2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In recent years, engineering, architecture, and construction professions have lost much talent to other industries because Millennials and Generation Z tend to misapprehend the expectations related to work-life balance (WLB) in such demanding professions. Construction careers can be highly stressful, with pressures such as achieving tight program deadlines, meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders, dealing with disputes, and enforcing the safety of all individuals on site. To this end, there is a growing need to prepare better our future workforce to succeed in the construction industry. There is a disconnect between the perception/experience provided to students during their academic studies, and as a result, STEM graduates face challenges when managing their personal and professional life. The goals of this study aim to address the students' WLB expectations and professional career challenges by educating them about work-life balance while working as Construction Engineers or Managers in the construction industry. Identifying the gap in pedagogy to better prepare students entering the workforce for the challenges with WLB and provide opportunities for them to thrive as professionals. To achieve these goals, the study utilizes a three-step methodology: (a) conducting industry professionals’ interviews b) conducting surveys of construction management students predominantly in a minority-serving institution to determine how significant work-life balance is when working for an organization; and c) recommending different curricula changes to better prepare recent graduates to thrive and adapt when entering the engineering and construction industry. The study research results indicated that inadequate work-life balance could result in project delays, higher project costs, and a devastating effect on the employees' mental and physical health due to demanding schedules. The findings of the study contribute to the architecture and construction engineering body of knowledge by promoting work-life balance awareness among millennials through providing a pedagogical solution to foster retention and satisfaction within such industries.