More Than Nachos!

When I was in Middle School, I had to help my parents work at the flea market on the weekends. In hindsight, I learned a ton of life lessons by going to garage sales, cleaning up items and reselling them on the weekends. I also have to confess that I developed mad crafting skills. At a very young age, I would often find myself helping my mom make hair bows, barrettes, Fiesta hats (we did live in San Antonio), and mums. I learned that people have buying habits at flea markets. For example, you would be surprised at how people collect roosters, pigs, and elephants. So anything associated with these sold very well. Also, at the time, hologram necklaces, pictures of Peterbilt big rigs, old trucks, and eagles were hot-ticket items.

It was at Bussey's Flea Market that I learned to sell, the importance of product placement, and overall how to work! I worked so well that as I got older, other vendors would pay me a few bucks to help them set up, watch their booth while they took breaks, and pack up at the end of the day. But before I started getting paid, my dad's total remuneration package (I learned a BIG word as a professional), included the culinary wonder that was the Bussey's Super Nachos. My dad would set sales goals and when I hit them, honestly even if I didn't but if he could afford it that week, I got the Super Nachos for a very late lunch. I would sling so many pigs, roosters, and the likes to earn the prize.

When I got to ExxonMobil, I was fortunate enough to be placed in an environment where people would invest in your success. And I am not just talking about HR or Corporate programs that tout caring. I am talking about the people and the culture at facilities in which hard work and genuine interest in working together were reciprocated by team members. One of those people was a local Louisiana man; I will resist naming him because I know he would not like that. Just imagine the most local, homegrown, southern, Red-White-Blue bleeding, outdoorsman; that was my API Inspector and partner in crime during my Fixed Equipment role at the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Chemical Plant. 

 I would be lying if I said it was all peaches and cream. Especially at the beginning when we were figuring each other out. But we had mutual respect for one another and I certainly knew I had a lot to learn from him, and I am sure he picked up a thing or two by working with me. At some point, I told him about my flea market days and how I worked for the nachos. One day I was complaining about a toothache; this continued for a few days. After about the third day he finally had enough and said. "Manny De La Cruz, you have got to stop working like you are slinging for the nachos." He was reacting to the fact that he knew it had not occurred to me to set up a dentist appointment. He was right! I was used to a world where hospital visits, especially dentists, meant big bucks. Just a few months prior, it would have been a common occurrence if my wife and I extended the recommended "Take Action!" time when our kids were ill, according to Web MD, before going to urgent care. After all not having insurance meant an instant $200 out of pocket, which most of the time we didn’t have.

So alas! The point of this article!!!!! Make sure and take the time to know your new benefits sooner rather than later. They are part of your compensation package and should be used. Sadly, many of us come from a world where salaries and benefits are a foreign concept. So here are my tips to know where to begin.

 Make sure and take the time to know your new benefits sooner rather than later.

Learn the term Total remuneration (How to pronounce)

This is a term that gets used a lot in corporate settings. It means the combined values of benefits and salaries that are provided to employees of a company. Understanding the different components that make up total remuneration will go a long way in knowing if you are getting a good deal. Items that may be included are base salary, medical, dental, life insurance, 401K matching, bonuses, paid vacation, parental time off, personal days, pension, savings plan, and stock options just to name a few. Before you accept that big offer ensure it is not masking the lack of benefits behind the scenes. During the interview process, find out where you can get details of the companies total remuneration package.

 Understand your medical plan

I am no medical plan expert. But understanding simple the basics is key. Look at plan options and consider the level of care and specialty coverage you may need. Consider if you have any medical conditions or dependents that require a more detailed look at the medical plan details vs say some young adonis!

Explore Vacation/ personal time/ flex-time policies/parental leave

Time off does not always mean a debit to your vacation allotment. Some benefit packages offer personal days to take care of family emergencies or other homelife needs. Companies with more generous benefits packages understand that time away from home isn't always a vacation as life stages occur. Another more recent development in the world of benefits is modifications to parental leave that includes time off for both parents. Lastly, flexible schedules are great to manage a work-life balance as well. Do not be fooled by 9-80 schedules that tout every other Friday off. In some cases, company expectations may silently be that all your business is taken care of at that time.

Explore savings and pension plans

Make sure you understand the benefits that are at your disposal for retirement. In this space compound interest is your friend and the sooner you start the better. Especially when there is a company match program. For every pay period, you let pass, you may be leaving money on the table that your employer would give you if you contributed your share. Get to know the details of the fees associated with any pension or retirement plans. I know not the most exciting stuff! But do it! Book Recommendation to get you started: Unshakeable Tony Robbins

Explore Wellness plans

Discounts to gyms, access to nutrition information, stress relief tips, ergonomic assessments can all be part of a great companies benefits package. Your body and mind are your vessels to work execution. Use your benefits to take care of them.

Explore ERGs

Employee Resource Groups are a great way to help make the transition into a new company. Think of these as clubs within your company in which members share a common interest or identity group. A Company supported ERGs can also be a gateway to developing your professional network. ERGs have also been known to be the source of supplemental professional development for employees.

At the end of the day, you did the hard work to get to the point where you are going to land with a company. Give yourself the time to explore the total remuneration package as you are picking a company to take your talents to. The best resource to explain those benefits will be an HR representative. Always seek to speak to an HR representative vs a minimally informed employee who may themselves not be fully leveraging them.

Oh.... And don't work like you are slinging for the nachos. To my pal Geech...