What is the EPiC Program?
3.8 million.
That’s how many students are expected to graduate from college in the 2019-2020 academic year and become early career professionals. When I think about it, it’s rather daunting that all of these students making decisions on their first jobs, which will help shape their career path and their future. How can a 22-year old be expected to confidently grasp the ideal role for them when so many different possibilities exist, even within a single company?
Enter the Exceptional-Professionals-early-In-their-Career (EPiC) Program at Personify where new career professionals are given the opportunity to do just that—learn. The EPiC program consists of three rotations into various departments throughout the year, allowing the EPiC Specialist a chance to see where they are passionate and where they shine brightest. After graduating college from Texas A&M University in 2018 with a degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, I was unsure of the direction I wanted to take, and that is why the EPiC program is exactly what I needed.
First Stop: People Operations
My first rotation began on the People Operations team, which has been a perfect start! Not only because it has given me insight into the intricacies of Personify’s staffing needs, internal operations and culture but also because it has enabled my passion for helping others. The core focus of the People Ops team is the employees—making sure that staff are happy, fulfilled and doing their best work in addition to building a strong culture along with managing benefits, compliance, facilities and much more. An important skill that goes into a successful People Ops team is being a team player. Everyone on the team may own separate projects, but at the end of the day they all tie into one another. I am fortunate to be on a team that has put a lot of emphasis on collaboration and aiding one another to ensure the job gets done in a timely manner.
I think the most challenging aspect of being a part of the People Ops team is the fact that every day is unpredictable. I may have my day fully planned out, but there is always that chance that something more pressing is going to require my attention, so flexibility and adaptability are key. At times, it might feel as though the to-do list continues to grow without ever getting shorter, but a healthy workload means that organization and prioritization of projects are incredibly important.
From the outside looking in, one might not realize all that goes into creating and maintaining a strong foundation for the company. In this rotation, I have gained an increased understanding of the importance of the People Operations department. This department is such an integral part to any company and its success.
Future Rotations and Next Steps
Before my time at Personify, I worked in the health insurance industry and I have been able to leverage this experience in managing employee benefits on the People Ops team. As I look forward to my next possible rotations, such as finance or sales operations, I am certain I have attained much knowledge from my first rotation that will be transferable into other departments to help me succeed. I am excited to discover more about Personify and gather more insight into all the components that makes this company successful!
Although the EPiC program is fairly new to Personify, we’ve already had eight people participate in the program and new classes will join in 2020. As an EPiC Specialist, you have an opportunity to showcase your skills and contributions to your team and the organization as a whole. I feel fortunate to not have only found a great company to work for, but also a great program that will serve as a launching pad for my career. I think that more companies need to adopt a program like this one because it not only allows program to gain knowledge and increase their skill sets, but it also helps provide a pipeline of new talent and develop future leaders.