11 Feb Work Smarter, Grow Faster: How Thomas & Hutton Designs Efficiency into Every Role
In the engineering world, speed and precision often come at the expense of balance. But at Thomas & Hutton, we’ve learned that the key to sustained excellence isn’t working harder, it’s working smarter.
Our systems, tools, and training programs were built around that philosophy. They help our teams focus on what matters most: creative problem-solving, collaboration, and client success. What many of us may take for granted, such as our integrated SharePoint, custom CAD standards, in-house learning platform, and homegrown tools are often what impress new hires the most.
Chris Ackerman
“One year at T&H is like being 2–3 years ahead anywhere else.” — Chris Ackerman, Project Manager
That perspective reflects years of investment in technology, evolving workflows, and a culture built on curiosity and collaboration. Through employee surveys led by HR Director Candice Ashley, ongoing feedback from our teams continues to shape improvements to training, communication, and internal resources across the firm. In many cases, the programs and tools in place today originated directly from employee suggestions and feedback, turning everyday ideas into meaningful change.
Candice Ashley
“Ongoing employee feedback, especially during the first six months, helps us continuously refine how we onboard, support, and develop our people so they can grow faster and deliver at a higher level,” says Candice Clifton Ashley, SHRM-SCP, HR Director.
Smart Systems that Empower People
Every firm uses technology. The difference at Thomas & Hutton is that our systems are designed by the people who use them.
Matthew Roach
As Principal and IT Director Matthew Roach puts it, the aim is to create tools that make the workday smoother and more meaningful, shaped by a steady curiosity to improve and a belief that good ideas can come from anywhere.
That spirit sparked the evolution of TH Tools, which began when designer Tim Nary built simple shortcuts to make drafting faster. Those tools spread organically, quietly transforming workflows across the firm and saving thousands of hours in the process.
Another example, Latapult, began as a hallway conversation about visualizing data differently. It grew into a powerful internal platform and later, a product used by external clients. “Neither came from an executive mandate,” says Roach. “They started with curiosity and collaboration — the two things that drive our best work.”
Thomas & Hutton’s innovation isn’t limited to the desktop. Our Reality Capture Team began in 2012 with the purchase of our first drone, giving project teams a new way to understand their sites from above. High-resolution aerial imagery revealed patterns, risks, and opportunities that traditional ground photos or site plans couldn’t fully capture.
Today, that early adoption has grown into a sophisticated drone and LiDAR program with an emphasis on land surveying. What once required days in the field can now be completed in hours. Multiple site visits have become a single pass. By pairing our surveying expertise with UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and mobile LiDAR workflows, we deliver faster, more accurate data — the level of precision our clients rely on to make confident decisions.
These investments aren’t about the novelty of new technology; they’re about giving our teams practical tools that help them work more effectively and elevate the quality of what we deliver.
That same culture of innovation continues today through our AI Strategic Task Forces. By bringing together enthusiastic AI users from every discipline, these groups are generating fresh ideas and new efficiencies across the company. As technology evolves quickly, the task forces help ensure employees see AI not as a replacement, but as a partner that elevates their work, sparks creativity, and opens new paths for success.
Consistency and Collaboration by Design
Efficiency at T&H isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about creating consistency. Our workflows and CAD systems are anchored to national and local standards, giving every project the same solid foundation.
Charles D’Errico
“When standards don’t exist, we incorporate direct feedback from team members,” explains Charles D’Errico, IT Systems Analyst. “That balance between structure and flexibility keeps our systems both consistent and practical.”
By design, collaboration is built into our process, not tacked on later. Templates, resources, and expectations are clear across every office, allowing new hires to get productive quickly and teams to share work seamlessly across states. As one team refines a process, the improvement scales across the company, multiplying the impact of every innovation.
Learning Without Leaving
At T&H, professional development doesn’t happen after hours. It’s part of the workday.
Through T&H University (THU), employees can earn PDHs and access continuing education on company time. Our Workflow Wednesdays, Third Thursdays and lunch-and-learn sessions led by internal and external subject matter experts, are all recorded and indexed for on-demand review, building a searchable library of institutional knowledge.
“We’ve made professional development part of the workday,” D’Errico says. “We also provide hundreds of short, searchable ‘Briefs’ videos that show exactly how to complete specific tasks.”
For Mike Hughes, Principal and long-time leader at T&H, this mindset of continuous improvement is what defines the company’s culture.
Mike Hughes
“On my first day, I learned how our customized in-house tools take care of the repetitive work so engineers can focus on the challenging parts,” he says. “That genuine drive to make everyone’s work a little better has been carried through 23 years later. It’s core to who we are.”
The Myth vs. Reality of Growth
In many firms, “growth” still means long nights and burnout. But T&H’s systems were built to achieve the opposite: faster professional growth through smarter workflows.
“Growth here isn’t about grinding harder, it’s about operating in well-designed systems that scale talent,” says D’Errico.
“Working smarter and harder is what gives us an edge,” adds Hughes. “We remove inefficiencies so there’s more time to think creatively, mentor others, and focus on quality work that allows clients and communities to thrive.”
When every tool, process, and program is built around empowering people, growth comes naturally. Innovation isn’t a department, it’s a mindset shared across every team.
Building Systems That Build People
At Thomas & Hutton, we don’t just build infrastructure. We design systems that make people better at what they do.
By integrating technology with human insight, we’ve created an environment where employees can grow faster, collaborate more deeply, and find greater satisfaction in their work. It’s a culture where curiosity is rewarded, innovation is shared, and everyone’s ideas have the potential to make an impact.
“Anyone can purchase software,” says Roach. “But we develop ours to fit the way we work. That’s what makes it powerful.”
At T&H, working smarter isn’t just a motto — it’s our foundation for everything we design.
Ready to work smarter and grow faster? Explore career opportunities with Thomas & Hutton and discover how our systems, culture, and people help you build the future—starting with your own. Explore Careers at Thomas & Hutton
