Employees on Gjensidige
Sales representative with ambitions
Jarand Olsen joined Gjensidige as a sales representative in August 2011. He truly enjoys serving customers together with colleagues at our customer centre downtown Oslo.
- I had a Master's degree in finance from the Norwegian School of Economics and was looking for a job with a large company in the financial sector. Gjensidige was the perfect place to start my career, says Jarand.
In addition to gaining relevant work experience, the job gave him the security he needed when he and his partner bought an apartment and settled down in Oslo.
Jarand already has been recognised for his ability to reach ambitious commercial targets. At Gjensidige, hard work pays off in terms of recognition and broader responsibilities, he says.
- You get noticed if you do a good job. Now I ‘m ready to show that I have the staying power to deliver long-term results.
A fresh graduate
After completing her engineering degree, Kristine Brustad (29) started working for Gjensidige as a trainee. Aged 27, she took over responsibility for a team of 33 employees as manager of a channel support claims department.
- have felt all along that I work in a company that recognises hard work. Efforts and results are rewarded with exciting opportunities to excel. This has been crucial to my development, Kristine says.
As a young, recent graduate, Kristine was pleased to experience a helping hand from her colleagues. She sees Gjensidige as both a challenging and safe workplace.
- I have experienced that my colleagues are uniquely willing to share their expertise, which may be one of the most important reasons why I am working here. That is my experience of the Gjensidige culture.
The adviser with the big heart
Having worked for many years as an orthopaedic technician, Jeanette Andersen sought new challenges at Gjensidige's customer centre in Fredrikstad.
- What I liked best about my last job was building lasting, empathetic and trusting relations with my customers, and that is the essence of what we do here in Gjensidige.
On many occasions, Jeanette has helped to make life easier for customers during difficult periods in their lives. After just six months in the job, she achieved the highest customer satisfaction score in Gjensidige's history.
Gjensidige's goal is to become the most customer-oriented company in the Nordic insurance industry, and it continuously measures customers' satisfaction with the company and the adviser they have been in contact with.
- I am proud to work for a company with such high integrity as Gjensidige. It focuses on quality at all levels, and invests in and nurtures talented individuals. The thorough training I received at the Gjensidige Academy before I started is an example of this quality. It gave me the confidence and know-how I needed to be able to deliver results from day one.
The veteran
Erik Jordet is one of Gjensidige’s current veterans. He was headhunted to Gjensidige in 1990 and has held various positions in the Group.
- I have been fortunate with my choices and feel privileged. In Gjensidige, I get to focus on insurance and finance without working in the kind of formal environment that is often the case in the financial industry. Gjensidige consists of people from many different backgrounds, which makes us more professional and raises the level of expertise, Erik says.
Erik believes that favourable terms and continuous competence-raising have been decisive to his decision to stay with the company for 22 years.
- I have an actuary degree as a basis, which is important in itself, but Gjensidige has given me an opportunity to gain further knowledge whenever I have needed it, says Erik.
The actuary also emphasises Gjensidige’s good working environment as a strength for all its employees.
- Personally, I attend spinning classes in the basement twice a week, organised by employees or the company. There are also offers of hiking trips, kayak trips and organised ski races, says Erik.
Committed Copenhagener
Vivi Kofoed joined Gjensidige’s sales department when she was still a student, and found a company that was about much more than just insurance.
- For me, it has been important that Gjensidige has great ambitions and dares to challenge the market standard. The company wants to be part of people’s lives, which it demonstrates through its social commitment. It tallies well with my personal convictions, says Vivi.
Vivi is currently a senior communications adviser in Gjensidige Denmark’s market department, and she has played a key role in the work targeting the Danish market.
- Gjensidige stands out from a customer’s perspective, precisely because we dare to be different. In addition to being profitable, of course, we shall take care of each and every customer. That is a highly motivating way of working.
Balanced ‘Bergensian’
After many years in Gjensidige, Berit Wisth Kolltveit underlines that flexibility has been a decisive factor for why she is still with the company.
- The group represents good values. I have been a manager in Gjensidige for more than 20 years, and had three children during that period. It goes without saying that you need flexibility and an obliging employer, says Berit.
Aged 24 and recently graduated with a degree in business economics, she realised that she needed to leave Bergen to get a job in the financial sector. It was not long before she was working for Gjensidige.
- I knew nothing about insurance, but I thought the job seemed interesting. I have been through many phases in the company, and I appreciate the possibility of changing jobs without changing employer, says Berit.
Today, she is in charge of moving the company from Lysaker to a new head office called Huset vårt (Our house) in the Bjørvika area.