Our principles

We divide our team of experts into two groups: those who contribute their know-how and experience; and those who fulfil specific tasks by a specific deadline. The more a person knows and the more experienced they are, the more freedom they enjoy in choosing how to approach their work.

Of course, with greater freedom comes greater responsibility. In working for us, everyone has the chance to acquire the knowledge and experience they need, gaining more freedom and more responsibility in the process.

We have long since abandoned a department-based structure, instead taking a team-based approach. Our project managers assemble suitable teams for every project. Management only enters into a contract with the client once the team has been formed and agrees to do the work by the deadline and to the budget set by them.

This engenders in the team a sense of responsibility for the project and precludes them from being forced into taking something on they would rather not.

We have completely changed the role of management in Sirkel & Mall. Previously it took a top-down approach, dictating what to do, how it should be done and at what cost, but today it has become a support team that takes care of all the things that help staff do their best work:

everything from conditions in the company (working space, IT, software, processes, salaries and events) to the sales process (looking for clients and entering into contracts) and developing processes for everyone to use.

We no longer define ourselves as a design company, but as a consulting company.

As a consultant, you have to be capable of utilising your know-how to offer added value.

Tasks are divided up the smart way in Sirkel & Mall, because when it comes to projects and the company as a whole, integrated delivery matters. The team effect manifests itself when goals are set collectively for the team and individually for its members, who in achieving their own objectives help to achieve those of the entire team.

Our salary system is based on team results – and has been shown to work.

We never overload our teams or keep them 100% busy 100% of the time, because in our experience around 20% of every project constitutes changes, corrections and extra work. The project manager factors this in for everyone on the team, ensuring they have the wiggle room they need and thus avoiding the stress that a lack of time tends to cause. After all, stress leads to mistakes and saps people’s will and ability to work – the end result being substandard projects and unhappy clients.

And since it is the team themselves who agree to take on a project, there is no element of being forced into doing something by management.

Just about everyone on our team has higher education and doesn’t need to have strict rules imposed on them to be good at what they do. Quite the reverse: give smart people the freedom to choose how they go about their work and they will be much better at it.

The only limits they have to work within are the those set by their team – and the understanding that with freedom comes responsibility.

Our projects aren’t the result of random choices. Rather, every choice we make – like every material we choose and every solution we opt for – is for good reason, and a reason we are happy to share. We select the best option in each case by analysing all of the options available to us, guided by criteria like price, quality, suitability and conformity.

Only that way can we be sure that the building we are providing for the client is the right one, not a random one.

In planning projects we are aware of the cost of materials and the construction price of solutions.

By taking these into account we are able to offer the client an optimised project which is both feasible and affordable.

In Sirkel & Mall, innovation isn’t just about new materials or software, but how we shape our management culture and how we motivate our highly educated team to do more (and to do it even more smartly) in less time.

How a person feels in a company is important and is reflected in their ability to contribute to the company’s development. We don’t treat our people as mere employees, but as team members, and we help them achieve their goals so that the company can achieve its own.

To limit the number of mistakes that arise in the course of projects, we have implemented a checklist system in addition to self-checking and automated geometry checks. This system sees a project subjected to a series of standardised questions which help to further reduce the number of potential errors.

Our aim is to ensure that the project leads to no stoppages on the building site and that every component of it is chosen with great care and will have minimal impact on the environment.

E-mail us, give us a call or pop in to our office to talk about how we can help you develop your business idea or find the best solution for your construction project.

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