Johanna Smillie has built her career by embracing opportunities beyond her comfort zone, moving across resourcing, early careers and shared services to shape a broad and practical approach to HR leadership. As head of employee relations, payroll and HR shared services UKIN at CEVA Logistics, a global logistics and supply chain company, she leads a wide-ranging function focused on both operational delivery and long-term improvement.
At 37, Smillie’s path into HR was far from conventional, beginning in factory work before progressing through administration roles and apprenticeships into the profession. After early experience with TNT and Lidl, the German supermarket chain, she joined CEVA seven years ago, where she has continued to develop her expertise while building confidence through ongoing learning and development.
Now based in Leicestershire, she balances a senior leadership role with life at home alongside her partner Richard and their French bulldog, Walter, while preparing for the arrival of their first child. With a busy workload, a short daily commute and a focus on both structure and flexibility, her days reflect the varied and people-focused nature of modern HR.
I wake at 6am, mainly because the dog says so. I’ll feed him, have a shower and get ready for work. Breakfast is around 8, either at my desk at home or just before I start in the office.
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Right now, pregnancy means the first thing on my mind is food and everything takes a little longer than it used to. I’ve never been a natural morning person, so there’s no dreamy slow start; it’s very much get up and go.
I need a calm, quiet start to the day — the total opposite of my partner, who would happily have loud music on at full volume first thing, honestly my worst nightmare. Sitting with the dog and eating breakfast in peace is my little moment of calm before the day properly begins.
I drive to work, and it’s about 30 minutes, which I actually quite like. I’ll normally call Richard if he’s working away, flick through radio stations until I find something decent, and if I’ve got something big on, I’m usually using the time to mentally plan my day.
I start with a quick check-in with the team to make sure everyone’s okay and doesn’t need anything urgent. After that it’s a quick email scan before the 9am meetings kick off.
No two days are the same, which is exactly why I love HR. One morning might be dealing with escalations, the next I’m in project meetings looking at how we can improve systems and processes, drafting comms for change, catching up with my direct reports or reviewing GDPR requests and talking through the best way forward. It’s busy, varied and very people-focused.
Lunch is usually at my desk — something quick like a tuna mayo sandwich or avocado on toast, sometimes crisps and always chocolate. It’s my email-clearing time, although if diaries are tight I’ll have a working lunch with someone to push a project forward.
System integration will be the big innovation in HR in the next five years, without a doubt. Different platforms finally talking to each other, real-time data, less manual entry; it would free HR teams up to focus on the work that really adds value.
Be vocal about where you want to go and say yes to opportunities, if you want to get ahead in HR, even if they feel a bit outside your comfort zone. If you’re in a specialist area, it can be hard to get broad experience, so cross-team projects are where you really grow.
Afternoons are usually more project-focused: reviewing training, signing off on scoping documents with providers or quarterly review meetings to look at what’s coming next. Some days are back-to-back meetings, and other days I’ll block time out so I can properly focus and get something finished, which is satisfying.
Stepping away from the screen for five minutes makes such a difference. You come back with a completely fresh head. And when I’m in the office, I love a quick chat with the team about what they’re watching on Netflix or what they did at the weekend. That balance of focus at home and connection in the office really keeps me motivated.
A lot of what we do is driven by legislation or business need, which can sometimes be a tough sell, especially when operational priorities come first. It’s about finding the balance. HR is so much more than people expect, and we’re often seen as the ones who can fix everything. A lot of the work we get involved in sits well outside what people think of as “traditional HR”, which is what makes it so interesting.
To switch off, I’ll either go to a spin class or take Walter for a walk, depending on the weather, and whether he’s willing to go out in the rain. I often work beyond my set hours, but it’s usually because I’m genuinely interested in what I’m doing, whether that’s a project, improving a process, developing the team or just learning something new.
Evenings are for walking the dog, dinner cooked by my partner — I am definitely not the chef — and in the summer, sitting in the evening sun or watching a good series or film. Exercise, time with friends and family — that’s what really helps me reset.
Anytime between 9:30 and 10:30 pm is when I go to bed. I’ll have a little pamper and do my skincare routine. Whether it works or not is up for debate. I don’t drift off that easily. I’m normally running through the day or planning tomorrow in my head.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
