Building Awards 2026 shortlists: Building’s Good Employer of the Year

Earlier this year Building announced the names of all the firms that made it onto the shortlists for our prestigious annual Building Awards.

Now we are shining the spotlight on each category in turn and publishing a selection of the images that impressed the judges.

Today’s shortlist is for Building’s Good Employer of the Year.

Barr Gazetas

Barr Gazetas puts people at the heart of its practice, underpinned by employee ownership and B Corp certification. A strong focus on development, inclusion and wellbeing is reflected in mentoring, training budgets, flexible working and comprehensive mental health support. Staff benefit from profit sharing, transparent financial updates and a minimum 3% annual pay rise. With 81% staff satisfaction, just 11% turnover and recognition as a 2026 Sunday Times Best Place to Work, Barr Gazetas demonstrates a culture built around trust, growth and belonging.

Britcon

Britcon has transformed its employee experience through a people-first strategy that is delivering measurable results. Headcount has grown to 102, productivity per employee has risen 42%, employee net promoter score has reached 92 and attrition has fallen to 7%. Increased investment in training, apprenticeships, wellbeing and inclusion is supporting stronger careers and healthier workplaces, while engagement with 6,000 students is widening access to construction. Britcon is demonstrating that investing in people drives performance.

Cahill Design Consultants

Cahill Design Consultants has built an employee-led culture where flexibility, wellbeing, development and inclusion are embedded in everyday working life. Its 15-person team benefits from hybrid working, monthly funded training days, wellbeing allowances and 24/7 support, while transparent pay structures have helped deliver no gender pay gap. Staff-led innovation has produced an award-winning AI platform, alongside £3,000 raised for charity and 126 volunteering hours. Independently recognised by Flexa for three consecutive years, CDC demonstrates that small practices can deliver outstanding employee experience.

Coreus

Coreus has built a high-growth consultancy around a simple principle: people should thrive as the business grows. Its 80 employees benefit from exceptional development, flexible working, unlimited leave and enhanced family support, with 10% apprentices and 33.3% women. Most compelling are the career journeys: apprentices progressing to lead major projects, placements becoming senior leaders and PAs reaching group director. Recognised as a Sunday Times Best Workplace for 16 to 34-Year Olds and Best Place to Work for three consecutive years, Coreus is redefining construction careers for a new generation.

Gleeds

Gleeds has created a genuinely inclusive global workplace, with 83% of UK employees rating it a great place to work and 93% recognising its commitment to diversity. Its six inclusion networks, structured career pathways and 400-plus learning courses support people at every stage, while women progressing into management has risen 151% since 2023. Forty-five mental health first-aiders, flexible working and enhanced family leave strengthen wellbeing. With 165 UK work-experience weeks and almost 40% female graduates and apprentices, Gleeds is building inclusion into the workforce of tomorrow.

HLM Architects

HLM Architects puts employee ownership, inclusion and wellbeing at the heart of its culture. As a 100% employee ownership trust, its people share directly in the practice’s success while benefiting from structured development through the HLM Academy, transparent career pathways and strong internal progression. Flexible working, comprehensive wellbeing support and enhanced policies for different life stages demonstrate genuine care. Its DIB Group, identity-centred leadership programme and employee voice hub strengthen belonging and accountability, creating a workplace where people can grow, contribute and thrive.

JTP

JTP combines a strong people-oriented culture with measurable progress on equality, development and inclusion. Its near-equal gender balance, 1.29% mean gender pay gap and growing female representation in senior roles demonstrate meaningful progress, while 27.6% of employees identify as being from ethnic minority backgrounds. The practice created nine Part 1 roles in 2025 and fully funds Part 3 qualifications, alongside flexible working, enhanced parental leave and wellbeing support. Its long-term succession planning and youth outreach demonstrate a genuine commitment to developing talent and creating opportunity.

Kilnbridge

Kilnbridge demonstrates how employee ownership can drive both people and business performance through significant growth and change. Its 2025 reorganisation created four specialist businesses while maintaining a collaborative One Kilnbridge culture, giving employees clearer identities and career pathways. Continued investment in apprenticeships, leadership, mental health and safety strengthens the employee experience, while £349,000 in profit share directly rewards collective success. This, combined with a record performance, shows that growth has been achieved without compromising wellbeing or engagement.

RED Group

RED has built a culture around its founding values of relationships, enthusiasm and delivery, with exceptional engagement and investment in development. More than 1,000 hours of CPD, 20 apprentices and placements, and 13 graduates on its leadership development programme demonstrate a strong commitment to career progression. Its 12-person wellbeing committee, mental health first-aiders on every project and refined working hours support wellbeing, while targeted outreach strengthens inclusion. With 99% of employees recommending RED and turnover at just 13%, its culture is delivering tangible results.

Rider Levett Bucknall

RLB has created a genuinely inclusive workplace where employees have a voice in shaping policy, culture and wellbeing through 13 colleague-led communities. Each group has defined governance and its own budget, giving employees meaningful agency to drive change across diversity, accessibility, mental health, environment and social responsibility. Training for managers, mental wealth champions across every office and targeted support for carers, women, LGBTQ+ colleagues and Armed Forces communities strengthen inclusion. RLB demonstrates that employee voice can drive lasting, organisation-wide change.