Best place to work – SME Consulting Firm

This award recognises a small and medium sized enterprise (SME) engineering consulting firm which can demonstrate that it is an exemplar place to work.

AJMS Consultants

AJMS Consultants are helping rail contractors deliver successful projects by providing flexible, responsive and high-quality civil design solutions. Our colleagues are our asset. AJMS is a small, ‘client focused’ business and because of that our staff are key to success. As a business our aim and focus is looking after the wellbeing of our staff, making sure they are happy in everyway possible and within our means. In turn, our staff focus their attention on ensuring our clients are satisfied, and reinforce our offering of a small ‘client focused’ business. There is no one initiative that captures AJMS as the best place to work. It is a collection of initiatives that make our staff part of AJMS Family. When all staff were asked in a survey of 14 questions “How likely are you to recommend AJMS as a place to work?” we received a rating of 9.6 out of 10.

Davies Maguire

Staff wellbeing is a central part of Davies Maguire’s philosophy as a business. We foster an exceptional community that cares for one another through taskgroups and exciting clubs run by junior members of staff. Key annual events bring together colleagues from all three offices and provides a platform for everyone to present on company developments. A strong programme of a variety of socials enable staff to know one another personally as well as professionally. Socials are led by different members of staff bringing their unique skillset to the office – which include bachata lessons! We pride ourselves on the talent of our staff and our mentoring programme through the ICE training agreement, which has contributed to over 90% Chartership Review pass rate. Staff are engaged in a range of projects at various stages and scales from house extensions to multi-storey buildings, providing a well-rounded education post-university.

Driven International

Since the creation of Driven International in 2015, the company has grown from 1 founding staff member to a team of 16 full time staff (+4 part time consultants) with zero staff leaving in the 9 years the company has existed. In that time, we have worked in over 35 countries on over 170 projects, specialising in the niche field of race track design and sports / leisure sectors. Along with a passion for the motorsport industry, Driven also provides opportunities to staff for both personal and career growth, such as gaining charterships and accreditations. Driven also prioritises wellbeing and a sense of unity, with company socials quarterly to allow staff to engage with each other outside of the work environment. Adopting flexible working patterns has also handed full trust, responsibility and accountability to its staff creating a thriving work dynamic, allowing the company to grow and succeed.

JNP Group Consulting Engineers

We prioritise employee health, recognising the importance of mental well-being alongside physical health. Our positive and supportive work environment enables successful navigation of challenges and stress. We frequently benchmark salaries and benefits to ensure competitiveness based on market value and performance and invest heavily in professional development, alongside soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and management. We encourage and value regular feedback from all our employees which informs decision-making, fostering an environment of value, respect, and motivation. JNP is a vibrant supportive workplace brimming with laughter, camaraderie, and creativity in which productivity soars and colleagues become friends.

Jubb Consulting Engineers

Jubb is an award-winning multi-disciplinary team of engineers and planning design consultants. We have unparalleled experience across all sectors in the built and natural environments and are a trusted partner to our valued clients and fellow professionals. We are a Director-owned business offering engineering design and planning services to the public and private sectors. Our success comes from investing in our people and technology and utilising the latest digital design tools to find the most appropriate and smart solutions for our clients. Our teams are led by well-rounded experienced professionals who are experts in their field. We have worked hard to gather the experience and knowledge of a ‘national’ consultancy but deliver our work with the personality, commitment and flair that our business was built on.

HBL Associates

HBL Associates emerges as a beacon of workplace excellence, where a strategic focus on employee wellbeing and professional growth has created an environment that nurtures talent. Our initiatives, ranging from Mental Health First Aid to community engagement and sustainability, showcase a holistic approach to employee welfare. With a commitment to low staff turnover, a robust health and safety committee, and a culture of collaboration, HBL Associates stands as a unique and exemplary SME engineering consulting firm. Our journey, encapsulated in this entry, underscores our dedication to setting industry standards and fostering a workplace that values, supports, and propels its team members.

Patrick Parsons

At Patrick Parsons, our dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture has been unwavering over the past 18 months. Through initiatives focused on employee well-being, diversity and inclusion, professional development, and open communication, we have created an environment where every team member feels valued and empowered. From implementing Mental Health Awareness training and celebrating diverse cultural events to promoting continuous improvement through our virtual ideas box, our efforts have yielded tangible results, including increased employee satisfaction and retention rates. Moving forward, we remain committed to further enhancing our workplace environment and strengthening our employee-centric approach. At Patrick Parsons, we believe that our holistic approach to employee engagement makes us a de

PJA

PJA offer unparalleled support for their team enabling them to deliver the very best engineering, transport and placemaking services for their clients. Often described as a family business type feel, from professional development to wellbeing, from Graduate to Director, PJA’s team are their priority. A committed investment in training, a consistently monitored rewards and benefits package together with strong communication channels enables PJA to be a standout company.

OWC

Just over 12 years ago, OWC emerged on the renewable consultancy scene with 2 employees based in London. Since then, OWC has expanded to an international consultancy with c.200 employees worldwide (99 based in the UK) delivering project management, market studies, geoscience, electrical and grid, energy yield, owner’s engineering, TDD, R&D and a range of other disciplines, supporting wind (on and offshore), solar (grown and floating), energy storage and hydrogen. In recent times, we have more than tripled our number of employees from 68 full-time staff in 2021, 170 in 2022 and 205 in 2023! Throughout this period of rapid growth, maintaining the once small ‘family-feel’ culture has been at the forefront of the business and something that has been considered every step of the way to ensure a business whereby we stand for something more than profit – a culture of inclusion, empowerment and most importantly, friendship.

SLC Rail

SLC’s unique 'SLC Way' culture has propelled the business from a headcount of 58 to 79 (37%) in 18 months. Its prioritisation on employee wellbeing and EDI has helped the company gain an impressive 98% satisfaction rate from its recent employee survey. New initiatives like quarterly New Starter Lunches and employee benefits such as financial coaching and EV car schemes further enhance employee experience. SLC’s focus on team belonging, professional development and communication directly contributes to business success making SLC an exceptional workplace.

Waterco

Established in 1998, Waterco is one of the UK’s leading consultancies in water and environmental engineering, with a proven record of providing efficient and reliable solutions for our clients. Our specialist teams offer end-to-end environmental and engineering project support through assessment, modelling and detailed design services. As of March 2023, we became an employee owned (EO) company, with employees, collectively via an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), becoming the majority shareholder of the business. This exciting new chapter moves Waterco forward in a way that retains our independence, protects our legacy and ensures the company stays firmly in the hands of our employees who are the very heartbeat of Waterco and are central to all we do.

Whitfield Consulting Services

Whitfield Consulting Services (WCS) is proud to submit its ‘Designing a Stronger Future’ strategy for consideration in the prestigious NCE awards.   Introduced in May 2023, the strategy has exceeded expectations in meeting business objectives and has driven significant company growth with a 33% staff increase. With its specific sector focus, growth through people, emphasis on quality and value, and innovative methods of project delivery, the strategy has helped WCS achieve a 49% increase in the number of projects leading to 72% growth in revenue.