Guest Blogger: Melissa

Hi, my name is Melissa and I work in Human Resources (HR) at St. Joseph’s Indian School.  I recently returned from the national SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) convention in Atlanta, Georgia.  We had amazing keynote speakers such as Condoleezza Rice, Malcolm Gladwell, Jim Collins and South Dakota’s very own Tom Brokaw, who were all inspiring.  It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the direction that HR is going.  But most important was the idea that no matter where you work, it is employees who are the heart of the organization.

Of course, St. Joseph’s is all about people.  We serve children.  Our impact not only directly affects the children that attend our school, but also their families.  This in turn affects their communities.  The influence people have on others is an incredible idea.  At St. Joseph’s, we are fortunate to have some extraordinary people who are committed to changing lives of others for the better.

The work done at St. Joseph’s truly takes cooperation from everyone to progress in our mission.   One of my responsibilities in HR is to conduct exit interviews when employees leave St. Joseph’s.  One question that is asked of everyone during the exit is, “What did you like best about working at St. Joseph’s?”

The overwhelming response I get, even from employees who don’t work directly with the children is, “The kids.”

We couldn’t do it without the employees and donors who are paying it forward and helping make this world a little better for someone else.