I have just finished my fourth week in benefits and it is beginning to feel like home, everyone in Management Services has been so welcoming and I really feel part of the team. Sharon and Peter let me sit in on several meetings last week, one of which a monthly Aetna meeting updating everyone on recent goings on. Another meeting was with EBS (Employee Benefit Solutions) who are helping put together health and benefit plans and budget for the upcoming year.

I was able to meet with Dena Lee, the head of Marketing & Communications for Mustang Engineering on Friday afternoon.  I wanted to meet with her to discuss possible topics for my dissertation possibly relating to branding and brand loyalty. Dina gave me so much more than I could have asked for.

Mustang is unlike companies I have previously studied at university because they focus the majority of their communications and branding internally, they believe their employees are the brand and ambassadors for the brand. The Mustang motto is "people taking care of people" previous experience has shown me that it is rare for employers to put their staff first like this. Dena told me the internal communications focus is on the online newsletter, which links the global company and keeps everyone informed. I was really impressedwhen I heard about the Heart of Mustang, an event in which employees raise money throughout the year and at Christmas adopt a family to help out. It says a lot about a brand and employer that employees would devote so much of their own time and efforts into a cause rather than just write a check.

I truly appreciate that Mustang cares about its employees and they want their experiences to reflect on the brand. I found it unusual in the oil and gas industry for a company's values to be solely based on people and not just profit, quiet a refreshing concept.

This past weekend we got away again this time to San Antonio, one of my favourite cities in Texas. The heat was definitely still there, minus the Houston humidity. On the way home we spent the day at Schlitterbahn, a huge water park, surprisingly none of us got burnt but we definitely did embarrass ourselves a few times (some more than others).

This coming week will be my last in benefits, and I am going to shadow Ishbel Inkster, HR Director, and Neil Anderson the HRIS Advisor, both of whom will be in Houston for the week from Aberdeen.

Until next time,

Kirst