GlobalSpec-2019年工程师报告（英文）-2019.12-30页_2mb

2019 Pulse of Engineering Survey Summary

Core Content

The 2019 Pulse of Engineering Survey provides an in-depth look at how the engineering work environment is evolving, with insights from 2,180 respondents drawn from Engineering360.com users and IEEE Spectrum subscribers. The survey covers a wide range of topics, including work environment, performance measurement, challenges and competition, knowledge management, career management, and the unique perspectives of millennial engineers.

Main Points and Key Information

Work Environment

• Team Size: 65% of engineers work on design teams with five or fewer participants.
• Concurrent Projects: On average, engineers are working on 3–5 projects at the same time.
• Tools Used: Technical documentation, software and development tools, product specification data, and datasheets are the top tools for completing projects.
• Company Size: 44% work in companies with 1–10 engineers, while 26% work in companies with over 100 engineers.

Performance Measurement

• Top Goals: Product quality and customer service/satisfaction are the most cited performance targets.
• Customer Service: Has become increasingly important over the years, with 78% of engineers citing it as a key performance factor.
• Meeting Targets: Engineers meet product quality targets 85% of the time, and customer satisfaction goals 82% of the time.

Challenges and Competition

• Pace of Engineering: 52% of engineers believe the pace is constantly increasing, and 63% report their engineering workforce has stayed the same or decreased.
• Constraints: 71% of engineers feel resource and personnel constraints are jeopardizing productivity, innovation, and product quality.
• Talent Shortage: 70% of engineers cite a shortage of talent or specialized knowledge as a challenge.
• Global Competition: 62% believe the competitive landscape is global and operates 24/7, with 58% noting an increase in the number of competitors.

Knowledge Management

• Knowledge Loss: 61% of engineers consider knowledge and information loss a very or extremely important issue.
• Formal Practices: Only 49% of engineers report that their companies have formal knowledge retention practices.
• Millennials' Perspective: Millennials find it harder to access institutional knowledge without a mentor or internal network, and are more likely to believe all content should be free and open access.

Career Management

• Key Factors: Interesting work/projects, good work/life balance, and learning are the top career factors for engineers.
• Career Mobility: 35% of engineers expect to stay at the same company in five years, while 40% cite retirement as the top reason for leaving.
• Skill Development: Engineers rely on colleagues, books, online training courses, webinars, and vendor trainings to maintain and advance their skills. Millennials prioritize video content and business management skills.

Conclusions

• Engineers are facing significant challenges, including increased workload, shrinking design cycles, and global competition.
• Despite these pressures, they are resilient and meet performance targets such as product quality and customer satisfaction with high frequency.
• Knowledge management is a critical issue, with a notable lack of formal retention practices and a growing concern about the loss of institutional knowledge.
• Millennials are more optimistic and focused on work-life balance, learning, and growth, while also being more critical of content access models.

Recommendations

• Understand Millennials: Engage with the younger generation by providing learning opportunities, using video content, and offering free, open access to information.
• Alleviate Pressure: Help engineers by demonstrating how your solutions can improve productivity, shorten design cycles, and reduce time-to-market pressures.
• Provide Quality Content: Engineers value technical documentation and product data, and are willing to register for access, but are less likely to pay for premium content.
• Make Content Access Easy: Ensure registration processes are simple and intuitive, and provide content that is not easily accessible elsewhere.

Survey Insights

• Workforce Trends: 37% of engineers report an increase in their company's engineering workforce, while 40% say it has remained stable.
• Employee Loss: 40% of companies report increased loss of senior employees to retirement.
• Content Access: 55% of engineers are willing to register for access to technical documents, but less than 20% are willing to pay for premium content.
• Career Expectations: Millennials are more likely to seek new opportunities for growth, with 44% planning to move to a different company. Compensation is the top reason for job changes.

About IEEE GlobalSpec

IEEE GlobalSpec is a leader in data-driven industrial marketing solutions, providing engineers and technical professionals with trusted resources for content, community, and engagement throughout the research, design, and purchasing process. They offer deep industry intelligence and customized marketing programs to help companies grow their businesses. For more information, visit www.globalspec.com/advertising.