Best Companies to Work For

Best Companies received entries from over 400 small companies across the UK to gain scores across leadership, engagement, wellbeing and benefits.

Having maintained a three star status in the survey for the past five consecutive years, the business has rocketed from its previous highest placement in 43rd to tenth position through dedication and commitment from Ryder’s leadership team to engage, nurture and develop all their people.

Established in Newcastle in 1953, Ryder now has global connectivity with teams based in Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Hong Kong and Vancouver, employing 150 people.  The practice has continued to invest in people and skills despite challenging market conditions with latest accounts for the business showing turnover has increased to over £11m with profit before tax increasing to £1.5m.

Helen Whitfield, communications leader at Ryder said, “The Best Companies award is a testimony to the passion of our leadership team to continuously develop and attract exceptional talent, providing our clients with the best possible service and design and making Ryder a great place to work.”

Alongside continued focus on delivering design excellence to clients across the UK, the business is strengthening its international credibility, celebrating the opening of an office in Vancouver in February and securing world leading expertise in Passivhaus design, with architects Adam James and Warren Schmidt, who will be disseminating their knowledge across the practice, simultaneously benefitting design in the UK and China.

Mark Thompson, managing partner at Ryder said, “The practice continues to be committed to all its established sectors while pursuing several overseas opportunities, including our first major project in Hong Kong.  We have won some significant commissions in the UK offering collaborative project working to our clients.”

Ryder are leading the pioneering PlanBEE (Built Environment Education) programme and working alongside educational partners Gateshead College and Northumbria University to provide a unique apprenticeship offering a BEng in Architectural Engineering with guaranteed employment prospects with some of the north east’s leading construction businesses and ensuring the regional skills shortage demand is met.

Mark said, “We believe PlanBEE will inspire a new generation of bright, talented people to consider a rewarding career in construction.  The blended learning approach aims to deliver work ready graduates with the creative, practical and entrepreneurial ambition the industry needs.”