Adam Graves June 2018 for webby Adam Graves, AMPED financial intern.  

At some point we’ve all been the outsider who has had to adapt to new people and a new environment. Whether you’re moving from one city to another, switching teams, shifting workplaces, or something completely different, there is always a degree of anxious excitement associated with the change. Having made the jump from my past, laid-back jobs in family entertainment and retail to being an intern at AMPED, there was an expectation that there would be major changes from what I had previously become accustomed to. Knowing what I know now, after all of three weeks, there are a few things I have picked up on about my co-workers and the general culture of the workplace we share.

Things are different… but a lot of things are quite similar to my past jobs. The smaller staff size is something that I’m used to and starting my internship right after Memorial Day where a lot of staff were out of town, on vacation, at conferences, etc. allowed me to get settled in a low-pressure environment and meet my co-workers in waves instead of all at once. Everyone was incredibly friendly, and the staff meeting on my first day allowed me to get a small idea of what each of my co-workers do for the clients AMPED serves. The group is very tight-knit as the workspace is physically small and the success of AMPED and the associations depend of everyone working efficiently and working together. The office culture is far more relaxed than I would have imagined for a more professional environment; almost everyone has their music playing when I walk into my co-workers’ offices and the attire ranges from casual to professional depending on what is happening on any given day. These were welcome sights on my first day as an intern with no prior office experience.

My co-workers work for AMPED, but don’t. Everyone is super invested in the associations they represent. Shirts, buttons, drinking receptacles, and other trinkets for the various associations can be seen at every turn. People are genuinely interested and have gathered tons of knowledge on the many associations they serve. Given that we work in such close coordination with the different associations, it makes sense that there a lot of pride associated with providing the best possible service to them.

What’s in the kitchen? Seriously, what is in the kitchen? It’s always interesting to see what tasty treat someone has brought in on any given day. It seems like a lot of times when something is brought in there is a significant event in someone’s life that prompts the purchase or creation of these delicious delights so the food allows you to gain a bit of insight about the person who brings it in. Other times it’s as simple as passing on some leftovers from family meals to our work family. Regardless, this cornerstone is something that brings everyone in the office together.

Other thoughts. AMPED has been so welcoming that I’ve been introduced at our Monday meeting for three weeks straight. If I’m lucky next week will make four.

AMPED provides a very unique work experience due to the friendly, hardworking people who allow it to provide a diverse variety of services to its clients. The qualities that make AMPED so welcoming to me as a new employee also make it attractive to its present and future clients. The laid-back environment and the hardworking people undeniably make AMPED feel like home from day one whether you’re a new employee or a new association looking to be managed.