Network Rail CEO: There’s Never Been a More Exciting Time to Work in the Railway Industry

Every day, 4.8 million people use Network Rail's lines. The UK company anticipates up to 400 million more passenger journeys by as soon as 2020. Investment and modernisation are absolutely essential. Keeping Britain moving and building a better railway for the future is full of challenges – but also tremendous opportunities. This future is what excites CEO Andrew Haines, and it spurs his focus on innovation when it comes to employee development. "We invest in our people – this includes providing lots of opportunities to move around the business and develop new skills, and opportunities to move up the organisation quickly," Haines tells Glassdoor. "When you bring people together with different backgrounds, experiences and ideas, we introduce each other to new possibilities, challenge each other more, and drive each other to do better." His unique perspective on people management is what is at the core of why he has been named the #2 Top CEO in the UK in 2019. Glassdoor's career expert, Jo Cresswell, caught up with Haines to discuss building the railway of the future, what he looks for in applicants and why now is a perfect time to apply to one of Network Rail's open jobs. Glassdoor: Congrats on the Top CEOs win. Leadership is one of the leading factors for why job seekers join particular companies. What makes your approach to leadership at Network Rail unique? Andrew Haines: I think it’s the combination of three things: Growing up in a working-class family in the Welsh valleys, I learnt to have a strong work ethic from a young age. I’ve also learnt to be a straight talker. It doesn’t matter who is asking a question – it can be a member of the Board or a frontline colleague – I do my best to put myself in their shoes and then give them a clear straight answer and that’s what I expect in return. I know this sounds like a cliché, but I’ve worked my way up within the rail industry - my first job was in left luggage at London Victoria station - with a 10-year diversion to aviation, which gives me a good understanding of the issues facing the company and wider industry. That helps with being able to engage on the issues that really matter to colleagues no matter which part of the organisation they work in. Glassdoor: With such steep competition for talent, how is your recruiting team approaching candidate engagement? What can an applicant expect? Andrew Haines: We have so many interesting and varied jobs at Network Rail, so our recruitment covers a vast swathe of the population. And I truly believe that a diverse workforce makes for better performing teams. When you bring people together with different backgrounds, experiences and ideas, we introduce each other to new possibilities, challenge each other more, and drive each other to do better. In an organisation as big and complex as Network Rail, we know there is always more we can do to increase diversity and that’s why we have ambitious plans for the future. One of the things that made me decide to come back to the rail industry, almost a year ago now, is the people. Candidates can expect great people to work with, lots of opportunities for promotions and moving around the organisation, as well as flexibility in our approach to work-life balance – we want to get the best out of you. Glassdoor: What are the types of interview questions you personally like to ask when you’re hiring directly? Andrew Haines: I look for people that can put their ego aside, are customer focussed and demonstrate both self-awareness and a hunger to learn. Every day, my team needs to make tough decisions which will deliver the best outcomes for passengers. Some of them are life and death. Some could cost millions if we make the wrong call. They constantly manage trade-offs and weigh up impacts of the actions they take. That’s why I like to understand what drives people, their value set, and sense their appetite to learn. But I try not to have stock questions because in an interview it’s important to do everything you can to put the candidate at ease and respond to their mood and style. Glassdoor: Are there particular values and traits that Network Rail employees have? What soft skills would make an applicant successful at Network Rail? Andrew Haines: Having strong values is not window dressing to me- it’s how I run Network Rail. As a leader, I believe I’m accountable for inspiring our employees to be passionate about delivering a great service for passengers. And the railway is complex, so we need team players that work together to deliver solutions, not problems. We have just worked with thousands of colleagues to choose our four values that guide how we act and make decisions: Safety: Safety is not negotiable. With clear accountabilities, we must challenge ourselves and our colleagues every time we witness unsafe behaviour Care: Respect, kindness and empathy are all part of treating others the way we wish to be treated. It is simply about asking ourselves 'how can we better care for the passengers that we serve every day?' Teamwork: It's about mutual support, no matter what. We pull together as one rail industry, with the needs of passengers and freight users at the heart of what we do Empowerment: We want everyone to be empowered to do the right thing for passengers and freight users. It’s about removing barriers and ensuring that we have what we need to be able to act. Glassdoor: How can candidates really stand out and shine? Any red flags that give you pause in hiring? Andrew Haines: Demonstrate the things you are passionate about and why they excite you. Show how you’ve learnt from past mistakes. Convince me you’re a rounded human being. Be honest. Someone once tried to claim credit in an interview for something I’d happened to have done myself. It was the shortest interview ever! Glassdoor: What areas of the company are you most excited about? Why? Andrew Haines: Our operational teams. These are the people and the area of the business where we can make the biggest difference with the right investment and a renewed focus on getting passengers to where they need to be, on time. We have so many great people who are doing their very best work. They have the solutions to improve the railway at their fingertips. And we, as managers, just need to empower them, make sure they have the tools to deliver and get out of their way.

Glassdoor: How are you working to retain top talent? Andrew Haines: We invest in our people – this includes providing lots of opportunities to move around the business and develop new skills, and opportunities to move up the organisation quickly. I’m currently excited about working on developing a cross-sector Senior Leadership Development Programme so that as a wider pan-industry community we have the right capabilities to deliver for passengers and freight users. Glassdoor: Lastly, what keeps you at Network Rail? What would you tell a candidate who was looking to invest the next 5 to 7 years at Network Rail? Andrew Haines: I’ve been at Network Rail for under a year and there is nowhere else I’d rather be – I’m just getting started. We have some great people who are doing their very best to put passengers at the heart of everything we do, but we know there is more we can do. How many organisations can say their biggest challenge is growth? The railways are key economic arteries of our nation - we move millions of people every day to work, to home, to their loved ones, to school, to the shops, to events. We also move 200,000 tonnes of goods and materials every day. With the economy becoming centred around city hubs, the way people are working is changing and that all means train travel is changing. This makes what we do very interesting and there has never been a more exciting time to work in the railway industry.