Molly Schissler

By Molly Schissler, VP, Human Resources

We were happy to host North Shore Bank’s first two job-shadow participants on Oct 15 in the Deposit Services department. West Allis Teller Cristin Erdmann and New Berlin Universal Banker Sarah Stawicki enjoyed the day of learning. The shadowing experience covered a lot of ground within this busy department. We’re glad they enjoyed their time and came away with a better understanding of what happens on the other end of some of their own everyday work activities.

“I thought it went great, and I learned so much,” Cristin said. “What really amazed me is how many times Deposit Services touches one piece of RightFax. (I counted three to five times in some cases.) I was also really shocked at the amount of logging and reports they have to do. I never knew that most of the team had worked in a branch before, and I think the knowledge they have about our products and services really helps them, too! I highly suggest that each branch participate and have someone take part in this job-shadow experience. I will definitely be talking to my team about what we can do to make the Deposit Services people’s lives easier.”

Deposit Operations Rep Stephanie Hallgren with job-shadow participants Cristin Erdmann and Sarah Stawicki.

Sarah also learned a lot from attending the job shadow. “The biggest takeaway for me was what happens when I RightFax something,” she said. “I was picturing paper everywhere, only to find that each RightFax is received as a digital copy. Who knew? It was also great to finally put a face to some of the names I’ve been working with during my time at the bank.”

She added: “The entire Deposit Services team was very welcoming and friendly. Everyone was pleased to share what they contribute to the department. They were also very willing to answer any questions Cristin or I had. This is a great opportunity to not only see how other positions within the bank help us function as a whole, but also to bring the knowledge received back to the branch level. Being more aware and prepared in the branch will make it much easier for Deposit Services to do their job. I hope other employees take advantage of the program!”

“I think the job-shadow program really takes our SOAR initiative to the next level,” said Savings & Customer Operations Manager Natalie Canadeo, one of the primary hosts for the Deposit Services job shadow. “There is something special about that face-to-face interaction that helps solidify our connections with one another. Working side by side fosters an environment of sharing — specifically, sharing perspectives, goals, challenges, and solutions. We make an effort to learn what our participants would like to take away from the experience and make sure those items are addressed. We also feel it is important to convey the reasons we perform a specific process, which always adds more meaning and value.”

Our next job shadow for Deposit Services takes place on Thursday, Nov 19. (Job shadows will typically be offered on the third Thursday of each month.) Apply by Monday, Nov 16 to be considered.

You can also apply to attend a job shadow with Loan Administration or Mortgage Lending. Loan Administration will host its first job shadow on Tuesday, Nov 17, and Mortgage Lending on Tuesday, Dec 8. Applications to attend are due Nov 13 or Dec 4, respectively, for these departments. Program information and forms can be found on the Human Resources intranet site.