Better We, Better Week, July 29, 2024: Beyond Grateful

Great Morning Team,

Recently, USI, our benefits broker, provided our People Team with the 2024 Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) high-level report of their Annual Employee Benefits Survey. This benchmark report measured the popularity and prevalence of employer-offered benefits including perks, and professional career development across the US. We were delighted to see that we truly stand out as the Employer of Choice, as we provide a vast array of diverse benefits, compared to the number of offerings other organizations provide nationwide. We remain benevolent, progressive, creative and strategic in our approach, providing quality plan options, and keeping costs as low as possible for every employee here at E&I. Additionally, with Zoe Viola, Manager of Employee Services and Benefits at the helm, we are always looking for new things to consider adding each year! It was wonderful to see that “skilling-up” was addressed in this survey as part of Total Rewards as well. The investment E&I is making in us all to teach us the pertinent skills for our roles, along with coaching and feedback to become 1% better each day is a wonderful gift; and even more so, it is viewed as a “need to have”, not simply a “nice to have”.  

It’s in the many moments like this that I find myself in awe, reflective and grateful as to just how fortunate we are to be in this incredible innovative “Giving Place”, filled with the most generous, hardworking, and talented individuals. We are deeply cared for in so many ways by E&I to help us to grow and thrive. The generosity of E&I enables us to show up as the best versions of ourselves and do our best work all together, and we as an organization prosper as a result. Titus said it best in his Showcase Our Growcase segment at our last All- Hands Meeting: “WE are the culture.”  We, all of us, ARE what make up E&I. Through the great and tough moments, challenges and successes, we are never alone. We have each other to cheer us on, lean on when needed, challenge us, and encourage & support us to help us grow both individually and organizationally. In my humble opinion, it is our E&I family, our culture, that is truly the greatest intrinsic benefit of all. 😊

Speaking of our E&I family and gratitude, as I head out for an extended vacation this week, I want to share that four of our incredible colleagues have graciously volunteered to write Better We, Better Week posts in my absence during the next few weeks. They are:

Beth Perez, Marketing Manager, Marketing Operations

Abdullah Fahim, IT Technical Services Analyst, Information Technology

Emma Perennes, Project Manager, Operations

Ricky Wooten, Sourcing Consultant, Member Engagement

Please celebrate each of them by heading In The Groove (Click here) and show your support by reading their posts and commenting, and/or using our new cool emoji’s to express your sentiments! 😊 Each of our colleagues will have a story to share with a unique lens and perspective we can learn from, so let’s cheer them on! 😊

Additionally, while you’re In The Groove, feel free to answer our new polling question as well, inquiring what additional benefit offerings you would like to see in the future!

On a personal note, thank you to Beth, Abdullah, Emma, and Ricky for your talents, creativity, and courage- you are all AMAZING! 😊. Many thanks to Nicole Katz for always being there as my “groovy” blog teammate, and for coordinating, posting, and managing the blog in my absence. Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to Riken Prajapati for ensuring all is always technically sound to provide our staff the latest and greatest, In the Groove!   

Thanks again, and wishing you all a Better We, Better Week!😊

Lori Beth