In the second week of previews for the upcoming QS News Awards we consider firms shortlisted for two further categories, one for the Andrew Flintoff of QSing, and the other that recognises outstanding achievements in the field of human resources.

Best All-round QS Firm


Boxall Sayer

Formed as a merger between Alex Sayer and Boxall Davenport five years ago the firm has seen turnover nearly treble and staff more than double in the intervening period. The firm’s workload is impressive, not least in its key roles in major public projects such as the Whipps Cross University Hospital in east London (below).

Gleeds

The firm has impressive examples where it has combined a variety of skill offerings on particular schemes, such as the Jubilee Central Library in Brighton and the new BBC Media Village in West London (above).

Faithful & Gould

The breadth of work that F&G works on is a veritable who’s who of global construction, from the proposed Freedom Tower for Ground Zero, New York, to Terminal 5 and the Selfridges store in Birmingham. It also prides itself on offering a whole host of other services beyond straight QSing, which includes creating a tool to increase the amount of waste material used in projects.

Gardiner & Theobald

The variety of skills shown by G&T is matched by the spread of markets the firms operates in and its geographical reach. The firm prides itself on being creative in its offering, “blending techniques, approaches, personalities and services to meet particular business needs”.

Turner & Townsend

The firm has a dizzying variety of services to offer, from component and technical studies to performance improvement and ICT project management. Many of those are in use on a three-year framework deal with Manchester City Council, which started in 2003.

Keegans Group

Keegans has carved a niche in the public sector market with specialist work including a molecular biology laboratory in Cambridge. Regeneration work has also played a significant part in the rise of the firm, which has seen turnover rise to £5m from £3m since 2000.

QS Employer of the Year

Faithful & Gould

The firm (right), part of listed group Atkins, has a £1m annual training budget that is spent on a cradle to grave development programme for staff. The firm has targets to increase the percentage of women joining the company as well as initiatives such as job swaps and flexible benefits.

Bucknall Austin

The company was created after a management buyout in 2003 and has placed employee welfare at the heart of its future strategy, offering staff shares in the business, creating a training academy and launching an assistance programme to ensure all workers are fit and healthy.

Turner & Townsend

The firm prides itself on offering bespoke training tools for staff to improve basic skills such as measurement. Its current staff churn rate is at an impressively low 9%.

Gardiner & Theobald

G&T is planning to spend £1m in the next year on training and development. On top of that it has instigated clear policies for staff with regard to stress, leave, sports and social activity and dignity at work.

Henry Riley

The company is proud of its ability to train and develop employees as well as keep them. A recent staff survey found particular improvements in communication and job satisfaction among the 90-strong workforce.

BCIS is delighted to sponsor the QS News award for Best All-round firm. BCIS has expanded its range of services and products over the years to reflect to reflect the wider range of services that are provided to to clients by QS firms. QS firms now use BCIS cost information in additional services to help meet client business needs such as project and construction management, value engineering, whole life and FM services. We look forward to seeing who will be the winner in this category.

Judd Farris are proud to be the Sponsor of the ‘Employer of the Year Award’ demonstrating our support of the property and construction industry as an ‘Industry of Choice’.

Any organisation’s most important asset is its employees. In the increasingly competitive property market, it is invaluable that employers recognise the factors other than remuneration that will determine them as an Employer of Choice.

With offices throughout the UK, as well as Australasia, Judd Farris offer a variety of flexible solutions to match our client and candidates’ requirements. Our extensive client list includes private practices, contractors, developers, retailers, leisure operators, financial institutions and property companies. Judd Farris has an extensive database and network of clients that allow us to provide you with the best opportunities in the market place at any time.

Source

QS News