Mental Health
A proactive approach to mental health
Shyamantha Asokan speaks to Penelope Hill at Vistry Group about how the company's policies on mental health helped her recover from PTSD. read more
Vistry Group
At Vistry Group, we build more than homes. Developing sustainable communities across all sectors of the UK housing market means we’re busy making Vistry for our industry, our customers and our people.
Vistry Group was created in 2020 following Bovis Homes’ acquisition of Linden Homes and Galliford Try Partnerships (now Countryside Partnerships). Our core values of integrity, caring, and quality continue to shape all we do, and we’re proud that our UK Green Building Council membership and status as a UK top-five housebuilder with a five-star House Builders Federation (HBF) customer satisfaction rating, allows us to transform land into thriving spaces and communities. For our people, sustainability, quality of life and making memories take priority; our ambition, the service we deliver, and the homes we build define us.
In November 2021, we were named ‘Large Housebuilder of the Year’ at the prestigious Housebuilder Awards, and our 2022 milestone merger saw Countryside Partnerships become part of the Group. The heritage and reputation of our brands – Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Countryside Homes – are delivered through Vistry Housebuilding, Countryside Partnerships and Vistry Works. Together, we’re leading the way in the UK housing market, supported by Vistry Services, offering the support functions we need to build something better for everyone.
From memories and communities to worthwhile careers, we’re making Vistry. There’s nowhere better to build your career; you can utilise the expertise of our teams to thrive, and thanks to the ongoing investment in our people and our commitment to diversity and inclusion, you’ll experience unrivalled opportunities that will see you shape and develop a diverse career. Our culture sees everyone treated fairly and respectfully, and reasonable adjustments are provided during the application process – let us know how we can support you. Apply today to start making Vistry with us.
At Vistry Group, we build more than homes. We develop sustainable communities across all sectors of the UK housing market through our leading housing brands Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Countryside Homes. Delivered through Vistry Housebuilding, Countryside Partnerships and Vistry Works with the support of Vistry Services, our values of integrity, caring, and quality continue to shape all we do.
We’re proud that our UK Green Building Council membership, 2021 Large Housebuilder of the Year award and status as a UK top-five housebuilder with a five-star House Builders Federation (HBF) customer satisfaction rating allows us to transform land into thriving spaces. We’re also proud that our culture sees everyone treated fairly and respectfully, with diversity and inclusion a top priority and reasonable adjustments provided during the application process. From memories and communities to worthwhile careers, we’re making Vistry.
Our values
We aim to promote our core values, Integrity, Caring and Quality across all our interactions with our key stakeholders: Our People, Our Customers, Our Supply Chain, Our Shareholders and the broader communities in which we operate.
Vistry Group have recently announced an update regarding their maternity, paternity and adoption policy, from 1st May, providing a considerable enhancement to their current package.
The new enhanced package will offer 13-weeks full pay and 13-weeks half pay to eligible employees on maternity or adoption leave, and two-weeks full pay and two-weeks half pay for those on paternity leave.
Danica McLean, Group People Director, says: “This new enhanced package follows the feedback we’ve received through our engagement surveys and discussions in our diversity and inclusion networks. We know what a difference this will make for Vistry employee’s and we’re continually looking to make our benefits package even better.”
“Our people strategy aims to attract, develop and retain, and by continually listening to our employee’s, and through benchmarking ourselves, we can look to attract the best talent – making Vistry a great place to stay and develop a career.”
Case Studies
Amber
Amber keeps the family flame burning as she looks to blaze a trail in the housebuilding world
A 26-year-old trainee site manager from Exeter is urging schools to do more to encourage women into the construction industry as she sets her sights on a senior role.
Amber Gratton-Davey says she comes from a family of ambitious women and that there should be more females entering housebuilding.
Amber joined the sector as a customer care coordinator six years ago before switching to build work and she is calling for housebuilding and its variety of career paths to be highlighted to young pupils.
The rising star started on Vistry Partnerships’ Cranbrook location after being sponsored by Vistry for a foundation degree in Construction at City College Plymouth, which she works towards on a part-time basis, and she now aims to become a project manager.
Amber said: “I was determined to become a trainee site manager because of the lack of women I had encountered in this role. I come from a family that’s mostly women and they have all worked in what have been typically seen as male roles – we have had an electrician, ground crew member, manufacturing director and police officer in the family and this definitely inspired me to take the step into construction.
“It goes without saying that we need more women in the industry and I think this needs to start with encouragement from a young age. Had it been taught to me in school, perhaps I would have joined sooner. The construction industry is inclusive of all people regardless of what skills they start with.”
Stephen Teagle, chief executive at Vistry Partnerships, added: “Amber is an example of the quality of young builders we strive to develop across the Vistry Group. A quarter of all Vistry Partnerships employees are female, which is significantly greater than the current industry average. We are constantly looking to increase this number whilst encouraging more women in a wide variety of disciplines into leadership roles.”
Rachael
New Land Director stresses the importance of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day on 8th March encourages everyone to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality, celebrate women’s achievements and help create an inclusive world. Rachael Humphreys, the new land director for Vistry Group’s Western region, is emphasising the need for this to continue.
Previously head of land, Rachael has worked in the housebuilding industry for 18 years. Her directorship sees her responsible for identifying development opportunities and acquiring land in South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire.
Commenting on International Women’s Day, Rachael said: “Housebuilding was always a male-dominated industry and there were many occasions when I was the only woman in a meeting. However, things have changed and they’re continuing to change. There’s a real desire to ensure the workforce is balanced, with more women now working in each department and the region employing three female directors.”
Rachael has a degree in planning and worked in strategic land as a planning manager, before moving into immediate land. Interested in architecture and interior design, Rachael said: “I had my son and then I returned to the renewable energy sector as a planning manager, working part-time. I joined the company in 2016 as a land manager, continuing on a part-time basis, and was delighted to be made head of land and planning within that first year.
“I feel very proud to have been promoted and flexible working has been invaluable, enabling me to continue my job while raising a family. It’s wonderful that the world has woken up and women don’t have to make that choice between work and home, they can opt for both. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to achieve that coveted work/life balance – it can be a constant juggling act but to know you can do it and you’re fully supported is so refreshing. I couldn’t have become a land director without flexible working and it’s important to recognise that and notice more women are being promoted to director roles, it’s great to see.”
Managing director, Dave Farley added: “Rachael is a great asset to the region and her wealth of experience helps us to identify land in our chosen locations and deliver successful, well-designed developments for local communities.
“International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to address the balance in the workplace and I’m very pleased to see Rachael celebrated, it’s a much-deserved promotion. It’s so important that companies recognise the value of individuals and understand that work can be done flexibly. The last year has shown us how much can be achieved by working from home. Technology has helped enormously and facilitates us to work remotely, so the old-fashioned view of working in the office 9am-5pm from Monday to Friday has been turned on its head and it’s liberating for everyone. Being able to see people work and blossom in their chosen careers is brilliant and as a managing director attracting the best people for the job has to be your priority.”
Awards
Mental Health
WMpeople.co.uk announces 2023 Top Employer Awards winners
WMPeople.co.uk has announced the winners of its annual Top Employer Awards which celebrate best practice in family-friendly and flexible working. read more
