, I鈥檓 not sure why you鈥檇 look elsewhere for work.鈥�

鈥淕raduates want to be involved,鈥� says Scoones. 鈥淭hey want to be leading their projects in an encouraging environment and to be taken to client meetings and pitches 鈥� they want to be trusted.鈥�

When Lawrence probed about what she learned from a recent client meeting, Scoones said that the experience was invaluable. 鈥淚t was stressful, but it gives you the confidence to be able to speak about what you do and what you add to a project. These soft skills are so important for graduates as they鈥檙e not honed as much in academia.鈥�

Caines says businesses need to take steps to make graduates feel stimulated and valued: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e seeing your role evolving and changing, if you feel you鈥檙e being invested in and that someone is fighting your corner, you鈥檒l stay.鈥�

On 鈥楳illennial鈥� personalities

鈥淎 lot of people stereotype millennials as self-centred,鈥� says Mace鈥檚 Caines. 鈥淚 think those personality traits have always been there, but the platforms to voice those issues have increased and people are able to voice these concerns much easier and more publicly.

鈥淚 feel that perhaps this generation are more willing to adapt to change 鈥� and they can be more ready to challenge senior management to shake things up.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 a real stereotype that we鈥檙e glued to our phones,鈥� says Le Loh茅. 鈥淏ut most of my social media connections are people who I鈥檝e already met in person. We don鈥檛 always want things such as training to be online only.鈥�

On development and training 

At WYG鈥檚, Roberts asked his discussion partner: 鈥淲hat does learning and development look like for you?鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 a combination 鈥� variety is important,鈥� said Le Loh茅. 鈥淪ometimes people are bored of traditional education. Practical sessions, discussions, social activities 鈥� these are more natural learning environments.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 still quite a linear path of progression,鈥� says Ramboll鈥檚 Scoones. 鈥淵ou graduate, work, look to get chartered and specialise in a particular field. What I鈥檇 love to see is the industry showing that you can look in another direction and be rewarded for that.鈥� 

鈥淵ou may want to look at other potential avenues, try out a different specialism. Spending six weeks with another team feels invaluable 鈥� you can understand the other disciplines better, and when you return to your field of work, it helps.鈥