#futureofwork2024 | Gina Cruceru, KMG International: The pandemic was a great opportunity to reinvent ourselves in several directions

At the spring edition of Working Romania 2024, Gina Cruceru, the Group Human Resources Director at KMG International, showcased her insights during Panel 2, “Employer Branding:  Get Inspired by the Best”. With a career dedicated to fostering growth within her organization, Cruceru brought a wealth of experience in balancing the development of soft skills with the technical competencies essential in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. Her approach emphasized not just the nurturing of individual talent within the technical field but also a significant focus on cultivating soft skills, particularly among Generation Z, to ensure they were well-equipped for the professional journeys ahead.

“It greatly depends on the industry, sector of activity, and significantly on the generation to which a person belongs and their level within the organization. For example, in our organization, I couldn’t say we strictly follow the trend of prioritizing one over the other; we balance them quite well because we’ve decided we want to significantly develop our people in the area of soft skills. Our training and development plans include soft skills competencies, but at the same time, we consult with every team manager and business unit to understand their needs both for achieving their goals and for developing their people. At the end of the day, the way each leader invests in their people helps raise the level of energy they invest in business objectives. Our traditional programs, like the traineeship program we’ve had for 24 years, aim to find 100 talented youths from the technical area. Initially, it may seem we focus on the technical area, but through the development plan, we channel resources to the soft skills area because we very much want them, being mostly representatives of Generation Z, to gain self-confidence so they can continue the journey we envision for them.

They have grown beautifully. From my perspective, speaking of employer branding, if 10 years ago we had to explain to young people that we have two refineries, one of which is the largest in Southeast Europe, and that we do more than just operate gas stations but also engage in trading and maritime operations, among other things, with over 200 unique professions, now they come directly with specific goals, such as asking if we have a position in a certain facility. They are much more informed and participate increasingly in activities like internships, traineeships, and practical experiences, which greatly benefits us. Their openness to gaining practical experience from their high school years ensures a potential future pool of energy professionals or even leaders, as many of them become leaders. At the same time, we feel that our contribution has an impact on the respective community, and we can see it live from the youths who come much more targeted, so to speak, and are very happy when an employer invests in their personal growth. Their values are slightly different from those of previous generations, and when you engage them with programs that target their values, such as family, environment, and the desire for meaningful work, it means a lot to them.

For us, the pandemic was a great opportunity to reinvent ourselves in several directions, but it was also an opportunity for growth. We are also transitioning from industrial, primarily because it’s important to understand the new business directions that are developing to provide support in that area, at the same time to find the right people, and so forth. We’ve communicated a lot with our people, either directly, through focus groups, or through surveys, to find the work model that best suits them. We’ve received very high engagement compared to any other topic, thousands of responses, and as such, we have a working model and schedule now in which we continue with two days at the office and three days from home each week.”

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