LISA HENCH LIKES a spot of ballet, Maria Guasto is learning to drive and Kevin Matthews loves cricket. It's OK to bring your personality to work at the Jenrick Group. In fact, 58 people (including this accounts employee, payroll assistant and head of marketing) can proudly show who they are through costumed pictures in the “meet the team” section of its website. Simon Murphy, the chief executive, believes in the “Fish!” philosophy — inspired by an American fish market — of being present, play, making people's day and choosing your attitude. Employees are introduced to this on their first day, when their photo is taken for a web page profile. Jenrick, back on the list after three top-20 places from 2007 to 2009, is a place where people stick: 13 employees have more than 15 years of service and two-thirds have at least five. The recruitment specialist is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with offices in London and Burton–on-Trent, Staffordshire and it finds people for engineering, IT and commercial jobs. It gets seven top scores in our survey and makes people feel best about Giving Something Back (a top-two positive result of 91%). Each year it runs a “helping hand” initiative, inviting everyone to nominate a cause for a £1,000 donation. People vote online and can add their pledges, which the firm then doubles. Most recently, they awarded one employee funding to attend a Son-Rise treatment programme to help her autistic son. People agree the business has a strong socal conscience (94%, ranking it first). Meanwhile, “the Jenrick experience” prize draw gives one lucky staffer a year £1,000 to fulfil a lifelong dream. www.jenrickgroup.co.uk
