Work-life balance in the Australian and New Zealand surveying profession

This paper aims to establish and illustrate the levels of awareness of work-life balance policies within the surveying profession in Australia and New Zealand. The culture and characteristics of the Australian and New Zealand work force are to be identified. The key aspects included in work-life balance policies are to be illustrated and the perceived benefits for the surveying profession are to be noted. The paper seeks to posit that it is vital to comprehend the levels of awareness of work-life balance issues within the surveying profession first, so that benchmarking may occur over time within the profession and second, that comparisons may be drawn with other professions.
Design/methodology/approach – There is a growing body of research into work-life balance and the built environment professions. Using a questionnaire survey of the whole RICS qualified surveying profession in Australia and New Zealand, this paper identifies the awareness of work-life balance benefits within the surveying profession.
Findings – This research provides evidence that awareness of the issues and options is unevenly spread amongst professional surveyors in the region. With shortages of professionals and an active economy the pressures on existing employees looks set to rise and therefore this is an area which needs to be benchmarked and revisited with a view to adopting best practice throughout the sector. The implications are that employers ignore work-life balance issues at their peril.
Practical implications – There is much to be learned from an increased understanding of work-life balance issues for professionals in the surveying discipline. The consequences of an imbalance between work and personal or family life is emotional exhaustion, cynicism and burnout. The consequences for employers or surveying firms are reduced effectiveness and profitability and increased employee turnover or churn.
Originality/value – Leading on from Ellison's UK surveying profession study and Lingard and Francis's Australian civil engineering and construction industry studies, this paper seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of adopting work-life balance policies within surveying firms and to establish benchmarks of awareness within the Australian and New Zealand surveying profession.

The employers' perspective of the impact of RICS education reform on building surveying

Purpose: This paper seeks to present the second part of research funded by the RICS Education Trust to investigate the impact of the 2001 education reforms on Building Surveying. The first part of the research involved the collection of data from university course leaders.

Design/methodology/approach: This research involved the collection of data from large national, mainly London-based, employers of building surveyors at a focus group meeting.

Findings: The paper finds that issues of concern to these employers include the extent of construction technology knowledge of graduates, the delivery of contract administration, the placement year, post-graduate conversion courses and the high referral rate for the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Recommendations include advice to universities on the design of building surveying undergraduate and conversion courses, a call for further research on the high APC referral rate, and greater liaison between industry and universities.

Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of the research is that the employers from whom data were collected were mainly large, national firms. Further research would be required to elicit the views of smaller regional organisations.

Practical implications: Both parts of this RICS Education Trust funded research provides a foundation for the Building Surveying Faculty of the RICS to complete their review of the education and training of building surveyors.

Originality/value: The research provides useful data on the impact of RICS education reform on building surveying, but mainly large, national firms.

The impact of RICS education reform on building surveying

Purpose – It is of major concern to the surveying profession that the seven years between 1994 and 2001 witnessed a decline in the numbers of UK student surveyors of nearly 50 per cent. This was significant, especially when considered in the context of rising student numbers overall. The RICS decided to implement an education policy with the aim of increasing graduate quality. Changes were introduced in UK universities from September 2001. A number of universities saw their professionally accredited courses withdrawn as the RICS imposed  academic entry standards and research output based on the UK Government's Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) criteria on which to base their “partnership” relationships. Figures released by the RICS in 2003 indicated that surveying student numbers increased by 17 per cent in all areas except building surveying, where they fell by just under 25 per cent to 445 in 2001. The paper seeks to answer a number of questions. Why were building surveying courses failing to recruit students whereas other surveying courses have increased their numbers? If the figures continue to decline or remain at these low levels, what is the future for the BS? In short, could building surveying become an endangered profession?
Design/methodology/approach – All UK university BS course leaders were approached by questionnaire and approximately half responded. The study was partly funded by the RICS Education Trust.
Findings – The small amount of quantitative data collected suggests that recruitment is static at a time when other built environment courses are recruiting well. Course leaders expressed strong views about the impact of the education reforms.
Research limitations/implications – Failure by some BS course leaders to provide some statistical data prevented completion of the quantitative part of the study.
Originality/value – Key recommendations have been made to the BS Faculty Board of the RICS about the future of BS education.

