At Ridge, our commitment to digital construction through our Digital Engineering (DE) Team and Group. The DE Team formed at the start of 2016 to provide award-winning, independent, and certified BIM & Digital consultancy services for the built environment. The DE Group have evolved over 25 years with a shifted focus from CAD, to BIM, to Digital Engineering in this time. This group is made up of multi-disciplinary champions across our regions with the intention of driving the adoption of new technology, as well as the development of associated processes, standards, and training initiatives. The DE Group also work closely with the Tech-X & Innovation Group which is about the promotion of individual subject matter experts and innovative ideas (digital or otherwise) to be shared with the business. We have a BIM & Digital Policy Statement which is supported by the owners of the business and signed by the Ridge executive board. This outlines our Digital Transformation Strategic Initiative, as well as our commitment to investment in new technology and certifying the digital credentials of our processes and people.

The Digital Engineering Team and Group are led by Brent Rees, who is a Partner with the business. He was previously chair of UKBIMA Oxford Region from 2013 and is now a committee member of UKBIMA South-West region. UKBIMA SW have four events scheduled across the region for 2022 with a view of joining industry and academia around a BIM and Digital agenda.

Brent is also a member of the Construction Verification Initiative, which aims to support industry around the definition of how to use digital technology and process to validate that constructed assets are aligned with design intent.

Other members of the Digital Engineering team also play a key role in influential industry groups, and all are actively encouraged to attend industry events for a combination of learning, networking, and/or presenting opportunities.

The digital leadership at Ridge take pride in leading by example having developed digital knowledge and skills from hands-on experience.

This has led to award-winning digital firestop compliance initiatives, information management requirements prescribed through databases, and digital facility management service streams amongst others. As Ridge are an agile private partnership, of a suitable size with strong financial security, we are able to encourage and empower innovative people across our business to pursue opportunities of interest that align with the strategic road map.

Two good examples of this are the formation of the DE Team as a new discipline, and more recently the formation of Digital FM as as service stream of the team – both driven by our employees, and supported by the business leadership. In parallel, our Tech-X & Innovation Group offer small financial rewards for individuals who share successful innovations with the business.

For each of the roles within the DE Team, we have clear job descriptions which describe the activities and expected performance levels. This gives the team clarity around the expectations of what is required to progress from junior to senior grades of Document Control, BIM Coordination, and BIM/Information Management roles.

In addition to this, Ridge have defined the criteria of what is expected from the grades of management including Team Manager, Associate, and Partner levels. The DE Team is growing and are implementing the strategy to expand into multiple Ridge regions. This growth strategy is integral to providing progression opportunities for our people up through the business – this is exemplified by the fact that many of the owners of Ridge started as apprentices or graduates.

The business is profitable, growing sustainably, and provide opportunity to work on a variety of high-profile projects.

The Ridge Digital Engineering team operate an agile working policy where office attendance is required at a minimum of 2-3 days per week.

As the team are geographically spread, we make forward plans to cross over in offices where possible and then every 1-2 months plan for the whole team to be in the same office to build a sense of team spirit, for knowledge sharing workshops and/or social activities. We have also implemented a wellbeing code whereby the team pro-actively look out for each other to ensure workloads are shared and individuals feel supported.

Investment in digital skills is also important for our team, examples of which include external software and process training, individual BSi certification, and support for further education studies.

In addition to this are the broader Ridge wellbeing benefits available to all employees including UNUM mental health resources, Gymflex subsidised gym membership, a generous cycle to work scheme, volunteer days, social events, an annual leave buying/selling scheme, private healthcare, life assurance, and income protection.