Written by Shane Myers, Senior Vice President of People and Culture at Nusenda Credit Union
At our core, Nusenda believes that the driver of our continual success is our talented team of 700+ employees. To help support and retain these talented professionals, we are committed to taking care of them in a variety of ways. This is demonstrated by our best-in-class benefits, family-friendly policies, and workplace culture.
“At Nusenda, we are committed to empowering employees when it comes to health and wellness offerings and providing accessible resources to help them meet their personal needs.”
In addition to comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits, we introduced the Lifestyle and Wellness Reimbursement Program benefit in 2023. This program offers reimbursements up to $750 per calendar year for a variety of expenses related to physical and mental health, financial support and planning, and family and lifestyle expenses. The program covers anything related to employee well-being, from counseling to gym memberships, fitness coaching to camping gear – all qualify under this employee-centered program.
At Nusenda, we prioritize employees and their professional development. To help our employees reach their professional and educational goals, we offer our Education Assistance Program, which provides reimbursement of up to $5,000 towards any course relevant to the work of the Credit Union. In addition, our Learning and Development Department offers a large portfolio of classes and workshops for staff, and we partner with local and national universities on degree programs and customized courses for our teams. Last year, Nusenda invested over 18,000 hours in employee development and provided $138,000 in tuition reimbursement. Embracing our employees’ passions and excitement for learning ensures a healthy and curious approach to work and life.
We also believe that creating a safe environment that prioritizes employees’ financial stability strengthens our organization at every level. In light of the ongoing economic hurdles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we made necessary changes to better support the well-being of our employees. In addition to increasing our wages to compete at the highest levels of our market, we also offer an Employee Hardship Grant Program, which allows employees to apply for funds to offset the costs of unforeseen emergencies and hardships up to $5,000.
To meet the evolving needs of our workforce, we are committed to implementing policies and programs that help our employees – and their families – thrive. Notable ways we do this include providing flexible work location and technology options, an Employee Assistance Program that allows employees and members of their household to access quality care from Master-level counselors, access to comprehensive pet insurance, special discounts for theme parks and attractions nationwide, and more.
Additionally, Nusenda works daily to embrace our diverse workforce and foster an inclusive and equitable environment for our teams that not only benefits our organization, but also our members and the communities we serve. Our DE&I Advisory Council develops strategy and promotes equity throughout the workplace to ensure our teams feel, welcome, valued, and heard. This year, we launched our first Employee Resource Groups.
Tangible action towards an employee-centered, supportive workplace environment is a constant work-in-progress.
We are continually reassessing how we can better serve and come alongside our diverse and talented team members. Here are some immediate steps that you can take at your organization to be supportive:
- Set the tone – Remember to lead by always setting a good example for employees to follow, and provide good role-models to emulate, especially in difficult times.
- Solicit feedback – Not only by ensuring that all employees are able to share their thoughts/concerns, but also by ensuring they have a safe space (both physically and psychologically) to do so.
- Assess – Evaluate programs to ensure alignment with organizational goals and employees’ ever-changing needs.
- Act – Lead with intentionality. Create programs that positively contribute to the health and well-being of your teams, both swiftly and with meaningful impact.
Shane Myers has over 12 years’ experience in human resources, and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of People and Culture at Nusenda Credit Union. He previously held roles focused on HR employee relations at Summit Electric and White Lotus Home in New Jersey. Shane is passionate about people and has multi-faceted knowledge and experience across many areas of Human Resources, including employee relations, leadership development, conflict management, and culture-focused initiatives.
He holds a Master of Arts in organizational Development from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Psychology from Rutgers University. Shane is a certified Professional in Human Resources from the Society of Human Resources Management and a Certified Mediator from the University of New Mexico.
Nusenda Credit union is New Mexico’s largest and locally owned and operated credit union with 260,000 thousand members and more than 800 employees. It has more than 20 branches throughout New Mexico in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Taos, Valencia County, Socorro and Las Cruces. There are hundreds of ways to join the credit union. Connect with Nusenda Credit Union at www.nusenda.org; Facebook @NusendaCU; Twitter @NusendaCU; and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nusenda