Justyna Żmija joined the Kraków Women’s Network during her first month at BBH. Although the small group was meeting remotely due to COVID, it gave her the chance to get to know colleagues beyond her immediate team. Then the Network lost its active lead, and activity began to fade.

A few months later, Justyna found herself thinking about the conversations and relationships she missed most from the KWN. She decided to act, emailing six people to say it had gone quiet and risked losing momentum. She sent the message with some doubt about what she could offer as a relatively new employee, but the response gave her an answer. Her colleagues also saw something worth rebuilding.

Finding a renewed direction for the KWN

With the decision to rebuild made, the group came together without a formal selection process or a finished program. Justyna, Julita Petrus, and Katarzyna Urbanska began asking colleagues what they wanted from the KWN. Those conversations helped them define the KWN’s new purpose and choose where to focus their efforts.

They also looked at activity already happening across BBH. Rather than repeat work from teams such as Talent Acquisition or Talent & Development, they focused on ideas that filled a genuine need. This gave the KWN a clearer role and helped members see their own ideas in what followed.

Giving members room to shape it

They didn’t try to persuade people to join. Instead, they made events open so colleagues could experience the KWN for themselves and decide if it felt relevant. As members recommended the KWN to colleagues, the community grew. New members brought new ideas, and some took responsibility for putting them into action.

Almost one-third of members have helped organize activities. The Art of Engagement is one example. Built around the link between happiness at work and performance, the event brought together BBHers and external guests for a keynote and panel discussion. What began as one employee’s idea grew as colleagues contributed and the firm offered support. Members identified a relevant issue, shaped the event, and opened the conversation to a wider audience.

Building trust through consistency

Rebuilding the KWN was only the first step. Sustaining it meant creating an environment where people could contribute without pressure. The team continued to ask members what helped them feel connected and adjusted its approach in response. Members could contribute when they had capacity and step back when they didn’t. When someone shared an idea, the group explored it fully.

That consistency helped the KWN earn trust and gave members opportunities to lead activities, learn from different experiences, and build relationships beyond their immediate teams. Some have linked their involvement with greater confidence and new opportunities to stand out.

The KWN’s renewal shows what becomes possible when people are given the space to contribute their ideas, take the lead, and shape a community together.

We know our success starts with yours! If you’re interested in exploring a career at BBH, we’re always looking for talented individuals to join the team. Visit the Careers page to view open roles.