Good Employer Guide 2015 data

Assael Architecture has been named the best employer in Building’s Good Employers Guide for the second year in a row. Followed by runners-up Oktra, Alinea, Architype and Buro Four

Below you will find an interactive table containing data for all 50 of this year's Good Employers. Search, sort or rank this data using the symbols (see key on right for what each symbol represents) in the headers of the table. You are able to sort two columns at the same time by holding the Shift button on your keyboard and selecting the two columns you wish to sort. You are also able to see further details of each employer, including what they say about themselves and staff ratings, by clicking on their names.

Search:
Employer Staff t/over 2014 No. of FT equivalent UK employees Max. no. of days holiday Training hours Pension Female non-admin staff (%) Staff from non-white ethnic b/g (%) Sabbaticals/career breaks Flexible working Chance to work abroad Private healthcare scheme Enhanced maternity benefits Enhanced paternity benefits Entry-level training scheme
3PM
0132640DCSP/GPP20%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced1
AA Projects
8.5993050GPP(C)77%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced5
Airey Miller Partnership
7333350GPP315%SomeAllN/OSomeEnhancedEnhanced5
alinea consulting
0%653076GPP810%AllAllN/ON/OEnhancedEnhanced8
Architype
14.06542527DCSP(C)/PP2413.50%AllAllN/OSomeEnhancedEnhancedN/O
Assael Architecture
4634054Comb(C)146.30%AllAllN/OSomeEnhancedEnhanced4
Bastows
6212860N/O120%AllAllN/ON/OEnhancedEnhanced1
bptw partnership
12952836GPP3214%SomeAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced7
Buro Four
9893050GPP(NC)258%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced7
Child Graddon Lewis
6422850GPP(C)/DCSP(NC)/PP(NC)1730%SomeAllN/OSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum2
Clancy Consulting
151163227GPP(C)97%AllAllSomeAllStatutory minimumEnhanced9
Couch Perry & Wilkes
82223076GPP(C)177%AllAllAllSomeEnhancedEnhanced9
Crofton Design
8482575GPP210%SomeSomeN/OSomeStatutory minimumEnhanced3
Croudace Homes
9.272412835DCSP(C)/GPP553%SomeAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced26
Cundall
15.63543021GPP(C)4512%N/OAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced26
Curtins Consulting
132913025GPP(C)256%AllAllN/OSomeStatutory minimumEnhanced13
David Miller Architects
19192553PP721%SomeAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced2
DBK Partners
91324035MP(C)1722%SomeAllSomeSomeStatutory minimumEnhanced11
Elliott Thomas Group
33%1492514GPP(C)/PP(C)215.5%N/OAllN/OSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum1
Elliott Wood Partnership
2812538100DCSP1912%AllAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced15
EPR Architects
61643250DCSP/GPP(C)4611%AllAllSomeSomeEnhancedEnhanced8
Granit Chartered Architects
6193790DCSP(C)65.50%N/OSomeN/OSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimumN/O
Hardies Property & Construction Consultants
15783020PP(C)MP(NC)13%N/OAllN/OAllStatutory minimumStatutory minimum3
Henry Riley
6%1013135GPP109%N/OSomeSomeSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum3
Hilson Moran
111892945GPP1814%AllAllAllAllStatutory minimumStatutory minimum5
HKS Architects
8553045DCSP1922%AllAllAllSomeEnhancedEnhanced6
HTA Design
3113030103GPP(C)5210%AllAllN/ON/OEnhancedEnhanced10
John Rowan and Partners
15963623GPP1026%AllAllSomeSomeEnhancedEnhanced6
Keegans
8633345DCSP(C)717%SomeAllN/OSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum6
Lakesmere Group
10.55232632GPP497.10%AllAllSomeSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum14
LSI Architects
2573216GPP(C)100%AllAllN/OAllStatutory minimumStatutory minimum4
maber architects
1.5%612535DCSP/PP79%N/OAllAllAllStatutory minimumStatutory minimum7
Mace
27%28952712GPP(C)37515%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced88
Martin Arnold
5.6792674DCSP1021%SomeSomeN/OSomeEnhancedEnhanced8
Max Fordham
112042265GPP(C)375%AllAllAllN/OEnhancedEnhanced22
Method Consulting
5%182437GPP(C)45%N/OAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced6
Mount Anvil
161703050GPP(C)1112%N/OAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced5
MSMR Architects
25293050GPP(C)1210%N/OSomeSomeSomeEnhancedEnhanced4
Oktra
01423040DCSP(C)2016%SomeAllAllSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum2
Penoyre & Prasad
18422530GPP(C)/PP(NC)1815%SomeAllN/ON/OEnhancedEnhancedN/O
Peter Brett Associates
18%6633048GPP(C)1348%AllAllAllSomeEnhancedEnhanced39
Pick Everard
17%4702638DCSP(C)/MP(NC)6213.8%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced12
Ryder Architecture
81356683GPP(C)308%AllAllAllAllEnhancedEnhanced28
Silver
0%542520GPP(C)66%AllAllN/OSomeStatutory minimumStatutory minimum10
Skelly & Couch
12%302865GPP526%SomeAllSomeAllStatutory minimumEnhanced4
Solomons Europe
19313015DCSP40%N/OAllN/OAllStatutory minimumEnhancedN/O
Stanton Williams
11922520GPP(C)/DCSP(NC)219%SomeAllAllN/OEnhancedEnhancedN/O
Telford Homes
7.7211257GPP3811%N/OAllN/OSomeEnhancedStatutory minimum5
Troup Bywaters + Anders
17%1842772GPP1719%AllAllN/OAllEnhancedEnhanced17
WCEC Architects
5.11443347GPP(C)145.50%AllAllN/OAllStatutory minimumEnhanced27

