Chelsea Thinks Employee Handbooks Are Interesting.
Hear Her Out.
There are people who look at an employee handbook and see pages of policies.
Chelsea sees a story.
“I think your handbook actually says a lot about the company and the culture there,” she said. “Each one has its own tone and style.”
And yes, she knows that finding employee handbooks genuinely interesting may be a very HR-specific personality trait. She’s fine with that!
Chelsea joined Total Solutions as an HR Generalist three months ago after working in the same role for a steel fabrication company in East Moline. Before beginning her HR career, she managed an Aldi store while she was in college.
That path gave her plenty of experience working with different personalities, solving problems quickly and helping people navigate unfamiliar situations. Those are all skills that come in handy now, especially when she’s helping a new employee get settled.
Making a New Job Feel More Manageable
There is a lot happening when someone starts a new job.
They’re learning names, systems, expectations and where everything is located. At the same time, they’re usually working through a pile of forms and trying very hard not to forget anyone’s name five minutes after the introduction.
Chelsea enjoys being one of the people who can make that process feel less overwhelming.
Some of the companies Total Solutions supports have longer and more involved onboarding processes. That gives Chelsea a chance to get to know their new employees and help them work through each step.
“I really like the helping aspect of HR,” she said. “Knowing that I can make someone’s life easier as they are starting a new job is huge to me.”
She has also completed enough I-9s that she could probably do one in her sleep. She promises they aren’t nearly as intimidating as they appear.
Once you understand them, she says, they’re actually pretty easy.
We’ll take her word for it.
The Personality Hidden in the Policies
Chelsea approaches employee handbooks with the same interest in people.
A good handbook needs to provide clear information, but it should also sound like it belongs to the company handing it to its employees. A playful, casual organization shouldn’t suddenly sound like a law firm. A more traditional workplace may need a different style.
Chelsea enjoys finding that voice and protecting it while she edits.
It is part compliance, part writing and part detective work. She has to understand what the company is trying to say, how its people actually communicate and which policies need a closer look.
So, while the rest of us may not curl up with a handbook for recreational reading, we’re glad Chelsea finds them interesting.
Someone has to!
An Office With No Big Light
Chelsea brings plenty of personality to her own workspace too.
A vintage Care Bear has earned a permanent place on her desk because Chelsea collects them, and having one nearby makes the workday a little happier.
The lighting around that Care Bear is important.
Chelsea has a very firm stance against fluorescent or cool-colored lighting. She is also a self-described “big light” hater.
Warm lighting only. Lamps are good. Candles are good. A room lit from above like a hospital hallway is not good.
It makes sense that she’s currently watching ER for the first time. She loves medical shows, and she’s enjoying the glimpse into how hospitals looked and operated in the 1990s.
Avoiding spoilers for a show that premiered decades ago has been more difficult.
Yacht Rock, City Pop and Emergency Coffee
The soundtrack at Chelsea’s desk could go in several different directions.
She has always loved yacht rock, but lately she has been listening to smooth jazz and Japanese city pop. She likes finding music that feels unusual or undiscovered, and she’ll listen to almost anything.
Almost.
Country music has not made the cut.
When the playlist alone can’t improve the day, an energy drink usually helps. If it has been an especially rough day, she upgrades to an expensive fancy coffee.
Her favorite place to get one is Coffee House in the East Village.
Chelsea calls it her favorite place in the entire world, and she loves the creative monthly menus, the events, the atmosphere and, most importantly, the coffee.
She is equally enthusiastic about cottage cheese, although she understands that may be a harder recommendation to sell.
Her argument is that cottage cheese is versatile and makes an excellent chip dip. Whether this wins anyone over remains to be seen.
Waiting for Her Piano Moment
There is one more skill Chelsea would like to add to her collection.
She wants to become a really good piano player.
This isn’t necessarily because she plans to perform professionally. She has simply noticed that pianos tend to appear in restaurants, hotels, event spaces and other public places.
She would like to be able to casually sit down, play something impressive and then move on as though it happens all the time.
It is a very specific dream, and we fully support it.
Until then, Chelsea will continue helping employees through new beginnings, finding the personality inside company policies and defending the office from unreasonably harsh lighting.
We’re very happy she’s here, Care Bear and all!