PA Note: What Keeps Me Motivated at Work

By Annie Andre | Updated: 27 Aug, 2013

Prialto PA Ber JonfeThis article is the sixth in our Happiness at Work series, and is authored by Bernadine Jonfe, a Prialto PA and Training Manager in our Guatemala Service Center. Ber wanted to share why she has stayed engaged with the business while working offsite since she joined the company in Fall 2009.

 

When asked to write a blog article about what keeps me motivated at work, a different question inevitably came to mind: What do I like about my job? The answer: What’s not to like? I know that may sound overly cheery and superficially happy. But let me tell you my reasoning, and you can judge for yourself.

 

The Cool Stuff

Here at Prialto, the one constant is change – specifically, improvement. I agree that fast-paced environments are not for everybody, but I seem to thrive in it. I’ve always considered myself tech-illiterate. Having to keep up with the newest apps and tools (Bitium, DocuSign, join.me, CRM, etc.) to share and keep in touch with teams in other countries, as well as with members, forces me to stay current. This, on the other hand, makes me a tech guru among friends and acquaintances that do not know about SaaS apps and other groundbreaking technology.

 

The Constant Learning

Across different types of businesses:

Starting with the best practices I heard about during my initial training, I have learned at least one new thing every single day I’ve been at this company. With my first member, I learned about escrow, MLS, home inspections, and comparables, to name just a few things. I then had to learn about SEO, SEM, cookies, targeting advertising and media platforms for a different customer. Today, I can recommend hip places to have lunch and dinner in San Francisco just as easily as I can help somebody navigate through Manhattan, New York. Midtown, Upper West and East Side - what will I learn about next?

 

From our leaders and members:

I've learned about leadership by example. I’ve honed a take-action attitude. It doesn’t matter if things are not picture perfect, just get them done. Now refine. Test and tweak. Improve. Get started with the next task. Repeat cycle. I’ve learned to better communicate with others and be assertive when needed. Working with members has taught me how to juggle personal and professional lives (especially since I actually help them to successfully do this!) I now structure myself by setting goals, making a plan, and charting a path to accomplish them. Isn’t that a great feeling, regardless of where you live?

 

About myself:

Boy am I resilient! I didn’t know I had it in me. Before Prialto, I always thought I was good at working under pressure. It turns out that I really wasn’t. It’s a work in progress, and I get better at it each day. I’ve also discovered how much I enjoy challenging myself to move to the next step. The perfect example is that I was offered a chance to write this piece and accepted on the spot! Constantly being challenged to step out of my comfort zone is a big motivator for me.

 

The Human Side

At Prialto, I have a name, face and a voice! Prialto refuses to call us virtual assistants, because there is nothing virtual about us. Prialto’s Productivity Assistants are the ones who work directly with members on a daily basis. I call this being in the trenches. This vantage point gives the PA a unique view into the member’s needs. So when a process needs to be tweaked, updated or improved, the PA can really provide great input. And the best part? Our supervisors listen to that input, and action plans are designed and implemented together. That’s what makes Prialto’s community so special. When one of us gets recognized by a member on a job well-done, recognition is spread company-wide. If you are on the receiving end of the compliment, it inspires you to keep you going. If you are a witness, it inspires you to be the next one to receive positive feedback. This is truly a friendly place, and we fiercely guard that characteristic. There is no “I” in teamwork.

I cannot think of any other job or industry that would have given me all these opportunities to learn, be challenged and work with a strong, cross-border community. It’s a very unique job – no one else does what I and my colleagues do with the level of detail and professionalism that we give to our work every day.