Closing the gap? Building surveyors in Oceania

Purpose – The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has implemented a policy to expand its influence around the world. Quantity or construction surveyors had an established presence and history of working overseas, offering their services particularly in the Middle- and Far-East. Property surveyors found the transition to working in European Union (EU) countries relatively straightforward and numerous UK property consultancies have European, Asian, North American and Oceanic offices. Furthermore UK-based firms establishing partnerships with overseas real estate firms expanded significantly over the past decade. Building surveying (BS) is a different case. Small numbers work in commonwealth countries but it is limited and in many countries professional and academic qualifications are not recognised. This paper aims to consider the extent of the barriers and opportunities facing RICS chartered building surveyors (CBS) in Oceania (taken as Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji) and whether the gap is closing.
Design/methodology/approach – A desktop study reviewed the political, economic and sociological issues that affect the employment opportunities and professional services CBS offer throughout the world. Six opportunities and ten barriers were put to the RICS Oceania Building Surveying Faculty to ascertain their perceptions of these barriers and opportunities. No previous study had identified barriers and opportunities in Oceania for the BS and this research adopted a census survey of RICS practitioners currently employed in the region and the results form the most comprehensive picture of the current position.
Findings – Many respondents felt that stronger links and/or mergers with the different Oceania professional property and surveying bodies would open a large field of opportunities to the CBS. Some provided comments on future business opportunities, for example “leaky buildings,”"dilapidations/‘ make good’ work”, and seemed to be in general agreement that, as businesses came to know the benefits of protecting themselves from rogue tenants (and landlords) by using the services of a CBS, then opportunities would continue to rise. The principal barrier is communicating those skills and the value they add.
Research limitations/implications – The limitations that affected this research were time constraints and communicating with surveyors in Oceania, to whom the authors were not permitted direct access. The research methodology methods were, with hindsight, not ideal for the type and range of data that the researchers sought.
Originality/value – The research will be of use to building surveyors and providers of building-surveying education in Oceania.

A gender for change : the future for women in surveying

Women now make up 50% of the working population in the UK, with similar figures reflected across Europe (Williams et al, 2000). Despite this growth, the number of women entering and working in the surveying profession remains consistently low, estimated at 9% of the total of RICS membership in 1999 (Ellison, 1999).

So what is preventing the surveying profession in mimicking the law and medical professions in increasing the participation of women? Is it the lack of awareness of the profession in Schools, Colleges and Careers Education? Is it a traditional perception of a gender-biased profession? Is it the lack of role models for young women? Or is it plain discrimination? If it is one or more of these, then what action should be taken to address the barriers? The paper describes the results of two studies exploring barriers to female entry to the surveying profession and progress made in the profession by women in the UK. The methodologies included questionnaires and interviews with school leavers and with surveying practitioners, male and female, at varying stages of their career.

The studies undertaken by female surveying students found that barriers exist at different points in surveying - at entry and employment, and that some of those barriers are being addressed by the profession in different ways. At the entry point to surveying there is still a lack of awareness of the profession as a career for girls and women. This can be addressed by greater liaison between schools and surveyors in the profession and by increased information and awareness of career advisers. Within the profession there are still barriers for women surveyors to overcome, including work-life balance issues and traditional attitudes of some male surveyors. There are, however, signs of positive change within a number of surveying firms in the UK. The RICS has been identified as an institution that needs to re-examine its attitudes to gender in a number of aspects.

The paper also outlines the work of a project in the UK (which has developed from a European funded project) that is involved in actively addressing the remaining barriers at all levels. The partnership aims to mainstream good practice in recruitment, teaching and learning and employment. Let's TWIST has recently (November 2001) been successful in gaining funds from EQUAL (funded through European Social Fund) with other partners for a major three year project. The aim of the project is to break down gender desegregation in target sectors of employment, and address cultural and attitudinal barriers that promote discrimination by building on the work already developed. Change is clearly happening, and Let's TWIST is one of a number of active groups in this area who are moving things forward towards mainstreaming which, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission (2001)

The impact of globalisation on building surveying in Europe

This research examined the impact of globalisation on building surveying in Europe. Globalisation has resulted in the emergence of three large trading blocs or a global economy depending on the view one takes. This has impacted on property in two ways, by creating transnational companies who operate in many countries but require branding of their property, and companies who wish to invest in property markets other than their country of origin.

Building Surveyors have professional expertise and knowledge valued in the UK since the 1960 and 1970s but until recently not recognised in Europe, partly due to poor awareness of Building Surveying (BS) expertise, legal constraints, and practises relating to the employment of professionals. This is changing with the establishment of European Surveying associations and the globalisation of the RICS.

