From the moment I walked into this facility, I have been welcomed by not just one or two people, but by everyone. People stop in to say hi in the morning, make it a point to talk to you at lunch and for once, I feel as if my awkward sense of humor has found its home.

I came in from the private sector never having worked in public service before. There are misconceptions out there stating that a public employee has a cushy job and only puts in as much effort as is minimally required. (Side Note: That is not the reason I took this job. I have friends that work in Aitkin County that are smart, hardworking and compassionate so I knew that was not the case.) That is definitely a misconception. Everyone works hard at what they do. I see how much effort is put into every detail of their job starting with the office support, to case aides and up (definitely not leaving out the janitorial staff. They put in a lot of time and effort in keeping things up.) I also see the teamwork that is required to get a job done and how prevalent it is. Literally everyone (including management/supervisors) will jump in to get a job done, figure out a procedure, support their co-workers however they can. This is not at common place attitude in the workforce. Stepping up and going over and above for someone can be frowned upon elsewhere. Empathy and compassion for others can be frowned upon elsewhere. That attitude stems from “The more time you spend on someone or something, the less money the company is making”. That is not the case here. That is a lauded behavior and we can feel good about the work that is done because our Managers/Supervisors notice and appreciate and acknowledge that work.

I also appreciate the patience and knowledge of my co-workers. Training takes a lot of time and effort, even more so on the side of the person doing the training. Every question I have is answered, I am shown where to find the procedure, and no one makes me feel “less than” for asking maybe even the most obvious of questions.

I know I made the right decision changing careers and joining Aitkin County HHS.