At Hollis, we announced over 70 promotions across the company with effect from 1 May.

As someone who joined the business four years ago as a newly qualified graduate building surveyor, I was thrilled to see our annual swathe of promotions. Not so much because it represents hope at the end of two hard years, nor even because I was lucky enough to have been rewarded myself on this occasion, but to me, the annual promotions demonstrate that opportunity exists within Hollis and that hard work is rewarded with career progression.

It is reassuring that so many of the Directors in the business originally joined as graduates and have worked their way up the ranks. That in itself proves to me that there can be, and there are, clear career paths for people. It also highlights that if people stay at Hollis for the duration of their careers, they must feel supported and happy.

These aren’t aspects that can be taken for granted as being provided in every business. They are also not just evidenced by a list of annual promotions. My journey with Hollis originally started in our Birmingham office, but after a couple of years I wanted to relocate to Bristol. Thanks to an ethos of always wanting to provide staff with opportunities, plus the ‘one team’ structure that operates across our UK and European offices, I was able to carry on my progression with Hollis by simply switching the office I was based out of.

When you speak to colleagues up and down the country and across Europe, everyone has a story to tell and as a young member of staff that provides me with encouragement and inspiration. For some it is being given service or department lead accountabilities, or people management responsibility, or experience working in a different area of the business, and for others it is being given the chance to open new offices or relocate closer to home. Whilst every story differs, they all have the same underlying message – that Hollis is willing to be altogether different in creating opportunities in order to retain and motivate good people, wherever it possibly can.

I have the privilege of currently sitting on our Junior Board with other representatives across Hollis. Moving up the ranks in the early part of our careers, it is so important to really feel that those on the Management Board are valuing the input that we can have on the running of the business, and knowing that our voice is truly heard. And it is.

Through initiatives such as the Junior Board and seeing colleagues regularly promoted or being handed more responsibilities, I can see that opportunities will come my way if I want them, and if I work hard enough.

To all of my colleagues who are celebrating their recent promotion, congratulations. To those seeking opportunity to develop, my advice? Work hard, take opportunities, and always remember the Hollis culture of finding the fun…I think you’ll find we’re pretty good at it!