What do you do when you have a job that you need to have done and you need to have it done quickly and you need to have it done right? I’ll tell you what you do…you go to Jenny Johnston, Houston’s 2015 first quarter Employee of the Quarter. And I guarantee you, that job will also get done with a great attitude, a smile, and probably a little conversation.
If you need something done, you can count on Jenny!
Jenny was hired in June 2013 in the Returns Department, but moved to Admin shortly after and she feels like she has found her niche. She loves her job because it allows her to chat with everyone as she floats around the office doing different jobs—helping out in the file room and reception, making sure the Admin department runs smoothly, setting up new items or deleting obsolete items, and her latest feats in the office, recycling toner cartridges and working with a shred company to recycle office papers. Chatting amongst co-workers is one of the many things that make Jenny happy at her job—and she truly does enjoy the people she works with. Additionally, though, she enjoys the productive feeling she takes away from her job as the Admin Lead. She doesn’t mind paperwork, and in fact, she derives great satisfaction from looking at a pile of work, tackling it, and seeing it through until the job is complete. When I asked Jenny’s manager what makes her such a great employee I was told that Jenny is “very enthusiastic,” a team player, works well with other departments, and has a “willingness to wrap her arms around a project and run with it.” With these attributes and more it is easy to see why Jenny is an incredible asset to Houston’s.
When Jenny isn’t at work, she loves to watch her son compete in his track and cross-country events, and exercising makes her feel good; she has a stationary bike and a treadmill, and she likes to walk out of doors as well. She has played the piano for 32 years, and though mostly she plays at home, she does fill in at her church from time to time. Jenny is currently saving her pennies to buy a digital keyboard!
I asked Jenny if she has a motto she would like to share, and her response really sums up the person I perceive her to be: “Be positive and be happy.” She said that she feels like our minds have “ruts,” and that sometimes we have to force ourselves to create positive thoughts. Practicing the art of being positive, she said, could in turn make people happier in general. Well said, Jenny! And thank you, too, for leading by example!
Congratulations on a job well done!
