At Springfield Masonic Community, our employees are super stars! We recently sat down with Tiffani in Dietary so she could share her story and the success she’s had at Springfield Masonic Community. Meet Tiffani, a Springfield Masonic Community Super Star!
How long have you worked at Springfield Masonic Community (SMC)?
I have worked at SMC for 24 years. I started here as a prep cook right out of high school working part time and here it is 24 years later and I am a manager. I learned early on that if I worked hard, there are great opportunities for advancement at the Springfield Masonic Community.
What makes Springfield Masonic Community different than other senior living communities?
I can’t tell you what makes SMC different from other senior living communities. I have never worked at any other community. But, I can definitely tell you why I like working here. The majority of my family works in the health care industry, other life plan communities or nursing homes. My sisters were astounded that I have all the personal protective equipment (PPE) that I need and have had the PPE since the beginning of the pandemic. They were not so lucky.
Every employee has had the proper protection since the beginning of the pandemic. That makes me feel safe and protected every day while working at Springfield Masonic Community. Our bosses are all about taking care of their employees. Besides keeping us safe, they also want you to be happy. Springfield Masonic Community is the best in the area!
What do your daily responsibilities include?
Over the years I have been a prep cook, diet aid, lead aid (team leader), diet clerk, supervisor, assistant manager and now a manager. By working my way up through the ranks, I feel comfortable in all the positions, so as a manager I can help others learn their jobs.
As a prep cook, I prepared food for the next day. I made sandwiches and did baking. When I moved on to a diet aid, I took the carts on to the floors and delivered the food to our community members. When they were finished with their meals, I picked up their trays and helped with the cleaning.
As a team leader, I did training and handled the sanitation checklists. When I moved on the position of a diet clerk, I worked closely with the community members distributing the menus and helping them fill out their meal choices. I also helped with changing those choices when they decided they wanted something different. I always want our community members to enjoy their meals. Choosing what they like is a big part of enjoying their meals.
When I became a supervisor, I was responsible for training the team leaders and handling more of the paperwork. I still continued to work one-on-one with our community members, both in person and on the phone. Working as an assistant manager and now manager, I handle bill paying and ordering food. I schedule the employees as well as their training and make sure that everyone knows the proper techniques for handling the food.
I have enjoyed every position all along the way. As a manager I am always ready to offer a helping hand at any position. It makes every day enjoyable. Give me at least two months and I will help you determine if dietary is the career field for you.
What are some of your favorite benefits Springfield Masonic Community offers?
SMC has great benefits! If you want to go back to school, SMC will help you do so with tuition assistance up to $5,000 per year. You won’t find that everywhere.
You can get extra hours and be cross-trained so you can work in different areas. The insurance benefits are really good and there are opportunities for perfect attendance bonuses too.
What would you tell a prospective applicant about Springfield Masonic Community?
I could tell you about all the benefits and that SMC is a great place to work. All of things are very important, but simply put, you can always use more family in your life. That’s what SMC is to me. This is my home away from home and it can be yours too.
Why do you love working at Springfield Masonic Community?
You know when you get here, there will be someone with a smile on their face and open arms. If you need someone to talk to, our president, Tony Berardi, is always here to listen. His door is always open. I am a wife, a mother and a grandmother. I have two sons and two granddaughters. I know just how wonderful it is to be a grandmother, so I treat all our community members like they are my grandparents. That makes me smile every single day.