Posts Tagged ‘opportunity’

« Older Entries

Test Your Knowledge during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

Deepa Iyer

If you have been noticing more events this month at Sodexo or around your community that celebrate the heritage and contributions of Asian Pacific Americans, it’s because May is Asian Pacific American Heritage month! In 1992, Congress passed a resolution marking May as a month to remember and honor the contributions and presence of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.  But, despite our community’s growing population numbers and long history in our nation, the general public often has little information or carries misconceptions about the Asian Pacific American community.

Here is a pop quiz to test your knowledge of the Asian Pacific American community, and to check some of those misconceptions!

True or False: The states with the highest growth of Asian Americans over the past decade are Nevada, Arizona and North Carolina.

Over 18 million Asian Americans live in the United States today, making up 6% of the nation’s total population. The community is very diverse, ethnically, religiously, culturally and linguistically. The largest ethnic groups are Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese.  And, while you might think that Asian Americans primarily reside in California, New York, Texas and Hawaii (and you would be right), the states with the highest growth of Asian Americans over the past decade (here’s the answer to the question) include some you might be surprised to hear about: Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia, to name a few.

True or False: Asian Americans are primarily foreign-born – that is, born in another country.

That would be true. About two-thirds of Asian Americans were born outside the U.S.  My own family’s experience reflects this immigrant background. As an immigrant from India who moved to Kentucky when I was 12, I slowly grew to understand my place in the diverse fabric of our country through the lens of race, culture and gender.  But, here’s what’s just as important to remember: while many think that Asians are a relatively new community in America, this is far from the truth. In fact, the first Japanese immigrants came to America in 1843, and the transcontinental railroad (constructed by many Asian laborers) was completed in May of 1869.  Sikh farmers from India worked in California and Washington State in the late 1800s. Our country has been enriched by the contributions of Asian Americans for over 200 years now.

True or False: Asian Americans are a model minority, with few challenges or obstacles.

This is one of the main misperceptions that many in the American public and the media have of Asian Americans.  It’s important to keep in mind that Asian Americans, like many immigrants and people of color in our country, face their share of barriers and challenges. In the work that I do at South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), we know very well that our community members are struggling in a variety of ways. For example, bias and discrimination continue to affect South Asians, and sadly, this has been on the rise since September 11, 2001.  You might recall the massacre at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, last August that killed six people, or know about the ongoing complaints of workplace discrimination and school-based bullying affecting Muslims and South Asians.   I feel fortunate to be part of an organization that is addressing these inequities in order to build a more just and inclusive society in the United States not just during APA Heritage Month but throughout the year through leadership development programs (such as Be the Change, a public service event supported by Sodexo), community awareness, and policy analysis.

As you go to your next APA Heritage Month event, try out the pop quiz on your colleagues and friends. Let’s mix in some education as we enjoy our samosas and red bean buns this month!

Deepa Iyer is Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), and the Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA).

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

A New Era of Employee Recognition

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

Jenn Tekin

Organizations with high employee engagement are experiencing a 22% improvement in customer loyalty and a 21% reduction in turnover, per Aberdeen Group research.

Organizations are finding that investing in a formal employee recognition program can lead to an increase in profitability, retention and customer loyalty as compared to having disjointed programs lacking metrics and reporting, as mentioned in a recent Incentive Magazine article.

A new era of recognition in which organizations see the quantifiable value of an engaged workforce has emerged.

In fact, the 2013 edition of Workplace Trends report lists “Recognition” as a top human resource trend.

Within the report, it cites several top goals of company employee motivation programs. They include:

Goal Oriented Employee Recognition

  • Creating a positive work environment
  • Motivating high performance
  • Creating a culture of recognition

Even organizations that realize a comprehensive recognition strategy creates significant value, from increased engagement to better tracking and reporting of spending and taxes, still face hurdles. For many organizations the informal process used to execute motivation is hurting their organization more than helping.

Research shows that a formal delivery mechanism for employee recognition program administration is critical to a program’s success. Employee recognition software is increasing being utilized to connect employees by global corporations, small business, health care facilities and manufacturing locations. This type of human resource software is flexible enough to be deployed for office staff, remote workers or front line employees who do not work at a desk.

By weaving technology and motivation together, the door has been opened to new era of engagement that is top down, bottom up and peer to peer and is tied to company values, not short term financial incentives. This is how top organizations are building a culture of motivation and loyalty that is dynamic and lasting. With scalable software, top organizations are able to measure engagement, tweak to perfection, and effectively maximize motivation at every turn.