Methodology

Readers of Building that are eligible to enter Building’s other “Top” tables, such as consultants, contractors and housebuilders, and other industry firms were invited to take part in the selection process for the Good Employer Guide 2015, through a call for entries published in print and online. Each interested firm was sent a link to an online staff survey to send to all employees, which had to be filled in anonymously by a minimum of 33% of total staff, excluding those who worked in purely support functions such as HR. This survey gauged strength of feeling on the company’s performance in nine key areas: leadership, corporate social responsibility, employees’ opportunity to contribute, working atmosphere, opportunities for smarter working, career progression, the company’s response to current market conditions, the promotion of mental wellbeing, and how likely staff would be to recommend their company to a new entrant to the industry. Staff were also given the opportunity to provide additional information. Survey responses were sent direct to Building magazine, and not seen by the company in question.

Separately, each interested firm was asked to complete an entry form giving the following information:

  • Number of full-time equivalent UK employees
  • Number of female non-administrative staff
  • Annual staff turnover for 2013 and 2014
  • Percentage of staff from a non-white ethnic background
  • Average number of training hours per employee per year
  • Minimum number of paid days holiday available to staff per year
  • Maximum number of paid days holiday available to staff per year
  • Private healthcare provision
  • Maternity benefits offered
  • Paternity benefits offered
  • Existence of an entry-level recruitment programme (eg apprenticeships, graduate intake) and number of people starting the programme from Sept 2014-Aug 2015
  • Opportunities offered for flexible working
  • Opportunities offered to work abroad
  • Opportunities offered for sabbaticals and career breaks
  • Details of pension scheme offered

Companies were also asked to provide a 500-word statement in support of their entry, addressing the following areas: stand-out benefits; how the company has adapted to current market conditions; leadership and development; employee engagement; staff wellbeing and the “feel good factor”; mental wellbeing; diversity and inclusion; corporate social responsibility, including attitude towards sustainability; and outreach to promote career opportunities in construction to new entrants.

Companies were also invited to submit supplementary information, in the form of case studies or testimonials to support their entry.

The entries were assessed by a judging panel comprising: Michael Ryley, Partner in Weightmans LLP, Nicola Ihnatowicz, Partner in Trowers & Hamlins LLP, Rosalind Connor, Partner in Taylor Wessing, Sarah Richardson, editor of Building magazine, Joey Gardiner, deputy editor of Building magazine, and Deborah Duke, acting production manager and special projects editor of Building magazine.

The top five firms were identified from a shortlist selected in the first judging round by a weighting system that rewarded firms for the benefits offered under the various entry headings and the strength of endorsement from staff gathered through responses to the survey. The weighting system was adjusted to take account of company demographics – for example, the size of the firm was taken into account when assessing the range of benefits offered, as was the sector in which the company worked. So, for example, a small regional contractor would not be penalised for not offering staff the opportunity to work abroad. The final top five were selected by amalgamating individual scores awarded to firms on this shortlist by each of our final round judges.

Beyond the top five, the firms selected for this year’s guide have been listed in alphabetical order. The guide contains the top 50 companies from the entries received. Approximately 200 companies registered to be considered for the guide.