Starting any new job is equivalent to starting your first day of school. Appreciation for the change in scenery, excitement of the new ideas and people, a bit of nerves on where to sit during lunch or what items to pack for your new desk, but overall a general consensus of great experiences to come. With NSCS it’s even more comparable because we deal with students!
After getting over my first day nerves I have reflected on the past few months and have noticed a running themes in the NSCS TEAMs. They are a group of creative individuals who have bonded together over the love of elevating and honoring high-achieving students. This creativity could be described in many ways, but I think what sets us all apart is that we are allowed to express our individuality. This is most notably seen on each teammate’s desk.
Much like the struggle of what you wear and how you act on the first day of school, your work desk also holds the same weight. In general, the work desk represents the company at large and who you are to that company. However at NSCS each employee has their own distinct desk. Several desks truly represent NSCS culture:
- The Full Staff Day Desk: NSCS has 3 notable full staff days and for each of these days all employees, except the core planning committee, are kept out of the loop. Everyone is only expected to show up but no one knows the activities that will come to pass. However, many wait with anticipation after a hint is given. For instance this past Full Staff Day we all received mini piñatas. Many used deductive reasoning to guess the event that would take place, but I am not sure anyone realized we would be traveling to a cooking class. The piñatas and other trinkets from these days and events compile on an employee’s desk. Instantly, you know the owners of these desks are your go-to NSCS cheerleaders.
- The Collegiate Collage Desk: These desks are most likely found with our member engagement coordinators. They have walls on the cubes that are covered in magnets or banners from different colleges that were visited throughout the years. The mascots and school colors show school spirit and support for each chapter they have. These collages also serve a purpose for others in the office, allowing them to see exactly which chapters have been visited or recognizing a chapter by their school colors, mascot, or name.
- Appreciation Desk: At NSCS it is all about the members they matter most, the teammates who exemplify this theory are always the ones that display the gratitude of the members. These are the helpers in the office the ones you know to call on when you are in a pinch. Whether it is from hand written cards or simple mascots these desks like their owners are filled with compassion for those who help them out.
- Work Space: Without a doubt, like many offices, we take pride in the hard and consistent worker. The one who will not quit, the implementer, and the first to the finish line. Their desks are immaculate, they have some school spirit, some appreciation cards, but they keep things to a minimal. They are most likely to have the file holders and manila folders. Their work is as important to them as NSCS is to our founder.
These are some of the main types of culture imbedded in each desk you would find at our office. We are allowed this expression of creativity because at the end of the day NSCS is accepting of each of these work styles. There is an openness to the company that I haven’t seen before, and it is a place where the being yourself is encouraged
