A natural people person

Priscila Rivera is a master of helping people find what they need to be happy. As the human resources coordinator at Deltona Health Care in Deltona, Florida, Priscila shows her compassion to employees and residents daily. According to Marie Swingle, the assistant business office manager at Deltona, “She (Priscila) goes out of her way to try and solve problems and make our work environment comfortable. We all feel that we can come to her with issues and that she will listen and try and solve any issues.”

Priscila has been working her magic at Deltona for over ten years. Prior to coming to Deltona, she worked in a 401(k) office and in a real estate office. When she first came to Deltona, she started in central supply, and after two years, started working in the business office, where she became very familiar with admissions and human resources. When a position became available in human resources, she settled into the coordinator position.

What makes Priscila even more special is the fact that although her job responsibilities are mainly on the administrative side, she is very connected to the residents. “On numerous occasions, I have witnessed Priscila accompanying our residents to make them feel better,” said Marie Swingle. Priscila told us that she has an open door policy, and encourages the residents to come talk with her any time. Her relationships with residents have had a lasting impact on Priscila, too. She told us about one resident, John C., who was a Vietnam veteran. He told Priscila about the war and how some of his friends did not come home. Priscila knew that John loved M&M candies, so she would bring them to John regularly.

One of the things that Priscila loves about working at Deltona is the diversity of the work that she is exposed to. “I like to be be involved in anything I can get my hands on.” She said that working in dietary and laundry are such great learning experiences, and she loves to learn something new each day. She also mentioned that she likes to “join in on resident activities, hug the residents, and just have fun with them.”

Employee retention is one of the biggest human resources challenges for Priscila. The care center has made great strides in retention with efforts like recognizing an employee of the month, celebrating employee birthdays, and providing recognition for perfect attendance. Deltona also holds a monthly barbeque in appreciation of the employees. As needed, Priscila steps into action when she hears that an employee is unhappy. She sits down with the employee and asks them about their experience. Next, she investigates any issues, while maintaining employee confidentiality. Usually, Priscila is able to help the employee deal with the issue, thereby positively affecting the overall team culture.

We appreciate Priscila for sharing her talents at Deltona Health Care, and appreciate her giving us a peek into her life as a human resources coordinator. Thank you, Priscila!