From early starts in Suffolk to overseeing people, communications and ESG at one of London’s most essential rail operators, Oli Gant’s working day is all about momentum — both on and off the tracks.
As HR, Communications and ESG Director and Deputy Managing Director at Arriva Rail London, Oli, 44, brings experience across policing, mental health agriculture and transport to a role that now spans far beyond HR. Married with two young sons and a self-confessed routine-lover, he balances the demands of senior leadership with the everyday joys of family life, daily exercise and feeding the cat before anyone else is awake.
In this edition of A Day in the Life of an HR Professional, Oli shares what keeps him grounded, why HR needs to speak up more and how a train ride over the M25 helps him mentally shift into gear for the day ahead.
I get up at 6am at the latest as I’m a stickler for routine, and feed my cat breakfast, as he’s always right there, telling me I’m late. Then I head into the kitchen to make a coffee, take vitamins and supplements and get on with what I need for the day: ironing clothes, preparing lunch and making breakfast. I enjoy the quiet of the mornings, and it ensures I don’t wake the boys up too early.
My commute to work is by train. I walk to the station, which gives me a chance to listen to a podcast on the way. We’ve just launched an employee podcast, Sound of the Overground, which is hosted by two of our colleagues. They invite guests on from across the business to talk about everything from train performance to career progression. So if there’s a new episode out, I’ll give that a listen.
Once I’m on the train, I’ll meditate for the first 10 minutes of the train journey, then read or watch something. I also make sure I drink plenty of water on my commute.
I find myself switching on as the train passes over the M25. It’s become a useful trigger for me, signalling that it’s time to focus and get ready for the day ahead.
When I arrive at the office, the first thing I do is walk around our floor to say good morning to my teams, as they are spread out across the office. I think that’s a really important thing to do, even if it’s just a brief interaction. We have a great connection across the directorate, which really shows during our more social catch-ups. They normally involve some sort of activity, such as virtual darts, which may or may not bring out my competitive side.
A typical morning at work for me is filled with meetings. I’m at my best before 3pm, so I like to prioritise all tasks that require critical thinking and being present earlier on in the day. This means one-to-one meetings with my team and executive team meetings are the first things in my diary. Everything else fits around them.
We are on the cusp of the nature of work being completely revolutionised — another industrial revolution. HR needs to lead this change, not just be a participant.
A lunch break? What’s one of those? I’ll have my Huel close by and drink that. In all seriousness, I’m a bit of a fussy eater, so I prefer to have something that I know is giving me the nutrition I need. I usually take the opportunity to have a walk around the office and catch up with team members I may have missed in the morning. It’s a great time to find out how life outside of work is: how their holiday went; how their house move is going; and just generally check in.
We are on the cusp of the nature of work being completely revolutionised — another industrial revolution. HR needs to lead this change, not just be a participant. The role of HR and the jobs we will be doing are going to be completely different over the next two to three years.
Critically, I believe that HR must become more tech-savvy and take the lead in introducing new technologies into the organisation, rather than leaving it just to IT. We need to figure out how to get people using the tech effectively, not just getting the tech for our people to use.
Make and take every opportunity to grow your experience. If you aren’t feeling uncomfortable, then you aren’t doing enough. People who are prepared to head into new territory and learn as they go are incredibly valuable to any team.
My afternoons are typically more meetings, then emails and reading. I try to schedule any time on the network in the afternoon where possible.
I think it’s important to understand how your own mind and body function and then build your routine around it. Knowing where you get your energy from is crucial. For me, being quite introverted, it’s amazing what some quiet time in the afternoon or a quick walk on my own can do for recharging my batteries.
One of my annoyances about HR is when we stay quiet during discussions about non-HR topics. It’s so frustrating. We’re uniquely placed to influence the business because we see how everything is working, and without people, the business fails. So have an opinion and speak up. Challenge people on what they’re doing, share your ideas and be part of making things even better. HR professionals should be proactive and vocal, contributing to all aspects of the business to drive positive change.
The sheer amount of non-HR stuff I get involved in might surprise people. I’ve always been like that. People often have no idea how many different things an HR director gets involved with. I’d say most of my role now isn’t actually about HR. I see myself as a business leader who is qualified in HR, not the other way around. I’ve run facilities management teams and construction teams and now run the business when my boss is on leave.
HR is uniquely placed to influence the business because we see how everything is working, and without people, the business fails.
The train ride home helps me wind down at the end of the day. I start by clearing down my inbox and then transition to listening to something or meditating. It’s like the day comes full circle, mirroring the start of my commute.
When I get off the train, I walk home, which gives me the chance to reset and be “dad” when I walk through the front door.
We all try to keep to a schedule, but of course, you do what is needed to get the job done, right? My work ethic comes from my dad, and it’s something I try to instil in my kids. Work hard and keep at it.
One rule though: when I’m off, I’m off. It’s something my team tell me they respect about me, as it shows that I respect their time and boundaries. You have to model the behaviours you want to see from your teams.
My evenings usually involve some form of exercise. I try to do at least 30 minutes a day, whether it’s hitting golf balls three times a week, doing yoga or strength work. My family has a pretty good knack for keeping me grounded. Spending time with them helps me relax and transition out of work mode. Outside of family time, exercise is my go-to for recharging.
I go to bed at 10pm pretty much without fail — brush my teeth, get into bed and I’m usually out in five minutes. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m gone. I’ve always been lucky like that.