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LEARNING FROM GENTOO – BECOMING AN ‘EMPLOYER OF CHOICE’
Learning from Gentoo – becoming an ‘employer of choice’
By Pat Havord,Head of Learning; Julie Kelly, Assistant Chief Executive; and Lisette
Nicholson, Head of People Management at Gentoo
Summary
Gentoo is an investor in people, property and the planet. Its primary resource,
now and in the future, are its people – customers, staff and partners. It needs,
therefore, to be the ‘employer of choice’ and secure lifelong relationships with
staff who live and share its values. This requires the right ‘psychological
contract’ between employer and employee that is a two way deal: Gentoo is
committed to providing working experiences of value to both parties and
enable staff access to a ladder of learning opportunities. This relationship
extends to customers, partners and future stakeholders.
Introducing Gentoo
At Gentoo we aim to make a positive mark on the future by investing in people, the
planet and in property. We consist of a number of divisions delivering a wide portfolio of
products and services. Our beliefs and approach are encapsulated in our ‘Vision, Mission
and Values’ outlined below:
• Vision – to improve the ‘art of living’ beyond imagination. The ‘art iof living’ is our
ambition to ‘improve the lives of the people, communities and the environment in
which we operate by investing in people, the planet and property’.
• Mission – we generate wealth by improving the lives of our customers and re-invest
this wealth in passionate people by creating a climate for personal and collective
growth and opportunity.
• Values:
– Believe nothing is impossible.
– Re-imagine the future.
– Cultivate a learning curiosity.
– Live authentic relationships.
– Give us all you’ve got.
This article illustrates our beliefs as an organisation, our approach to people as an
employer, how this impacts on our business planning; and how we develop our staff to
meet today’s challenges and to respond positively to the challenges of the future.
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