Blog: People Development winner 2018

21 September 2018

Playle & Partners LLP

Number of staff: 35

Company turnover: £2.5m

The judges say... "Playle & Partners’ high level of investment in training per employee results in demonstrable positive outcomes which are fundamental to maintaining a successful business and a dominant position in the industry."

Playle & Partners LLP is a multi-disciplinary property construction consultancy founded in 1954. With 4 partners and 35 members of staff across 4 locations, people are at the very heart of their business. As an SME, a key challenge is competing with large scale multi-national companies for talent; to maintain a competitive edge, the team has had to come up with innovative ways of attracting and retaining the best qualified people with sought-after expertise. 

At entrance level, they attend many local Careers Fairs, provide STEM Ambassador Services and offer work placements to school leavers. In 2017 they attended 6 school and 12 university events and offered work placements and permanent positions as a result. The practice consistently encourages the flow of skills, mindfulness of behaviour and civic duties towards the local community through charitable events and has adopted these into its company ethos.

All their programmes are designed and developed by experienced mentors within the practice who use the support and advice of appropriate resources and governing bodies. ISO 9001:2008 accreditation ensures the training programmes are well structured, recorded and audited. The practice is also actively working on being accredited by the Investors in People.

“In this category we’re looking for Organisations who embrace and acknowledge the value of their human resource, focus on staff development and campaign to attract new entrants into the industry” explains Steve Hayman, Director, Cheesmur Building Contractors; head judge and sponsor of the People Development Award.  “Playle & Partners’ commitment to staff welfare, and high level of investment in training per employee, results in impressive and positive outcomes which are fundamental to maintaining a successful business with an excellent reputation in the industry”.

Playle and Partners will now go onto the final Constructing Excellence National Awards, held on the 16th of November, competing with category winners from other regions around the UK - we wish them and all our other winners in London and the South East the best of luck!

We will be launching the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2019 shortly after the nationals on the 19th of November for works carried out this year! You can register your interest here.