A Day in the COE Life: Corinna Catalano, People Operations Generalist

It’s people who are undoubtedly the backbone of our organization. Not only within the relationships we foster with customers, but throughout the vibrant culture we promote internally. A critical driver of that culture is People Operations Generalist Corinna Catalano.

Corinna is responsible for onboarding new employees to CoEnterprise, administering compensation and benefits, and working with vendors to ensure the office is stocked with the necessities.

As a result, there’s no such thing as an “average” day for her, but a common one would see her greeting a new hire at the door on their first day of work. She’ll typically work with them for the weeks leading up to their start date and then sit with them on their first day to get them onboarded.

“It’s important for me to get them up-to-speed in terms of not only the formalities of the paperwork, but give them a glimpse into our amazing culture and what they can expect on a daily basis,” she says. “I think sharing with them the details and the little things that go into making this such a great place to work makes the transition that much easier.”

Simply “being available” for employees is one of Corinna’s biggest responsibilities. When they have questions or concerns regarding benefits, company policy, or other HR-related topics, she’s standing by with guidance.

“It’s important to be there for our employees,” she says. “They’re always reaching out to me with questions or asking for help with something and I take a lot of pride in being able to offer assistance and point them in the right direction.”

When she’s not onboarding, Corinna stays busy with a plethora of initiatives that include planning for fun company events (e.g. Employee Appreciation Day, Day in the Park, happy hours, or monthly birthday celebrations), talking with benefits providers, and brainstorming new ways to make CoEnterprise an even greater place to work. Those new ways include employee volunteering and fitness and wellness programs.

“Lately, I’ve enjoyed researching new ways to educate our employees on wellness and staying active. When we’re sitting at a desk all day it’s hard to step away, but it’s so critical in terms of maintaining that balance and achieving long-term health both in our professional and personal lives.”

One of the aspects that Corinna enjoys most about her job is the variety and the fact that she gets to interact with all of the departments.

“I really enjoy speaking to people within the various parts of the company,” she says. “It helps me keep my finger on the pulse of our organization. Whether it’s finance for payroll, marketing for swag, or with all the departments for the new Employee Recognition Program we rolled out last quarter, I’m constantly interacting with everyone.”

She, however, finds her biggest challenge has nothing to do with helping to choose a benefits provider or onboarding new employees.

“It’s not having enough time in the day. I’ve definitely gotten better at prioritizing but not knowing what is going to come up each day definitely keeps me on my toes. Also, the fact that as I advance in my career, I understand that many of the tasks and initiatives I’m working on will have a significant impact on our employees and our company as a whole. But, it’s a challenge I take a lot of pride in.”

As Corinna looks towards the future, she’s looking to improve and ultimately demand more of herself.

“Personal and career development are big for me,” she says. “I’m always looking into ways to enhance and grow my skills. As the responsibilities increase within my role, I work hard to streamline processes as much as I can to ensure I’m staying efficient while still having time to foster any new ideas I think of. There are many certifications out there that can ultimately help me become a better HR Generalist for CoEnterprise, as well as my professional network who I can turn to for advice and an alternative perspective. Constantly improving is something I’m passionate about.”

Developing her skills is something that will certainly help her continue to excel at the mission that’s at the core of her job—to help people.

“At the end of the day, my role is coming from a place of servitude. If I can make our employees’ workplace experience a little easier then I’ve done my job.”

Corinna also understands that she’s only one part of the equation. When it comes to developing a culture, it’s a company-wide effort.

“In reality, human resources can only do so much when it comes to promoting a company culture, you need buy-in from everyone—from the top down to really create a lasting culture everyone can be proud of. I’m proud to say we definitely have that here at CoEnterprise. It’s truly a great place to work.”

To learn more about our current openings and what we have to offer, visit our Careers page.