Over the past year, Restore Compliance has evolved from an ambitious vision into a dedicated, high-performing compliance function. As a newly formed registered building control approver (RBCA), the company is committed to raising standards across every aspect of business
The leadership team understands regulatory expectations and recognises that effective building compliance is fundamental to protecting its customers, supporting its colleagues, and strengthening the organisation’s reputation.
PBC Today spoke to Martin Lewis, associate director at Restore Compliance, to find out more about his role and how the company is changing the norms of the building compliance landscape
How does your background shape your leadership style compared to traditional corporate management?
I’ve been fortunate to work with a diverse range of managers throughout my career. Most were great at what they did, but they all had different approaches to leadership. That taught me there isn’t one definitive way to manage people.
For me, the best approach is to be yourself, understand the people you’re working with and adapt your leadership style to suit their individual needs. Everyone is different, and what one person needs to perform at their best might be completely different from what someone else needs. Leadership is about recognising those differences, building trust and giving people the opportunity to succeed.
How do you balance high-stakes regulatory demands with creating a supportive, flexible environment for your team?
Our clients’ needs and regulatory responsibilities will always be a priority, but the wellbeing of our team is equally important. Ultimately, that’s why we work as a team: to achieve more together than we could individually.
When you work in a high-responsibility industry like building control, challenges are inevitable. The key is making sure nobody feels they have to deal with them alone. As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. It doesn’t always have to be a problem, either; sharing a challenge, talking it through, and drawing on others’ experience can make it far more manageable.
At Restore, we want to deliver the right outcomes for our clients while creating an environment where people feel supported, valued and able to do their best work.
Compliance is often seen as a bureaucratic ‘box-ticking’ exercise. How is Restore Compliance changing that narrative for clients?
In the post-Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and Building Safety Act landscape, compliance is far more complex than it once was. But I’ve never seen it as simply a box-ticking exercise. Compliance should be part of the process from the outset, not something you scramble to address at the end.
Early involvement can make a significant difference. Often, our role isn’t to design a solution for someone, but to guide the people involved to the right information, highlight relevant requirements, and support them in finding a compliant way forward.
In many cases, achieving compliance doesn’t mean compromising the design or the end product. With the right guidance at the right time, you can incorporate it into the process far more effectively. That’s the approach we want clients to experience at Restore: practical advice, early engagement and a focus on getting things right.
What outdated industry ways of working were you most eager to disrupt when starting the business?
I’m going to say something that might sound a little old-fashioned: email!
We’ve become accustomed to copying everyone into everything, creating long email chains that can take more time to manage than the original issue would have taken to resolve. Sometimes, the simplest and most productive solution is to pick up the phone and talk.
A five-minute call can often achieve what might otherwise take 20 emails, particularly when you need to clarify a point or work through a challenge together. Even if you have ten of those calls in a morning, think about how many unnecessary emails you never have to send, read, or answer.
For me, improving how we work doesn’t always mean adding more technology or processes. Sometimes it means stepping back, using a bit of common sense and remembering that talking to people is still one of the most effective ways to get things done.
What feedback do you hear most from your team about why they prefer working here over traditional compliance firms?
One thing I hear most is how refreshing it is to work somewhere that recognises life doesn’t stop when you leave the office.
Children get ill, cars break down, and roofs leak. Life happens, and people shouldn’t have to panic about how their manager will react when something unexpected comes up.
For me, it comes down to trust, respect and accountability. If we treat people like adults, give them the flexibility to manage life’s challenges and trust them to deliver their work to the right standard, everyone benefits.
Of course, we have responsibilities to our clients and to one another, and the work still needs to meet the expected standard. But that can coexist with flexibility and understanding. A supported, content team is much better positioned to deliver great work, look after clients, and help the business grow.
How do you build a strong sense of shared purpose and pride in a high-responsibility industry?
By making sure everyone feels invested in the business and has a genuine opportunity to contribute.
I don’t believe there should be a culture where people are afraid to suggest something because they think it might be dismissed. Sometimes the idea that initially sounds the craziest turns out to be the one that transforms a process or takes the business in an exciting new direction.
A business should never stand still. It needs to keep learning, adapting, and progressing, and the people doing the work every day are often best placed to identify where improvements can be made.
When team members see their ideas listened to, developed, and put into practice, they become part of something bigger than their individual role. That creates ownership, pride and a genuine sense of shared purpose.
At Restore Compliance, we want everyone to feel they have a part to play in shaping the business, improving how we work, and raising standards across our industry. For me, that’s what builds a strong team and gives people something to be proud of.
The post Leadership interview part 1: How Restore Compliance challenges traditional building compliance norms appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.