Companies with strong human resource relations are seeing significant benefit in offering monetary and non-monetary rewards that pique individual employee interests – from digital e-cards, handwritten note cards, reward cards, reward merchandise and even employee volunteerism. With each recognition event, the company values are being demonstrated, setting a standard for a company culture that will improve performance.

Companies with strong human resource relations are also enlisting external experts in employee motivation to evaluate and develop a winning culture of employee engagement. Here, human resource professionals can leverage the experience of leading solution partners to obtain the most return from their investment.

By addressing recognition and reward in a continuous cycle of discover, design, communicate, manage and deliver, organizations with the best human resource relations are achieving improved performance, transparency with reduced costs and complexity.

As a global leader in Quality of Life services since 1966, Sodexo believes a formal, comprehensive recognition and reward strategy creates a higher quality workforce that improves the performance of organizations. We currently provide employee motivation programs to 27 million users in 34 countries.

To learn more: read our case studies or contact Sodexo for an evaluation of your needs. For more motivation tips, follow us on Twitter @WorkMotivation.

Jennifer Tekin is a senior marketing manager for Sodexo Motivation Solutions.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How Gen Y Challenges HR to Rethink Retention

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013

Jenn Tekin

This year 3.4 million graduates from Generation Y will enter the workforce.  How employers will attract and retain this cohort is becoming one of the most pressing issues in management today.  The millennial generation or Generation Y – born between 1980 and 2000 – are well-known for their radical views of ‘work-life’ balance and diverse workplace values. As this generation rapidly overshadows the traditional and baby boomer generations in the workplace, employers are trying to understand Gen Y priorities to stay competitive in the market and attract top talent.

Technologically savvy, more educated, and  greater ethnic diversity than any previous generation, Gen Yers are less interested in stock option plans and more interested in meaningful jobs, professional freedom, higher rewards and a better work-life balance.  With these objectives in mind Human Resource leaders will need to focus on corporate training opportunities, culture development and team collaboration.  

Common along Gen Yers is their desire to work with an employer that aligns with their values and cares about them as people.  Managers today can embrace this by reinforcing the company’s vision through job development, career nurturing and consistent real-time feedback on their performance.  

Employers are trying to understand Gen Y priorities to stay competitive in the market and attract top talent.

Developing a workplace culture where employees feel nurtured, listened to and appreciated influences more than just one generation of employees.  As described in Herzberg’s Motivation Theory, work groups are affected by the attitudes and mindsets of other members in the group.  A positive change, for example, can increase the morale, motivation, and attitude in the entire group and expand throughout an organization.

With an understanding of their values and support from professional industry leaders with the tools and solutions to help, Human Resource leaders are in a better position to create strong talent strategies and working environment for all of their employees to grow.

Sodexo Motivation Solutions is a worldwide leader in motivation. In the United States we offer effective incentive and recognition services to organizations intended to encourage and reward performance.

We focus on building a sustainable culture of recognition that will meet your specific objectives and provide the recognition and reward choices that your employees will most appreciate.

Learn more about Motivation Solutions’ comprehensive incentive and recognition programs.

Jennifer Tekin is a senior marketing manager for Sodexo Motivation Solutions.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Finding Balance in My (Flexible!) Work Schedule

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

 

Laura Antal

My daughter came up to me after school yesterday while I was working from home. She hugged me and said “I will miss you.” And I replied… I will miss you too, and thought how lucky am I to be here for this moment and many other moments like this. Amanda is going off to her Freshman year of college and starting her summer session.

As she prepares to go off to school, I have spent time reflecting on choices I have made in her life. One of my best choices was to pursue working part time from home when Amanda was born. I read in our company policy manual that we had a policy for a flexible work schedule, though I hadn’t seen it in action, I knew I wanted to try finding a solution that fit both my career and life.

So, I approached Sodexo and asked for a work from home option. It took 3 different tries before we could find a solution that worked for both Sodexo and me.  I began working from home two days a week when Amanda was 3 months old, and ever since then I have worked at home.

This worked well for my job because I was a writer and everything I produced was tangible and had a deadline. It was evident I was accomplishing my work, even though sometimes it was on nights and weekends. I thought other peers might have a problem with me working part time from home, but they were supportive. In fact, as other women began having children, they asked me how I set up a flexible schedule and I shared what I had done to make it work – many also began working part time from home.

