Investing in Our Most Valuable Resource, Our People

The 29 days in our shortest month of the year are packed with love and well wishes – the aisles in every store are full of heart-shaped candy, roses are being bundled into bouquets and grand gestures are made to show the ones we love most how much they mean to us. While we can’t send flowers to each of our more than eleven thousand associates, we can and do show our appreciation in other ways. Most notably, by investing in them. What better way to show someone that you care about them than investing in their future and championing their success?

We invest in our associates through training programs like AMP (Accelerated Manager Program). With AMP and other training like it, we provide our associates the opportunity to build on their strengths and develop new skills. One associate who recently took advantage of that opportunity is Heather Jorgensen.

Heather is one of Canteen’s recent graduates of the Accelerated Manager Program. AMP is a leadership development program open to aspiring managers as well as entry-level managers who want to grow and develop the skills needed to be successful in future leadership roles. We reached out to Heather and someone who knows her well, her Regional Director, Christian Weis, to hear about the experience that Heather says opened her eyes to the magnitude of what we stand for as a company.

Hi Christian! As Heather’s Regional Director, what did you originally see in her that made you want to nominate her for AMP?

“Her initiative and drive. Heather started as an hourly associate and quickly ascended to unit lead.  After seeing her passion and commitment to the account and more importantly her customers, I knew we had someone special. I started giving her specific projects to complete which she completed early. I could see she was eager to learn and grow so it was an easy choice for me to get her into AMP.”

Heather, you clearly have so much determination. What does it mean to work for a company that invests in you and your success?

“I feel very strongly about this. I have a company that not only recognizes how hard I work but Compass Group/Canteen has made investments in my future and allowed me to see the magnitude of what we stand for as a company. They have done more than just create a training program; they’ve shown me patience and a commitment to help me succeed. I finally belong to a company that treats me like a person with a purpose.”

We love hearing that! After completing AMP, what have you learned that you have incorporated in your daily professional life?

“It is consistently growing and changing for the better and I have become a more patient manager. The AMP training has opened my eyes to see that everyone has value and it’s my job now to help my associates find that purpose and make them shine.”

With that being said, would you encourage your colleagues to sign up for AMP?

“Of course! However, for me, it’s bigger than AMP. If you are the type of person that is seeking satisfaction and fulfillment with your career while optimizing on your already strong talents, Canteen is where you should be.”

Christian – as Heather’s Regional Director, what changes have you seen in Heather since her AMP graduation?

“Upon completion, the impact of the program was immediate. When she returned from Charlotte, Heather was noticeably inspired and empowered. Once she was promoted to District Operations Manager, she took the challenge head-on and has performed amazing. Heather has opened six accounts for me in nine months and most recently won her first contract that she worked on from start to finish. I have no doubt she will continue to succeed. We both agree that the AMP program was a huge catalyst in her career. Thank you to Compass for having this wonderful program out there to develop future leaders.”

People like Heather and Christian are what make Canteen a great place to work. Our people truly are the heart of Canteen and we could never thank them enough for their hard work and dedication. We’ll continue to show our love for our team by investing in the futures of our talented associates, celebrating their successes and maybe sometimes, sending a heart-shaped card.