by Valerie Cox | HR Employee Relations

Editor’s Note: Valerie celebrates one year with ADEC in September. She started out as HR Assistant and was soon promoted to HR Employee Relations.

Getting through the first few weeks of a new job can be challenging and nerve wracking, but getting to your one year anniversary is a chance to look back at what you have learned. In my position with HR, I work with new staff as they are starting out with the agency. I enjoy meeting them and helping them to have a good first experience, but I’ve learned that ADEC is a lot more than that first 40 hour week of training.

ADEC is 21 locations, 450 employees and over 1,000 clients representing a variety of special needs and abilities. Before I worked here, I never realized the scope of our services. The individual locations give you the opportunity to be with a smaller team and yet work for a larger, diverse company. I enjoy hearing about how we create cool items at our day services; how our homes feel like family and the great stories about clients achieving goals and pushing ahead to try new things. I like being part of an agency that impacts people for the better.

Secondly, I’m amazed and challenged by the strong relationships between our employees and their clients. There is great personal bond between so many individuals that makes their jobs special. We have some amazing people who have worked very hard to make ADEC a success.

I’ve also found that ADEC is a place that enjoys a celebration. Last Friday, ADEC had the opportunity to celebrate at a fun cardboard boat competition. It was hot and humid but we managed to out-cheer all the competition as well as win on the water. A great moment of togetherness!

We’ve also had to come together to face loss in the last year. Whether our loss is a long time client or a co-worker, the ADEC team pulls together to remember and honor our friends.

Are there things to improve at ADEC? Absolutely. But life is a work in progress and each day is chapter in the story. I’m thankful that ADEC is part of my story.