Authors: Alex Kosloski, PE, SE, Associate | Project Manager and Alex Blankenship, EIT, Project Engineer
Why Perspectives Strengthen Engineering Teams
A company culture that includes a variety of viewpoints from different backgrounds drives innovation by bringing a wider range of perspectives to technical problem-solving and decision-making. Engineering teams with multiple perspectives are better equipped to anticipate challenges, understand customer needs, and deliver more accessible and effective solutions.
Additionally, this culture leads to higher employee satisfaction, strengthens a firm’s reputation, and expands access to top talent. In a rapidly evolving industry, fostering diverse ways of thinking isn’t just good for culture–it is a strategic necessity to stay innovative and resilient.
The Engineering Talent Gap: Industry Challenges in Structural Engineering
The demand for qualified employees continues to rise due to an ongoing engineering talent shortage. This means it is becoming increasingly more difficult to recruit qualified candidates. Studies on the demographic makeup of the structural engineering community conducted by entities such as Structure Magazine, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), National Council of Structural Engineers Association (NCSEA), and Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity (SE3) group all highlight that structural engineering in the US continues to show demographic disparities.
For firms, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: expanding recruitment to new talent pools not only fills critical roles, but also brings fresh perspectives to teams, fueling stronger solutions and broader innovation.
PES’s Commitment to Engineering Culture and Growth
At PES, we recognize that a balanced mix of decision-making voices is foundational to achieving sustainable growth and fostering innovation. Our Culture and Engagement Committee is focused on continuously enhancing our employee experience and ensuring that our team includes a broad range of perspectives.
PES nurtures collaboration and empowerment on our project teams by:
- Fostering a culture where team members feel empowered and confident in sharing ideas
- Offering mentorship initiatives that support engineering career growth and development, connecting employees across varied experience levels and backgrounds
- Celebrating cultural milestones and hosting inclusive team events for all members of the firm to enjoy.
- Providing engineers with opportunities to work on a wide variety of project types, broadening exposure to diverse client needs, and architectural teams.
These efforts ensure PES remains a workplace where our engineering workforce thrives and brings fresh perspectives to every project.
Voices from the Team: What a Strong Culture Looks Like at PES
“I have always felt my voice [is] valued and heard even as a young engineer in the company. Inclusion at PES is closely linked to one of our core values, ‘Win as a Team’. Because nobody works in a bubble at PES, everyone has a great opportunity to discuss, learn, grow, and be actively involved in not only project decisions but general PES operations. Our leadership team has always been very transparent concerning company operations and project decisions, which can be rare in a business environment.” – Will
“Hoo-hoo! Inclusiveness in the workplace is like building a strong structure — every beam, bolt, and brace has a role to play. It means making sure everyone, no matter their background or blueprint, feels welcome, respected, and valued for who they are. When all parts work together, the whole design stands stronger — just like a great team!” – Calcy the Owl
“At PES, inclusion looks like a sense of belonging. The culture at PES is so warm and inviting that it truly feels like we are all family! Consequently, this curates a safe space where everyone is working towards one goal, becoming outstanding engineers dedicated to serve our community!” – Cornelius
How Engineering Team Culture Drives Better Client Outcomes
A strong company culture drives better results for clients by bringing a broader range of perspectives, experiences, and problem-solving approaches to the table. This diversity leads to more innovative and effective design solutions, especially when approaching complex or unconventional projects. Teams with diverse perspectives are also proven more likely to identify design risks, optimize for constructability, and incorporate inclusive design practices that cater to the needs of varied end users. When engineering teams are reflective of the communities they serve, communication becomes more intuitive and collaboration is more seamless. By embedding empowerment in structural engineering practices, PES ensures that every project benefits from a wide range of perspectives.
The Result: Enhanced client trust, clearer stakeholder alignment, and improved responsiveness across every phase of the project lifecycle.
Looking Ahead: Creating a Better Future in Engineering
As PES looks ahead, we are committed to creating a stronger future by continuing our ongoing culture and engagement committee work, and implementing intentional, sustainable actions across recruitment, culture, leadership, and community engagement.
These actions include, but are not limited to:
- Expanding outreach and recruitment to strengthen the engineering talent pipeline.
- Continuing to build an workplace culture that celebrates all walks of life.
- Supporting engineering career growth opportunities across all levels.
- Educating our employees and clients on how a broad mix of perspectives leads to stronger solutions.
- Designing resilient structures with the communities we serve in mind.
At PES, we believe that creating a culture that designs, leads, collaborates, and serves with all company voices represented. These values are embedded into the foundation of our company.