It’s one month since....

.... I started at Essex & Suffolk Water and most of the colleagues, I have met so far have decades worth of experience at Northumbrian Water Group. It occurred to me that being a new starter might be a dim and distant memory for some, so as a newbie, here are some observations I’ve had about starting here.  

1. I have been made to feel so welcome. Every colleague has gone out of their way to say hi, introduce themselves and be friendly, accommodating, and helpful.  

1. There isn’t a single colleague I’ve met who I haven’t liked. Now this is rare, because in an organisation this size, odds are there are one or two personalities you instinctively know you won’t mesh with. But so far, I haven’t met them. 

1. The tech – all the tech! Coming into Essex & Suffolk Water after 15 years in the public sector, I am very used to making do with the resources I have and being incredibly creative to problem solve. It’s liberating to think that there is resource (within reason) at my disposal, including colleagues who are experts in their field.  

1. To have the autonomy and the headspace to try new and creative solutions. And the encouragement from senior leaders to be creative. Output is great but it needs to produce the right results. Having the chance to sit back, analyse and re-evaluate is so valuable.  

1. Acronyms. I worked in the NHS for 10 years; I thought I was used to dealing with high numbers of acronyms but that was nothing compared to the water industry! Lol! 

In all seriousness, starting a new job is always daunting. You are never sure if you’ve made the right decision, or career move. For me, I wasn't planning to be leaving my previous employer but the opportunity at Essex & Suffolk was too good to ignore. I was leaving the comfort and security of a job in a local authority, for new challenges so I experienced the usual nervousness of meeting new people, worry about making a good impression, doubt of whether you can fulfil the role and expectations, cringing as you bother a colleague with another simple but essential question, finding it within yourself to dig deep and do your best every day, while learning new names, job roles, company structures, procedures and passwords. It is a lot.  

But it has been made so much easier with the friendly and welcoming attitude of everyone at NWG. I really cannot stress enough how wonderful everyone has been and how much of an enormous difference it makes, especially in my role where in external communications, you are truly only as good as the information you are given. This means building, developing, and nurturing effective working relationships so I can deliver professionally written external comms.  

I’m excited about coming into the office at Sandon Valley House and saying hi to colleagues. Just as I’m excited about the challenges ahead, developing a comms plan for Essex & Suffolk and delivering it. So, thank you to everyone I have met so far for being such a delight, and to those I am yet to meet – I am genuinely looking forward to it.  

If reading this has inspired you into looking into a career with Essex & Suffolk Water, visit our website for our latest vacancies: Careers (nwg.co.uk)