There’s always a mountain of paperwork to tackle when you work in human resources, and as HR manager at Accent/VC3, Stephanie is really good at getting stuff done. Paperwork is not her favorite part of her job, though. What Stephanie loves most about her work is interacting with people and being available to resolve issues, answer questions, and equip employees to explore their potential.
“One of the main reasons why I love HR is to engage with people and be a resource for the humans,” explained Stephanie. “Everything isn’t black and white, even when you have a handbook and policies. You have to take time to listen and have an empathetic ear.”
Trust Earned Through Keeping Promises
Stephanie was hired to take the reins of the human resources function of the company from Derek Woolf, who had managed HR for 23 years.
“It was important for me to transition those duties and responsibilities to someone I could trust,” said Derek, Accent/VC3’s Chief Operating Officer. “Stephanie quickly earned my trust by keeping her promises. Not only that, but she’s extremely easy to work with and is a great communicator.”
On a day-to-day basis, Stephanie communicates with employees on all sorts of topics, from benefits and pay to training and professional development. A normal day includes many meetings with the Rancho Cucamonga team. Now that Accent is a VC3 company, she syncs up with the corporate HR team too.
Alignment of Values
Stephanie’s job has changed a little since Accent was acquired by VC3 in September 2022. Because VC3 has a footprint extending through the US and Canada, she gets to collaborate with a larger HR team. Both companies are closely aligned, operationally and culturally, and the reasons why she joined Accent in the first place transfer over to her experience as a VC3 employee too.
“It’s cool to be part of an organization that encompasses the values of ‘Extreme Ownership,’” said Stephanie. “The leadership team understands it. It’s enjoyable to work at a company that shares the same core values.”
The book Extreme Ownership is essentially about the connection between leadership and trust and how that plays out at every level of an organization.
“Stephanie has an ‘Own It’ mentality,” said Derek. “When she joined our organization, she immediately took ownership of human resources. It’s refreshing to have someone managing HR who is so positive and pragmatic.”
Professional Growth Keeps Input Fresh
Stephanie feels that the environment at Accent/VC3 enables her in her job. This is a lot different from her previous employers, where she felt hindered because of a lack of trust. She hadn’t been at Accent/VC3 long before she experienced exactly what trust looks like when she brought a training idea to the leadership team.
“I really wanted to do this leadership training with the employees,” recounted Stephanie. “I explained how it would benefit our employees. The owner not only said yes, but he bought the workbooks.”
What Stephanie experienced not only demonstrated that she was trusted to do her job but it illustrated the importance that Accent/VC3 places on professional development. For Stephanie, personal and professional growth means there’s always new input coming into the company. That’s good for both individuals and the organization as a whole.
Stephanie’s goal is to become more knowledgeable about all aspects of HR, and she sees Accent/VC3 as a great place to develop her career and have an impact on employee and company success.
“I feel like I’m part of an organization where everyone’s voice is heard, and ideas are shared. It feels extremely inclusive,” said Stephanie. “Just the other day, I told someone, ‘This is the absolute best company that I’ve ever worked for.'”
