Rentokil Initial Reviews

Pros

Flexible time, biggest service company, high salary compare to similar business, good relationship among colleagues, easy to communicate with senior management

Cons

Lack of development training, very result oriented sometimes not consider the process, do not have clear job description, worried about career path

Advice to Senior Management

Create clear structure completed with job description for every employees, create career path and develop employee with structural training.

Pros

Rentokil and all of its business lines (pest, textiles, washroom, tropical plants, facility mngmnt etc) is quite interesting and complex business. They have (had) large market shares, great customers, very (!) loyal employees and making in some places great money (>30% nett profit !).

Cons

Since 2008/2009 UK senior management was replaced by former Unilever management where the top 3 (chairman, ceo and divisional mngmnt) can earn 30 million GBP each (!) if they reach their targets in 2011 / 2012. All the reorganizations, management changes, site closures, lay offs are driven by this bonus scheme of these guys.
Another issue is that UK senior managemeht (CEO, Chairman, CIO, div mngmnt, far east mngmnt, supply chain staff, finance staff, etc are meanwhile ALL former Unilever guys) is looking at this company, people, procedures, culture etc from a Unilever perspective which is TOTALLY different and does not make sense at all. So people are fired, business models are changed, big decisions are taken which do not make sense at all. So therefore many many reorganizations, changes failed, results are under pressure and they blame local country management.
Since Alan Brown (CEO) joined : stock price is way down, profits disappeard, revenue showed no progress and he keeps on blaming local management for lousy results and the so called 'bad old Rentokil culture'.
It's a shame.

Advice to Senior Management

Resign. Immediately. The chairman, CEO and divisional management should be replaced by normal people who have a feeling for this business and its people (!) and who do not manage this company from yheir ivory unilever tower bu tare in touch with reality.

Pros

Free, subsidised lunch in the on-site canteen
Free bus to the airport
Nice office environment
Varied project work

Cons

Lack of team work
Poor communication
Very slow progressing anything
Little chance of learning and development
Previous experience is ignored

Advice to Senior Management

Take advantage of people's past experience and skills rather than trying to redefine them into their role at Rentokil Initial.

Pros

The people in the branch offices are great.

Cons

The corporate leadership lack people skills and direction.

Advice to Senior Management

Bring in some talent from other sources beside uniform industry and military background.

Pros

Good salary package for young starters, you will face a variaty of clients and learn a lot about client facing issues.

Cons

The company is spiritual bankrupt, very bad or poor leadership style.
Leader can't see further then their nose, no plan for the future. The company is more reactive instead of proactive.

Advice to Senior Management

Speak to your staff member, they are the real heart of the company and they are not your enemies. You will learn a lot by speaking to them.

Pros

they support people with basic education, making them became professional in pest control. whereby most it become their career.

Cons

tribalism is high, no proper communication that can make a junior staff fill proud of the company. chances of permanency being given to people linked with the bosses.

Advice to Senior Management

any person that has the right to live has the capability of being competent, despite the education background. don't chess them blamelessly no-meter the different corners of the world we may have came from.

Pros

willing to train intern, and give intern a full potential to grow. Trust intern to handle important task, and use it as an opportunity to groom an intern

Cons

require intern the strong ability to work on a fast pace environment. can be demanding and stress on a intern with no prior work experience. thus the intern must be mentally prepared when applying for the position. trust me, hard work pays off :)

Advice to Senior Management

not much comment. I do not deal with the high ranking position. My interaction is within the marketing department - executives and manager

Pros

The previous general manager was forward looking and open to new ideas.
The company car was a major benefit since all maintenenace, insurance, road tax and fuel bills were paid for by the company. Of course, I got to use it for personal errands and it brought a world of convenience to me, Never had to squeeze in public transport again. Could drive to meet friends for lunch on the opposite side of the island without worrying about fuel cost. The car's probably the main reason why I accepted a lower monthly salary.

Cons

Mainly reason: No career progression.
Constant management changes.
Incompetent management.

Advice to Senior Management

Understand the situation on the ground. Managing a company purely through accounts alone and issuing directives from your ivory towers will never get you anywhere with customers.