Our Managing Director Ed Hutchinson continues his look ahead to 2025 in this second article.
As he looks to the future, Ed explains why people are at the heart of our business, exploring how our team, clients, and collaborators are driving success, breaking down regional barriers, and setting the stage for 2025 and beyond. From pivotal projects like Golden Valley to our forward thinking strategic workforce plan, discover how we’re building not just places, but brighter futures.
Last year was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the next two to three years for HBD, driven by our strategic workforce planning and our unwavering commitment to innovation and collaboration.
We recognise that our foundations are built by people: our team, our clients and those we work alongside in this fast paced, exciting industry. So, let me delve into our plan for the medium term in more detail and explain why people are at the heart of what we do.
Our strategic workforce plan: a blueprint for growth
Throughout 2024, we devoted significant time and energy to refining our strategic workforce plan. This was a crucial exercise that needed to be done in response to the overall growth we are forecasting for the business and to ensure we have the right skills and resources to achieve it. In addition, it has been fundamental to us being able to talk to our people in an informed way about career progression and shape our thinking around targeted leaning and development.
The result is a clear roadmap for 2025 and beyond that identifies where roles might emerge within our business and highlights opportunities to upskill our talented team. By harnessing the collective expertise across HBD, geography is no longer a barrier. We are utilising the right people on the right projects, working together and championing professional growth across the business. Take Golden Valley, a once in a lifetime project at the heart of the UK’s National Cyber Strategy in Cheltenham, for example. The project demonstrates how our cross regional approach benefits both individuals and the company. By drawing on talent, like Matt Bellshaw from our Glasgow office, Golden Valley has benefitted from having someone with the ideal skillset and experience to progress the project. This no barriers mindset allows us to align our skills with specific project needs, creating a dynamic and responsive workforce.
A new way of thinking
This shift didn’t happen overnight.
In fact, when I stepped into my role in 2018, HBD’s approach to allocating resource to a particular project was done on a regional basis. By 2019, this model clearly wasn’t serving us as effectively as it should. My favourite analogy is to imagine an athletics team: you wouldn’t send a marathon runner to compete in a sprint race simply because they were closest to the track. It’s just not the best use of talent.
Our new way of thinking about finding the right people for the right projects has enabled us to look at the bigger picture, leveraging strengths across the business rather than limiting ourselves to regional silos.
Perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic had a big role to play. As travel restrictions required remote collaboration, we began to see first hand how breaking down geographical boundaries could enhance efficiency and innovation.
A new perspective is now embedded in our culture, positioning us to thrive in a more interconnected and agile business environment. We are, after all, one team and one business.
Building on solid foundations
At Henry Boot our successes are underpinned by a rock solid balance sheet and an exceptional team of people that has a track record of delivering truly impactful projects. Though recent years have brought challenges, from geopolitical tensions to higher interest rates and a slower economy, our people’s resilience in the face of these obstacles has been unwavering.
Our core focus remains on the industrial and logistics sector, something proven through our Origin joint venture announcement in December, as well as urban development, with a strong emphasis on residential projects. We also continue to seize opportunities in emerging areas, such as innovation and cybersecurity at Golden Valley for example, leveraging the knowledge and expertise we’ve built over the years in these burgeoning sectors.
To 2025 and beyond…
The economic climate is showing signs of improvement as we move into the new year. and we are poised to unlock new opportunities with schemes that are both viable and impactful.
I’m looking ahead with quiet optimism, surrounded by an HBD team of people who share my excitement about the potential in front of us: transforming places, creating jobs, building homes, and strengthening communities. Ultimately our purpose is to create great places today to build a better tomorrow.
2025 and the coming years are about more than growth; they’re about the difference we can make. With a unified vision, a collaborative culture, and a commitment to excellence, HBD is ready to embrace the future with confidence.