The author with her children, Amanda and Andrew.

As a single working mother, there are many benefits to working from home. Having the flexibility to work some of my hours during nights and weekends helped me to live a balanced life. Because work is always there, I had to make a conscious choice sometimes to shut off my computer and join the family. However, I was less stressed and had few interruptions at home, so I was much more productive working from home. I could finish more work in the same time than I would have in the office.  To this day, the energy and focus I have is so much greater. I am engaged and happy because I can arrange my schedule to make time for meaningful life events that I might otherwise have missed, like attending an event at my school. Sometimes, it is just being there to make my kids a snack when they hop off the bus, or to take a few minutes to listen to them share their good and bad days..

Although I will miss Amanda, I am grateful to Sodexo for the time I was able to share with her. Being able to have a career where I work from home has been a great choice for me.  And I thank Sodexo for giving me that option. My son will also be off to college in two years. I have been taking on stretch assignments and earning professional certifications over the past few years because I am now ready to take on even more responsibility and challenges in my career — More work from home opportunities for me and for Sodexo!

Laura Antal is a senior instructional designer for Sodexo.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Pursuing My Dream Job

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

Marci Nogueira

“All our dreams can come true- if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney. 

There is a direct correlation between achieving dreams and having courage when it comes to your career. Unfortunately, our own fear of failure or criticism can hold us back from reaching our fullest potential.

Choosing a career path can be daunting. But, remember that it is a path and not a destination. All career journeys take a few detours along the way and as I have learned, those detours presented me with the greatest opportunities.  By sampling several professions and testing a variety of skills, one can eventually arrive at a fulfilling career.   My career path has taken a few twists and turns, but has landed me in the position that allows me to fully engage in my passion for people, as Director of Human Resources within Sodexo’s Education Market-Schools.

I began my career with Sodexo 1993 as a frontline employee in catering at a hospital – in this position I quickly realized my potential and the potential I could have with Sodexo.  I loved interacting with customers and inspiring others on our team to do their best.    I stayed at that location for 10 years, eventually progressing to General Manager, overseeing 100 employees and managing nearly $3 million in annual revenue. 

Over the years, in order to accomplish my dream, I was continually looking for ways to improve: increasing my Operations Experience, Networking and having Mentors which inspired me. In 2003 I was promoted to General Manager of the Ridgefield Public Schools in Connecticut where I led student nutrition services serving over 3,000 students and 700 administrators daily. Those experiences helped me to always remain focused on progressive career positions within Sodexo and that’s how, just three years later I was again promoted to oversee an even larger Education account.  This journey in operations taught me the importance of customer service, the significance of inspiring and leading others and the value of thinking outside the box to meet customer and client expectations.  I also had the opportunity to develop others as part of strategic succession planning, which led me to my current position – Director of HR.

Marci with the Sodexo mascot, Liftoff!

As an HR Director I get to combine my operational expertise, with my desire to develop and lead others. Every day I help people solve problems, inspiring them on career paths, work through challenging situations, develop people professionally, build awareness of tools and resources, support pipeline, develop and facilitate internal mobility. Although there are challenges, I feel like I’ve found my dream job. 

My dream job is also reflected in my commitments to different internal and external programs : I serve on Sodexo’s Cross-Market Diversity Council, Talent Advisory Group, Internal mobility Council, IMPACT I-Team member, HRizon Team, and I am a volunteer member of all Sodexo Network Groups, SHRM (Society for Human Resource Managers), Women’s Foodservice Forum, Food Share Advisory Council, and Toastmasters. Getting involved in those initiatives/organizations is a way to give back and to help individuals who might need a support.

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was from a former supervisors early in my career – he said “if you always recognize what you do well and pursue it, you will love what you do.” And I love what I do! 

Marci Nogueira is a director of human resources for Sodexo’s Education Market.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How a Job Became My Career

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Kristine Martin

Looking back at my career with Sodexo, it has been a long journey.  As I reflect, I realize that I haven’t always viewed it as a career. It was a job — a good job, but nonetheless a job.

Several years into my position at Sodexo, I saw Lorna Donatone, Chief Operating Officer and Education Market President, talk about a pivotal moment in her life when she was asked to lead WiNG, Sodexo’s Employee Network Group for women.  She was unsure about getting involved when she was asked, “If not you, then who?” She said that she realized at that moment that whatever the initial fear may be, sometimes you have to raise your hand and take a risk. Right then and there I knew I had to do something different for myself, for my career and for Sodexo.

