BAM Construct UK Ltd

The overview

BAM Construct UK Ltd is a subsidiary of Netherlands-based construction services giant Royal BAM Group. The group employs over 28,000 people and is composed of a number of companies in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.

UK business lines

BAM Construct has six main businesses:

• BAM Construction is the contractor wing of the organisation, constructing, refurbishing and extending buildings.
• BAM Design is a design practice, with a focus on architecture, structural and environmental design, interior design and CAD visualisations.
• BAM FM: is the facilities management wing of the business, managing services in operational buildings.
• BAM Plant is part of the BAM Construction business and responsible for ensuring construction sites are well-equipped, specialising in scaffold supply and installation, steelwork fabrication and installation, temporary electrical services and energy monitoring.
• BAM Properties is a property development company, specialising in the commercial sector.
• BAM Services Engineering is their specialist building services engineering business.

Becoming a one-stop shop for clients

Like many of the larger construction companies, BAM Construct has moved into providing both contractor services (building on site) and consultancy services (designing structures and buildings) – functions that traditionally have been separate and carried out by different construction organisations. It also aims to provide a complete range of services, from the initial planning stages to the maintenance and management of the completed building.

One of the Sunday Times best 100 companies to work for.

Unlike many of its competitors, however, it seeks to present the Royal BAM Group as a one-stop-shop for clients, promoting the work of the Group’s other subsidiaries in the UK: the company states that it works closely with BAM Nuttall, a civil engineering company, and BAM PPP, which specialises in public private partnership projects.

BAM Construct’s turnover amounts to over £1 billion.

Projects and clients

BAM Construct has a mix of public sector and private sector clients. Work with the government has included public private partnerships, providing schools, university facilities, hospitals, museums and other government buildings. In the private sector, it predominantly works in the commercial and residential sectors.

A few of its recent and ongoing projects include:

• A new student union for Newcastle University
• Rebuilding Waterloo Station, providing new retail space, for Network Rail
• Re-developing brown-field site at Kings Cross, creating retail, commercial and leisure facilities, as well as providing new facilities for St. Martin’s College of Art and Design
• Redeveloping Brindleyplace in Birmingham for a wide range of commercial enterprises
• Building a £15m sustainable operations centre near Glasgow for Scottish Water

Ranking and awards

• Featured 276 in The Guardian UK300 in 2011
• Featured in The Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list in 2011
• Won three out of nine of the Public Architecture Awards, organised by the Society of Chief Architects of Local Authorities, in 2010 – only the second time in the awards’ eight-year history that a company won multiple awards
• Came 25 in The Sunday Times Best Green Companies in 2010
• Achieved a gold ranking in the 2011 Business in the Community corporate responsibility index

Salary and benefits

The company does not disclose details of its salaries and bonus scheme apart from saying that it provides an ‘attractive remuneration package’. However, reports suggest that starting salaries are in the region of £21,000 to £25,000.

Perks

The benefits package may include:

• 25 days’ holiday.
• Active regional sports and social clubs.
• Subsidised gym membership.
• A cycle to work scheme.
• Childcare vouchers.
• Subsidised professional membership subscriptions.
• Private healthcare.
• a career-break option (after a certain period of time).
• A car allowance.

Culture and values

BAM Construct UK Ltd doesn’t have a set list of values by which it operates, but places a heavy emphasis on the importance of an inclusive and communicative working environment.

A satisfied workforce

Chief Executive Graham Cash eschews what he sees as the ‘aggressive hire and fire’ mentality of big business, and likens the company to a ‘family business’ with a focus on personal development and building long-term relationships. This approach seems to have been successful; staff turnover was 3.6% in 2010, which the company claims is among the lowest in the sector.

Closely following the ‘family’ approach is BAM Construct’s emphasis on success as a key element of its culture. However, the company asserts that this success cannot come at the expense of integrity, which it emphasises above all other considerations.

Engaging with employees

Communication with employees is another key priority for the company, and a number of different methods are used to ensure that engagement is addressed where possible. These include:

• Distribution of an employee magazine called People, soon to be replaced by an e-zine.
• Electronic newsletters informing staff about the company’s progress and any new developments.
• Regular employee surveys to get feedback on subjects such as e-learning.

BAM Construct has also recently moved into the social media arena. Sites such as Twitter, Google Plus and YouTube are available to employees at certain times during the working day with the aim of keeping staff up to date with company news and events. The company has also set up a dedicated Facebook page for staff in order to encourage greater interaction.

Working life

Due to the nature of the construction business, working hours will likely vary depending on role and project. Employees generally note that a degree of flexibility is required, particularly for site-based work, which may require some weekend hours. Normal working hours tend to be between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

While the company doesn’t promote it as a benefit, flexible working arrangements are made available to staff where required (subject to business needs being met).

Social activities

The company runs a subsidised sports and social club, which is available to all employees and their families. The activities themselves are diverse; some previous examples have included football, clay pigeon shooting, theatre trips and white water rafting.

Employees are also encouraged to participate in voluntary work and charity events, and are allowed two days’ paid volunteering leave each year. Volunteering activities range from community projects, like clearing hospital gardens, to fund-raising events such as:

• The Alps Cycling Challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support.
• Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.
• A ‘Santa Run’ along London’s Riverside Walk for children’s hospice Richard House.
• A 13k walk in Scotland for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

In 2010, staff donated the equivalent of £317,998 worth of time to community projects.

Diversity statistics

According to the 2010 sustainability report:

• Women account for 28% of the company’s workforce.
• 5.3% of employees are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
• Approximately 260 senior members of staff received diversity training in 2010.