Kyle O’Brien // Manager – Environment and Energy // GHD
Kyle O’Brien is Manager of Environment and Energy for Southern NSW and ACT at GHD
Community and Background
Can you tell us a bit about your journey to the Berry community? How did you end up here and what attracted you to this community?
I grew up in Gerringong and have a deep affinity with the South Coast. After graduating from the university of wollongong I did the tour of south eastern cities; starting in Canberra, then Melbourne then Sydney. My wife and I moved back to Gerringong after the birth of our first child in 2015 and moved to Berry in 2023. My wife, Keely, is a former ‘Worklifer’ so I’ve been aware of the community for some time. When we made the difficult decision to close GHD’s Nowra office, the opportunity for GHD to have a presence in Worklife presented itself.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Tell us about your work. How and when did you decide to start it, and what motivated you to take the plunge into entrepreneurship or remote work?
GHD is a big business with offices in major cities all over the world. However, one characteristic that differentiates us from our competitors is our focus on regional communities. I’m a country boy at heart, and I’m extremely fortunate I get to live in a regional community while maintaining a ‘work life’ in a large engineering firm.
What does work-life balance look like for you? How do you manage the demands of work while ensuring time for family and personal life?
Keely has a demanding work life as well so it can be a struggle. I think I’m getting better at accepting my limitations; which sometimes means accepting that I can’t please everyone and occasionally I need to disappoint people. When I get in a tangle with competing priorities I often resolve it by reflecting on who I matter the most to, which invariably is my family, so it makes disappointing people at work a lot easier.
In your industry, what recent disruptions or transitions have had the most significant impact on your business?
Definitely cost competitiveness and AI. We are knowledge workers without any physical assets so we are prime for AI disruption. We are moving quickly to work with AI to stay on par with our competitors.
Personal Life
Outside of work, what are your hobbies and passions? How do you like to spend your time when you’re not focused on business or family?
I love the ocean; so fishing, boating and swimming. I went full ‘middle age man stereotype’ during covid and I took up golf as well.
Are there any books or podcasts you’ve found particularly inspiring or informative recently? Any recommendations for the WorkLife community?
Yes, a couple of books by Oliver Burkeman on embracing your finitude; Time Management for Mortals and Mediations for Mortals. I also like Sam Harris’ podcast Making Sense.
How do you maintain boundaries between work and personal life? Any top tips?
Unfortunately no tips. I’m still trying to separate the two following complete homogenisation during covid.
Home and Lifestyle
What is your taste like? Do you have a favourite item of furniture or object in your home? Anything that has special significance or tells a story about you?
My favourite item at home is the hammock on the back deck, which looks out onto the bush. It’s a great place to spend a sunny morning.
What do you like/appreciate about the design at WorkLife? Any favourite touches or things that make you feel at home when you are at work?
The little splashes of colour.
If you were to showcase the best of the local lifestyle to visiting friends, where would you take them and why?
Beaches and bushwalks normally dominate our itineraries with visitors.
Productivity and Time Management
What’s your go-to productivity hack? How do you stay organised and efficient, especially with multiple responsibilities?
When I get busy I block out my diary until 12pm every day. This allows me to get some work done without any interruptions. When meetings inevitably take over in the afternoon I can remain relaxed knowing that I pushed some projects along in the morning.
Benefits of WorkLife Membership
Lastly, what’s been the most valuable aspect of being a member at WorkLife for you and your work?
The convenience and community. It’s nice to see smiling faces in the office.
If you want to connect with Kyle then you can reach him at LinkedIn