Shortly thereafter I was asked to attend a PANG (Pan Asian Network Group) meeting for the Mid-Atlantic Region and I had the opportunity to meet the Chair, Jeff Harrison. Following that conversation, I knew that for me, this was my moment.

Throughout the company, Sodexo employees manage several employee network groups.

I asked Jeff if there was anything I could do to help. It turned out that he needed someone to chair a training project. Though I was very excited, scared, nervous and confident all at the same time, and I knew I had no idea what I was doing, or what I was going to do, I accepted.

I look back at those moments which morphed my “job” into to my career, and I am so thankful to the PANG Network group for kick starting my new direction. For me, joining an employee network group like PANG was my first step in the right direction. It became a place to meet people, network, ask for and give advice – from this moment, my career “journey” had truly begun.

Kristine Martin is co-chair for WiNG’s mid-atlantic region and a senior contract analyst for supply management.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Supporting Our Troops By Hiring Military Spouses

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Elena Victoria

When I married my military husband in 2003, a fellow Air Force spouse gave me a wedding gift– a handbook for military wives published in the 1950’s, replete with “sage advice” for a successful military marriage including gems such as “have your husband’s favorite drink and slippers waiting by the door when he comes home from a long day at work,” etc.

Since receiving that book a decade ago, my family has PCS’d (moved) four times, my child has attended 5 different schools, my husband has been deployed twice, and I have continued my marketing career at Sodexo!   I have also been privileged to meet a number of military wives, particularly during my husband’s stint as commander of a B-1 squadron.

 As I reflect on the many spouses, both men and women, whom I’ve met over past years, there has been a common lament.   It’s not about long deployments or being far from home, but rather the inability to find rewarding employment.  According a study commissioned by the Secretary of Defense (RAND Corporation 2007), military spouses are less likely to be employed than their civilian counterparts.  Relocation and child rearing challenges are the two primary factors contributing to the disparity.  And yet, according to RAND, “Attraction and retention of service members depends on the quality of life for the [service] members’ families, and an important element of the quality of life for military spouses is employment.”

The role of the military spouse has evolved since that handbook was published fifty years ago.  Yes, we raise our children and run our households, but we also manage projects, sit on boards, fundraise—and want to work! We face exceptional challenges, but we also have exceptional qualities.  We are adaptable, flexible multi-taskers with drive and determination.  And studies such as RAND’s affirm that we are well educated, skilled, and diverse.

May 11th is designated Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  I’d like to use this opportunity to encourage my Sodexo colleagues to begin a discussion about military spouse employment.  Sodexo has the tools (such as virtual employment and flex time), the geographic footprint (8000 client sites throughout NorAm) and the vision (Quality of Daily Life Solutions) to take a leadership position in military spouse employment.  

Click on the HONOR logo for more information on Sodexo Employee Network Groups.

As an active member of Sodexo’s employee network group HONOR, I understand the importance of providing support, guidance and resources to employees and families connected to the military.  By supporting and encouraging the recruitment of military spouses, we not only improve the quality of daily life for our military families, we contribute to the morale and welfare of our troops and ultimately create a richer, more diverse workforce at Sodexo that is reflective of the communities we serve.

Elena Victoria is the director of marketing and communications for the Sodexo Solution Center and a proud military spouse.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Reflecting on a Dream

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Over 50 years ago, many were moved by a man who called a nation to action. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to the struggle for equality. On this day, we recognize his leadership and peaceful pursuit of justice.

Our journey from repression and segregation to inclusion and celebration is compelling but continuous. I see the enormous strides we have made but I am also aware of the distance we still need to go.   Through Dr. King’s example of relentless dedication and devotion, we must continue to push for equal rights and opportunity.

President Obama said that it is our “collective responsibility as a great Nation to ensure a strong foundation which supports economic security for all and extends the founding promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to every American.”

Increasing diversity in the workplace should be a fundamental goal for all businesses and I am encouraged to see this priority embraced with greater frequency.  It is more common to find Chief Diversity Officers sitting at the table within the C-suite and Employee Network Groups providing support to their constituencies.  While it is important that the workforce reflect the demographics in society, it is the diversity of thought that truly contributes to the success of a company.

