So, what is it like to work at EPL?

In February 2013, EPL opened its doors to my wide-eyed and nervous self. As a 23-year-old, the chance to not only work in a more corporate atmosphere, but to also in an environment like EPL’s was an unbelievably exciting opportunity for me. I was set on making a positive impression at my new “work home.” What I didn’t realize at the time, however, was how much EPL would also make an impression on me.

I could speak extensively about the positive aspects of working at EPL, but wanted to highlight a handful of attributes that make EPL stand out as a distinct employer:

Our Customers. We at EPL feel privileged to have such valued relationships with our customers. The ability and willingness of our team to provide one-on-one, customized assistance to each of our credit unions is unparalleled. Our friendly and highly dedicated customer service allows us to get to know our customers on a personal basis and simultaneously position them for success. Our customers trust us to make sure their credit union and its members achieve their highest ambitions, and we do everything we can to make sure that success is delivered. We truly do have a wonderful group to work with – both here at EPL and at the credit unions we serve.

Open Door Policy. The constant exchange of information and knowledge I witness every day is both energizing and fulfilling. No matter the role or title, every person on our team serves as a mentor to others. Have a question? Call a coworker and they will pause their task to help walk you through your issue until you reach a resolution. Managers here are also keen on ensuring each employee’s success and happiness. The fact that I can walk up to my supervisor and ask, “Do you have a minute?” and have an impromptu conversation is both invaluable and instrumental in fostering a culture of collaboration, cooperation and caring — a culture that unmistakably trickles down throughout the rest of the company.

Flexibility. EPL employees are given the opportunity to work remotely, which symbolizes management’s trust in employees to remain productive and responsive. It also gives employees freedom and flexibility in their schedules, while still providing excellent customer service.

Growth Opportunities. Employees here are also encouraged to explore and learn about all departments of the company. This cross-training creates limitless learning opportunities for an employee, which, in turn, allows the individual to grow and flourish in both knowledge and skill and gives them the ability to expand their role if they wish to contribute their talents in other areas.

Our Future. Since 1977, EPL has experienced many transformations in order to continue to effectively serve the credit union industry. I feel incredibly lucky and thrilled to be a part of a new evolutionary period of our company. With the investment from Dedagroup NA in 2015, and our recent strategic partnership with The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, we now have the ability to expand our collaborative efforts with larger, international organizations and serve a wider audience for the advancement of the credit union industry. Not to mention, we have the pleasure of getting to collaborate with a highly motivated team in both the U.S. and abroad, as we share the collective purpose of applying innovation and efficiency to everything we develop!

As is inevitable for any business, our team will sometimes encounter challenges. But beyond any difficulties and growing pains we may face lies EPL’s wonderful team members, who possess an unwavering dedication to serving our customers and the fundamental belief that only together can we achieve the greatest success.

Ashlyn Fogg

Sales Operations Specialist

EPL, Inc.

Implementing an Internal Communications Strategy within your Credit Union

Oftentimes, companies don’t recognize the need for improving internal communications until it’s too late—when their employees are unhappy and their culture is suffering. If you do not have an internal communications strategy implemented within your credit union, you are already two steps behind. Did you know that ineffective internal communication leads to lost revenue, customer dissatisfaction, massive miscommunications and rapidly decreasing employee engagement and retention? According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report, 70 percent of employees are already not engaged.

Make it a priority

After digesting the above news, you probably just had a revelation—you are going to prioritize achieving great internal communication within your credit union, but unfortunately it’s not as easy as simply making an intentional decision to do better. Prior to establishing a new strategy, you need to accept that change could be inevitable and that these changes should be embraced by you and your fellow executives. Additionally, prior to implementation, it is necessary to gather information from your employees to develop a baseline. You can begin gathering the pertinent information by distributing short anonymous surveys to your employees, or by meeting with them in small groups or one-on-one to discuss their views and concerns regarding communication within your company.

Tailor your approach

Once you have established a baseline, you will need to discover which internal communications methods are the best fit for your credit union. All companies are not created equal and will have different needs and preferences. Hone in on improving horizontal communication by exploring tools that allow your employees to communicate most effectively and encourage collaborative, open conversations. If employees feel mass emails are clogging up their inboxes and leading to miscommunications, perhaps you should consider services like Slack or Google Hangouts. If your company’s Intranet is not being properly utilized, it may be time to consider discarding the service for something more appealing to your employees.

Appreciate your employees

Another important aspect of internal communication is to ensure your employees feel included and appreciated, as it increases their engagement, work ethic and loyalty. Intentional efforts ranging from something as simple as recognizing a celebratory day, such as a birthday or a noteworthy accomplishment, to focusing on improving the vertical communication between your executives and employees will have a noticeable effect. If your employees feel that there is not a sufficient amount of vertical communication, consider holding a weekly team meeting so that everyone feels in the loop and included.

Measure your success

The best way to discover appropriate internal communications tools for your company is to pick your employees’ brains for their suggestions—and once you select the most appropriate communication methods, be sure to set goals surrounding them in order to measure your success, or to learn you need to reroute. Use metrics such as Intranet logins, surveys, retention rates and sales changes to measure your internal communications success. It might take time to figure out what is right for your credit union, but we assure you, once you do—it’s worth it.

EPL Staff

EPL, Inc.