The RED Team – Putting Our People First

The Human Resources Department’s Employment Services Division includes (left to right) Mike Holmes, Patricia Lopez, Scott Reed, and Kristin Libberton.

The Employment Services Division is part of the Human Resources Department (HR). Known around Metro Water Recovery’s facilities as the RED (recruiting and employee development) Team, this group ensures the right people are in the right jobs and works hard to help Metro’s workforce grow and develop. This high-spirited bunch is always thinking “outside of the box” to serve and support employees.

The RED Team’s responsibilities fall into two areas:

  • The recruitment, selection, onboarding, and promotion of employees.
  • Full-spectrum employee development, including technical and leadership training, as well as reclassifications and journeyman/on-the-job-training programs.

Together, this team makes sure every person who joins Metro Water Recovery feels apart of the mission while providing employees the training opportunities they need to grow their talents. In fact, despite COVID-19, 2021 achievements include filling 114 positions, onboarding 62new employees, delivering/coordinating training on 61 unique topics and facilitating ten in-house leadership courses.

The passion of this team is easy to see. According to Scott Reed, Senior Human Resource Manager, “you don’t get a much greener mission than what we do. Making a difference and watching everyone contribute to that is special.” Organizational Development Specialist Mike Holmes adds, “we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. We’re united in that mission, and you don’t see that in many places. We are purpose driven and in it together.”

So thank you to Metro Water Recovery’s people-oriented team. Placing humans in the center of all they do, these HR professionals have a key role in the organization’s success. Together they work for a people-first culture, one with more inclusion, flexibility, and engagement.

2022 Red Team projects to note:

  1. Launched New Supervisory Academy; one-day training for employees new to Metro supervisory roles
  2. Speed of Trust Training launching to all employees in second/third quarter
  3. Implementing, enhancing, and reengineering new employee orientation
  4. Expanding learning opportunities to include eight-hour project management training, ‘5 Dysfunctions of a Team,’ backhoe operations, scaffolding user awareness, and competent person training
  5. Transitioning organization to new learning management system
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