Returning from maternity leave to support & leadership at AtkinsRéalis

Hello. I'm Karen, a Senior Programme Manager in Project & Programme Services at AtkinsRéalis in the UK. Born to Ghanaian parents and raised in North London, my journey has been one of resilience and a passion for positively impacting society. Today, I'm proud to lead both my engineering projects and serve as co-chair of the Embrace network, advocating for race equality and driving positive change across the organization. In this blog, I share my journey and insights on leadership, motherhood, and creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered.

Is AtkinsRéalis a good place for ethnic minority women to work?

If I'm being honest, I was drawn to AtkinsRéalis more as an organization than for its engineering focus. With a degree in Accounting and Finance for Contemporary China from the University of Nottingham, I started my career in asset management. After experiencing workplace discrimination based on my race and gender, I prioritized finding a company with a healthy work culture. In early 2020, I found a role at AtkinsRéalis that aligned with my values.

How I ended up in engineering from a non-technical degree

As someone with a non-engineering degree in Accounting and Finance, I initially didn't envision myself in an engineering-focused role. However, in joining AtkinsRéalis, I discovered that there's room for diverse backgrounds in engineering and programme management. Today, as a senior programme manager, I work alongside teams that oversee large-scale engineering, construction, and infrastructure programmes for various clients, ensuring projects meet objectives, timelines, and budgets.

Promoting career growth and equality at AtkinsRéalis

I also lead internal initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, and team development within the organization. After joining, I discovered the Embrace employee resource group (ERG), a community for ethnic minority colleagues and allies at AtkinsRéalis. We focus on understanding the challenges ethnic minority employees face and creating a safe space for discussions about our experiences, obstacles, and possible solutions. I soon became actively engaged in ED&I initiatives to help improve the experience for diverse employees.

Advancing career progression for ethnic minority employees

A major success for Embrace has been turning our roundtable discussions into real, actionable results. One session highlighted concerns about subjective promotions and limited career progression, leading AtkinsRéalis to introduce the Thrive learning programme, formal mentoring, and sponsorship for colleagues from diverse backgrounds. We're now seeing more people promoted based on merit. While there's still work to do, I'm proud of the progress and the honest conversations we're fostering!

Being part of this amazing committee means constantly finding ways to keep momentum and engagement strong. We have an active Viva Engage community for open discussions, bi-annual calls with the committee and sponsors to update ED&I objectives, and Q&A sessions for feedback. We've also launched virtual workshops offering career insights and celebrating global events like South Asian Heritage Month, Black History Month, and more, through webinars, socials, and Viva Engage posts.

Brilliant support returning to work after maternity leave

Recently, I returned to work after having my baby. Getting back into the swing of things involved a phased return, exploring four-day work weeks, and adjusting my start and end times as needed. This flexibility has also given me a chance to delegate within my engineering role and my internal ED&I work, opening up leadership opportunities for others.

I'm grateful to my line manager, team head, and the rest of my client-facing team for giving me the space to find my rhythm after returning to work. Transparency with colleagues has been vital in ensuring they understand my priorities. I'm especially thankful to James, my line manager, Chris, the head of my team, and the client team members Wayne, Ivana, and Craig, along with some of my old colleagues in Transportation, for their support during this transition.

Practical help balancing work and family after maternity leave

Through the ParentNet ERG, I've discovered the importance of sharing responsibilities. With time being more limited now, I rely on being super-organized, and transparency with colleagues is essential so they understand my priorities. I've started delegating tasks in my engineering role, and ED&I work with Embrace, which creates leadership opportunities for others.

AtkinsRéalis' generous maternity package enabled me to take nearly a year off, and regular keeping-in-touch (KIT) days with my line manager kept me connected to the business, making my return smoother. Now, as part of the ParentNet community, I value the shared personal experiences and advice that have helped me find the best balance for my family. Other parents have been honest about their own adjustments, guiding me to find the right path for myself.

How embracing equality, diversity, and inclusion shapes leaders

My involvement in the Embrace network has helped me develop leadership skills, particularly my emotional intelligence and effective team management, which I now apply in my engineering role to better relate to clients and help them achieve their goals. Being part of the wider ED&I community at AtkinsRéalis has deepened my empathy for diverse groups, leading to stronger professional and personal relationships with a more diverse set of people.

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