Insights Think a fast-paced team can’t have a culture of care? Here's why you're wrong…

Meet Adarsh Srivastava, who joined AtkinsRéalis’ Rail Consulting practice in February 2022 as a Bidding Engineer:

"I enjoy people and being involved in discussions, so my role as a Bidding Engineer fits me perfectly!”

WHat does your current role involve?

I started my career as an Execution Site Engineer and later moved to Tendering & Business Development. Being in this division allows me to become familiar with new opportunities to pursue and understand the government's vision for the near future. I've enjoyed learning about Business Development and Bid Management over the past years and consider it the first step in the project lifecycle — it brings our business to life!

"Here, in Rail Consulting, I'm part of the Win Work team, supporting Client Account Managers and Project Managers to process new opportunities and cover all the major deliverables of Win Work. Although I've only been here for a few months, I've had a good time, and I'm really looking forward to the future."

I've focused on gaining the knowledge I need to do my role effectively, and while I've worked on various projects in the past, bid work is quite different. The clients and stakeholders in Rail Consulting we work with daily provide plenty of opportunities to learn and gain knowledge on the job.

What's the community like in teh Gurgaon office?

We have an amazing team of five members here, and we regularly catch up on our work and what we did over the weekend. We work on a hybrid model, split between working from home and meeting in the office. Still, we don't feel "remote." We have WhatsApp and Teams groups, and I know I could easily call someone right now for a coffee and catch up if I wanted to.

We often go out on the weekends or have team dinners. We recently had visits from our regional Project Support Office head and our Rail Consulting Operations Director, all the way from the UK. I really enjoyed meeting them. I couldn't believe how friendly, outgoing and approachable everyone was. It was great to meet and socialise with our wider team, and we all had a good time.

Starting from my early days here at AtkinsRéalis, everyone, including my line manager, has been very supportive. He is always there for me, more like my mentor than a line manager! We have regular follow-up calls related to work, and he also talks to me about my career aspirations and guides me in the best way he can.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

I appreciate the great degree of control and freedom I have in my work and that I can work flexibly and enjoy a healthy work-life balance. Our office has a light-hearted atmosphere — we're all charged and motivated toward work. I'm fortunate to work with the most brilliant and intelligent people.

I love challenges, and I value the learning opportunities that AtkinsRéalis offers. Sometimes we get assigned a task that isn't very straightforward, requiring us to find creative solutions. When I finally overcome such challenges, it gives me a sense of fulfillment, and that's when I know I am growing, developing, and becoming a better version of myself.

What's your passion outside of work?

I consider myself the biggest "Potterhead." Between the books and movies, I think I've watched and read the fictional universe of Harry Potter more than 100 times. Even though I've grown up, I'm still waiting for my Hogwarts letter to arrive!

I've visited many Harry Potter-themed parks and cafés, and now my only wish is to visit Warner Bros Studio in London and spend an entire day in Harry Potter's Wizarding World. Fingers crossed, I can do it soon.

A few weeks ago, an article of mine was printed in our weekly communications column, where my wider team learned about my passion for Harry Potter books and movies. I was about to find out there are quite a few Potterheads like me in the organisation. I received an email from Tom Meacock, Rail Consulting's Practice Director, who told me about his interest in Harry Potter books. He shared that he used to pass through King's Cross station frequently.

"From my personal experience at AtkinsRéalis, I've found everyone to be very kind and down to earth, and it's not immediately apparent by people's behaviour who's in what role or who's senior. You only find out when you connect with them. AtkinsRéalis is the right place for me, where everyone is cordial and easy to work with.”

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