RIBA survey reveals growing confidence amongst practices

The latest results from the Royal Institute of British Architects' (RIBA) Future Trends Survey reveal that architectural practices are growing in confidence about their future work prospects.

RIBA's monthly survey results for February 2011 showed the number of practices expecting their workload to increase rising 5 per cent from 27 per cent in January to 32 per cent in February. Conversely, the percentage of practices expecting workloads to drop fell to 25 per cent. Employment prospects for salaried architects remained constant, with 7 per cent expecting an increase in staff numbers. The number of practices expecting staff levels to drop remained constant at 15 per cent. Levels of underemployment dropped for the first time since November, from 29 per cent to 25 per cent.

In terms of sector predictions, the commercial sector demonstrated the strongest growth in confidence for workload prospects, whilst the private housing and public sector painted a mixed picture. The number of practices expecting commercial sector workload to grow rose from 17 per cent in January to 22 per cent in February; the number of practices expecting workload to drop in this sector fell modestly to 18 per cent, compared to 19 per cent the previous month.

Among practices, 10 per cent expected a rise in public sector work in February, compared to 5 per cent in January, although 33 per cent expected workload to drop compared to 31 per cent in January. The private housing sector saw a drop in figures, with 25 per cent of practices predicting an increase in work compared to 28 per cent in January; the number expecting their workload to drop fell from 17 to 15 per cent.

Monthly returns allow the RIBA to track two key confidence indices relating to future workloads and staffing levels. In February 2011, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index was +7 (up from +1 in January) and the RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index remained at -8.

Adrian Dobson, RIBA Director of Practice says, “For the third consecutive month, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index has increased to +7, (but) the RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index (at -8) illustrates that despite the recent sustained improvement in predictions for future workloads overall confidence levels are still not sufficient to make practices feel comfortable about increasing their staffing levels. This situation applies across all sizes of practice. At present practices generally seem unwilling to take on additional staff even on a temporary basis.”

 

Capitalise on architects' new-found confidence by communicating with them directly. RIBA Mail allows you to target architectural practices and CPD contact details by practice size, geographical location and areas of specialisation, and to categorise data selections it by private and public sector practices, quantity and building surveyors, construction companies, interior designers, engineering consultancies and housing association architectural departments. Find out more...

 

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