MLK Memorial: Stone of Hope. Standing in front of sculpture is sculptor Lei Yixin Credit: Official government photo from the National Park Service (This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code.)

Dr. King devoted his life to serving others, reminding us that “human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle.” Commemorating Dr. King’s life is not only a tribute to his accomplishments and contributions, but also a continuous reminder that every one of us must play a part in carrying on his critical work.

I am fortunate to live near Washington, D.C. and the recently dedicated Martin Luther King Memorial on the Mall. I have visited it several times and each time, it is a moving and inspirational experience.  I encourage everyone to visit the site and take a moment to reflect on the transformational dream one man shared with a nation. 

Tara Baten McDaniel is Senior Director Communications, Corporate Services and has served as the National Secretary and Regional Co-Chair of Sodexo’s African American Leadership Forum (A Sodexo Employee Network Group.)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

A Lesson in Leadership

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Jeaseny J. León Serrano with Dr. Rohini Anand, global chief diversity officer and senior vice president for Sodexo.

As a summer intern with Sodexo’s Future Leaders Internship Program at its North American Headquarters, a lot is expected to be accomplished within 10 weeks. My summer program was offered by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and it was an incredibly new and fun learning experience for me.

During this short period of time, I managed to create many professional connections and relationships that will help me during my future development. Among the many activities I attended this summer were the foundation dinner, webinars, staff meetings and training courses.

My objective for this internship was to really make the most of this experience, which will end up being a stepping stone into my professional career. Through the process of completing the tasks and projects assigned, I have learned about the support and organization Sodexo provides to its employees and partners. As a young entrepreneur from Puerto Rico, Diversity is something I never visualized in needing back home. After completing the program I will be able to take diversity back to Puerto Rico in order to provide an environment of Equal Employment Opportunity that is greatly needed.

            On an Island roughly the size of Connecticut, you may find individuals from different nationalities, religion, gender, sexual orientation and age difference. If this isn’t diversity, then what is? I hope to learn as much as I can about the required tools for this new journey called “diversity and inclusion”. I know that after this internship I will be a totally different person with a new view of life, my career and the work environment that should be provided to everyone without discrimination.

Thank you Sodexo, my great Office of Diversity and Inclusion team, and everyone that made this internship the best summer I’ve had yet!

Jeaseny J. León Serrano was part of Sodexo’s Future Leaders Internship Program where she assisted the Sodexo Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

650 Three course meals? No Problem!

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Check out the flickr set of the event. Photos courtesy of Lee P. Thomas Photography, Inc. - http://www.leethomasphotography.com

As an award-wining chef and restaurant owner, many people ask  me about my most memorable experiences in the 20 years I have been cooking and preparing meals.  Although it’s hard to pick just one example, here is an experience I haven’t forgotten – the night my team and I prepared 650 three-course meals for a concert by the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra right here in Kentucky as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Sodexo asked me to create a fine-dining menu for a reception and a dinner  for the concert at Centre College in Danville, Ky .   I welcomed the  opportunity  to share my Kentucky bluegrass-inspired cuisine with such a large group, but I was worried that I would need to compromise my standards in order to serve everything in a timely manner.  My fears went away once I started working with Sodexo’s operations and culinary teams.

Although I didn’t like our long conference calls, it was clear that Sodexo’s Centre College staff, along with chefs and servers from other Sodexo campuses in the region, understood what I wanted to do with the dinner and had the operational know-how to pull it off for such a large group.

I spent a lot of time with Chef Lisa DeStefano, Kathy Lambui and the rest of the Sodexo team preparing for the dinner and all of our hard work paid off when the evening went off without a real hitch.  I was thrilled with the preparation and presentation of my dishes and I was also honored to share my passion for local flavors and ingredients with the dinner attendees including Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Kentucky Governor Steve Bashear and his wife Jane.

I have fond memories of Centre College, Sodexo and the awesome team of chefs and servers that made the evening such an overwhelming success.  It was a pleasure working with them to showcase my cuisine and Kentucky’s wonderfully unique flavors.

Chef Jonathan Lundy is the owner and operator of the award-winning restaurant Jonathan at Gratz Park in Lexington, Ky.  Prior to opening the restaurant in 1998, Chef Lundy trained under Chef Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans and studied at Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts.  To learn more about Chef Jonathan Lundy and his restaurant or to purchase his cookbook, “Jonathan’s Bluegrass Table,” visit www.jagp.info.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries