Insights 7 things working parents should know about AtkinsRéalis

Hi, I'm Liena, a self-admitted "Jack of all trades, master of none." I started my career as a graduate Power System Engineer and later moved into corporate strategy and innovation roles. I joined AtkinsRéalis in early 2020 as a Principal Engineer working in a small team providing regulatory and advisory services to utility clients and Ofgem (the British electricity and gas market regulator).

I also have a 21-month-old daughter who needs a lot of my attention, and I need to be present when she needs me. It isn't easy, especially when unexpected things happen, like illnesses, but I feel I have a great support system at work.

Here are my 7 Things Working Parents Should Know About AtkinsRéalis:

1. AtkinsRéalis values transferable skills

My varied experience eventually led me to discover my real passion for driving changes and improvements in how we do things, building great relationships, and supporting staff and clients. My role now is split 50/50 between being the group operations lead for the Net Zero Energy (ENZB) electrical discipline and manager of one of our biggest frameworks.

2. The team takes sustainability seriously

As a people leader, I must ensure that the team lives our values of Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, and Safety. All of these are essential qualities for successfully delivering projects of the scale, complexity, and importance required to transition to Net Zero. In my role, I have to ensure we build a team that truly embodies these values and associated behaviors.

3. You can balance work and parenthood at AtkinsRéalis

My Market Director and line managers have been great, supporting me when I returned from maternity leave and now that I'm back full-time. The company, my team, and the NZEB leadership have given me flexible working arrangements and tasked me with modeling a reasonable work-life balance. This has challenged me to be more effective at delegating work and duties that other team members can do. And actually, it has created development opportunities for the people I work with and allowed me to focus on the things where I can add the most value.

4. We're winning at flexibility

AtkinsRéalis has just won the 'Best Employer for Flexible Working' in the Top Employer Awards. It reflects how the organization champions flexible working from the very start of anyone's career here. Winning an award for flexible working shows how seriously AtkinsRéalis takes it. We really do make sure everyone knows they can work flexibly, mixing it with our focus on diversity and inclusion so everyone can do great work and still have time for family.

5. You'll love our vibrant, supportive team

The team has been focusing on stress awareness and psychological safety, encouraging everyone to voice their needs for extra support. At the same time, we're interviewing our next intake of Graduates and Placement students. I look forward to welcoming them every year. Their enthusiasm energizes the whole team, and getting their fresh perspectives on how we do things is excellent.

6. Buddying up when you need support

We've launched an industry-first Buddy Scheme to support employees transitioning into parenthood. We partnered with an external consultancy to train 13 "buddies" across the company. They offer support, advice, and guidance before, during, and after any kind of family leave. They've already made a huge difference to new parents adapting to this exciting, often challenging, life phase.

7. Why you should think about joining us

The energy landscape and supporting infrastructure are going through the most significant overhaul in decades as the country moves to decarbonize energy. We work with the biggest players in the impacted sectors, helping them navigate this transition. Being part of a large multinational company has its advantages. You'll always be able to choose from projects and development opportunities to suit your interests and expertise.

Our Net Zero Energy team is hiring: read more about our Nuclear & Power team and browse roles from here.