In today’s world there is a lot of talk about “bringing your full self to work.” But what does that even mean?
If you ask me, bringing your full self to work means that you are 100% yourself every day; it means not having to wear a mask or pretend to be someone you are not; it means never having to put yourself into a box to fit the mold.
Everyone has their own unique personality and allowing that to shine at work is important in making an employee feel valued and appreciated for who they are. That is what we are all about here at Cox.
Showing off my fun side with coworkers
Every month here at my call center, we host Employee Engagement Days. Although my team and I primarily work from home, we all go to the office one day every month and get to network and bond with our coworkers and leaders.
We go all out on these days with special dress-up themes. One thing you should know about me: I love a good dress-up day because I can let my quirky, fun side shine! For example, in August, we had a back-to-school theme, and I dressed as Ms. Valerie Frizzle from The Magic School Bus — and it was a hit!
Being myself with customers
Another way I have been able to bring my full self to work is with every call I take as a customer care specialist. In this type of role, we are not scripted; we are encouraged to be ourselves when speaking with customers. We do not want to be robotic or corporate. We just want to be genuine and connect with our customers in our own way.
On my calls, I get to laugh and make jokes with the customer and have a fun conversation beyond providing them with the technical support they need. I really believe that being able to be myself on these calls makes my customers feel good — and it makes me feel good, too!
I end every call feeling like I made a new friend, and I hope my customers feel the same way.