The results showed four factors provided the reasons for the globalisation of BS skills. These were that Building Surveyors provided a consistent level of service for their clients. Secondly that English is the language of business. Thirdly, clients perceive Europe as a single trading bloc with a need for technical representation in each investment centre, providing them with a fast, knowledgeable service. Fourthly, clients perceive that UK Building Surveyors know what international, or transnational, investors want.

The finding on the current demand for the BS services in Europe is that though demand is large, few Building Surveyors are located in Europe. Secondly, both investors and occupiers require the services of Building Surveyors, and local companies / individuals are beginning to use their professional services. Finally, there is a diverse range of demand for the many BS skills.

Five key barriers to the practice of BS skills in Europe emerged from the research. Firstly, there was the problem of limited local legal and technical knowledge possessed by outsiders. Secondly, there are legal barriers to practice in some cases. Thirdly, other professionals can, and do, offer the services of the Building Surveyor. Fourthly, there can be cultural differences between ‘values’ and ‘norms’ required in business that constitute barriers. Finally there can be ‘communication’ problems when the Building Surveyor is not located in the country where the service is required.

RICS education reform and building surveying : the employers' view

This paper presents the second part of research funded by the RICS Education Trust to investigate the impact of the 2001 education reforms on building surveying. The research involved the collection of data from large national, mainly London-based, employers of building surveyors. Issues of concern to these employers include the extent of construction technology knowledge of graduates, the delivery of contract administration, the placement year, post-graduate conversion courses and the high referral rate for the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Recommendations include advice to universities on the design of building surveying undergraduate and conversion courses, a call for further research on the high APC referral rate and greater liaison between industry and universities.

The role of the surveying profession in reducing carbon emissions of existing office stock in the Melbourne CBD

As professionals, surveyors and property professionals are in the front line and have a moral and ethical duty to take a lead when advising clients appropriately on measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their buildings. As such, surveying professionals and the profession must increase their knowledge base and enhance their skills in respect of built environment sustainability. This research conducted a detailed analysis of energy efficiency in the Melbourne CBD office stock and examined all office buildings to identify what was likely to happen between 2005 and 2020 in respect of carbon emissions. The research profiled a business-as-usual or no change approach, a minor change approach, an intermediate approach, and a major change approach. The study examined variables such as building size, number of employees, occupancy levels, visual appearance and age. After modelling all CBD office buildings, it was recommended that an intermediate change scenario should be adopted. This course of action incorporates a transition period and includes increasing ‘green power’, increasing the number of employees per buildings, as well as reducing electricity and gas consumption. It was concluded that the surveying profession should adopt a proactive stance towards office buildings and climate change, which is currently being stifled by barriers such as a lack of education and perception concerning the long-term benefits of energy efficient office buildings. To date there has been much debate and promotion of policies to encourage the uptake of sustainability practices within the property sector; however, this research concludes that action is needed if targets are to be met.

Joint European masters awards in construction management and construction economics : a positive step for surveying education?

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) 5th European Conference in November 2004 focussed on enhancing collaboration at master's level in real estate education across Europe. In a context of increased global economic activity and increasing ties within the EU, there are benefits to business and to students in offering this type of educational provision. But is this paradigm true for construction economics (CE) and construction management (CM)? This paper examined the potential for collaboration and joint European awards in CM and CE. There is a political will for collaboration in HE based on economic drivers for the growth of the EU and changes are being implemented to enhance transparency and mobility for students. Professional bodies are expanding their European presence. Globalisation has resulted in greater opportunities for international real estate, and construction and there is growth in these sectors for practitioners. The difficulties with joint European collaboration are short course duration and the need to cover extensive subject matter. Other barriers are university structures, quality assurance procedures, costs and finances issues as well as IT, student services and support issues. The survey revealed that there are no RICS accredited CM / CE courses outside of the UK which inhibits collaboration. The sample was split in perceived demand for collaboration and the European focus within the courses is limited, as are field trips outside the UK. Student exchange on courses is rare. Generally there is a lag between the political will to greater student mobility and collaboration and the market, which is showing growth in multinational organisations and demand for pan European construction services and a professional body keen to deliver and support this growth. Within academia the barriers and current economic climate in HE preclude the widespread adoption of greater collaboration and development of joint awards, however this position may change.