Architecture and engineering (AE) firms are entering a season of opportunity. Thanks to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, demand for skilled AE services is growing at an unprecedented pace. But opportunity alone doesn’t guarantee growth. For firms looking to scale, the real question is: do you have the people, systems, and foresight to deliver?
Unanet’s new eBook, Turning Reactive Resource Management to Proactive Readiness to Scale, explores how AE firms can overcome workforce constraints, streamline operations, and set the stage for sustainable, profitable growth.
The growth bottleneck: resource planning
In this booming market, resource planning is no longer a back-office function. It’s a growth strategy. But many AE firms still rely on disconnected tools and manual workflows. The result? Missed deadlines, overbooked staff, rising overhead, and underutilized talent.
The eBook reveals that nearly one-third of AE firms continue to depend on spreadsheets for business intelligence. Only 35% consider their labor forecasts “very accurate.” And half admit they lack tools for effective data analysis altogether.
To move from reactive to proactive, firms need a new approach rooted in data, automation, and real-time visibility.
Make better use of the team you already have
The fastest path to scaling isn’t always hiring. It’s optimizing. Increasing the billable hours of your current team, even modestly, can deliver outsized returns. But that requires removing the roadblocks that keep technical staff bogged down in non-billable work like time tracking, manual scheduling, and chasing approvals.
With better systems in place, your team can spend less time juggling admin tasks and more time doing the high-value work your clients count on.
Don’t let non-billables grow unchecked
Growth often brings new administrative demands. But responding by expanding the non-billable team can hurt profitability and create new inefficiencies. Instead, lean into automation. A modern ERP system with built-in scheduling, invoicing, and reporting tools can handle increasing workloads without increasing overhead.
With the right tools, firms can streamline their operations, avoid duplication, and make decisions with confidence, not assumptions.
Understand your backlog from every angle
Growth isn’t just about what’s on your plate today. It’s about what’s coming next. The eBook dives deep into the importance of tracking both hard and soft backlog and aligning them with your regional capabilities, service mix, and available expertise.
This kind of visibility helps AE firms allocate resources strategically, anticipate hiring needs, and make smarter decisions about which projects to pursue and which to pass on.
Make junior talent a force multiplier
Hiring early-career professionals is a common strategy in AE, but turnover can be high and onboarding can be time-consuming. To maximize their impact, the eBook recommends tools that help new hires ramp up quickly by giving them access to centralized knowledge and streamlined workflows. The result is faster productivity, stronger engagement, and less burden on senior staff.
Where do you stand?
The eBook also introduces a resource planning maturity model, guiding firms to assess their current practices and identify opportunities for growth. Whether your firm is operating in an ad hoc environment or on the cusp of predictive, data-driven planning, there’s always room to evolve. Moving up the maturity scale allows AE firms to turn resource planning into a true competitive advantage.
Turning Reactive Resource Management to Proactive Readiness to Scale is a must-read for AE leaders ready to unlock smarter, faster, and more profitable growth.
Want the full playbook? Download the complete eBook here and start turning your resource planning into a growth engine.
