Meet the Bristol NextGen group.
One of the biggest hurdles facing people entering a new workplace post-Covid, is how to meet and form connections with other colleagues. This is especially challenging for people in their early careers, for who it might be the exciting, but nevertheless scary, first step in their profession.
While leaders and managers grapple with this conundrum, a group of people in our Bristol office have formed their own NextGen group to socialise and network.
“The group aims to be a stepping stone between higher education or other pathways, into the construction industry and the corporate environment. It brings individuals together across different teams, providing a base for knowledge sharing and strengthening professional connections across the office.”
Bristol NextGen was initially founded as a cross-team social group, acting as a remedy to the relative isolation and disconnection that newer staff members were experiencing around lockdown. They were supported and encouraged by Ian Gow, who looks after people and culture in Bristol, and this level of encouragement gave a huge amount of confidence to the junior committee members. It has since evolved into a social and professional development group, connecting people across disciplines and sectors. They have organised socials from potluck lunches to darts, as well as a networking event with construction and architect firms.
The organisers behind the group feel passionate about helping people feel welcomed in the office, as they have first-hand experience of joining Hoare Lea during a completely new era of employee-workplace relationships. They’re mindful to include everyone who could be considered ‘early careers’, such as CMGs – the only parameters are that you have to be taking your first steps in your professional career:
"We were especially mindful of the disconnect between MEP and CMGs. Regular social events and knowledge sharing seemed to have proved successful in making early career employees feel more connected and comfortable in the working environment. At the potluck it was lovely to see everyone coming together for lunch, bringing interesting food and chatting to people who they had perhaps never met in-person.”
A secondary effect is that the group has become a distinct and influential presence within the Bristol office – creating a warmer, chattier atmosphere and forming a clear place for leaders to gather the perspectives from younger people.
If all of this sounds appealing, then feel free to get in touch with a member of the Bristol NextGen committee, who are happy to share their experiences and give tips on the things that have been most effective.
Bristol NextGen committee: Callum Chamberlain, Ebony Stephenson, Ewan Ramsden, Lisa Hocking, Sananth Nair.