Creating a Positive Team Environment with Liz Monroe

We sat down with Liz Monroe, Senior Supervisor at Au Bon Pain, to learn about how her career at Sodexo has helped shape her into a leader.

Liz began her career as a food service manager and has been in retail management for 25 years. She began working for Sodexo in 2019 after a previous colleague recommended her for a position. Liz was in search of a company that provided a stable job with competitive benefits to support her children. After researching the position and seeing everything Sodexo had to offer Liz took the role of late-night supervisor of Au Bon Pain, American Bakery and Café, at Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, New York.

“I instantly fell in love with this place after searching for a great job, and it provided me with the benefits needed to support my family,” Liz shares.

About 3 years ago, Liz was promoted and transitioned into her current role as Senior Supervisor of Au Bon Pain, where she learned effective recruitment strategies for hiring employees and gained more confidence in leading a team. As a Senior Supervisor Liz is responsible for conducting interviews, hiring students and full-time employees, taking inventory, creating weekly product orders, and other tasks needed within the café.

Throughout her time in this position, Liz built her entire team from scratch and formed a great group of positive and hard-working individuals.

The food service industry often faces a high turnover rate, but Liz has created such a positive environment that her team always comes back each year with smiles on their faces and ready for the next challenge.

“It’s important to make sure your team feels valued and comfortable together. I always do small things to let them know they are appreciated, such as creating little gift bags to give them around the holidays.”

Feeling appreciated is one reason why Liz loves working at Sodexo.

“When I first started, I thought it was just another corporate company, where you are just a number, and over the years, I have learned that it is not that at all. It is a big family. I have made good friends with my coworkers, and the respect I get from higher-ups is great and very supportive. They have supported me in a lot of personal things that I have gone through over the years.”

The wonderful experiences Liz has had while working at Sodexo are what inspire her to create the same opportunities for her team. She always checks in to make sure her team has the tools they need to succeed and are having fun in the process.

One way Liz encourages team building and creates a fun work environment is by having a team costume theme every Halloween. Every year, Liz’s team will vote on a costume theme together to dress up and wear during the holiday. This past year, her team dressed up as different Disney villains. The positive reactions Liz received from the students, teachers, and campus were amazing, they all loved it.

Liz has demonstrated that it takes one small act to put a smile on someone’s face. She is constantly bringing meaning and life into her position, which inspires the people around her.

“Sodexo has helped me gain more confidence in myself as a person and throughout my career. This company encourages me to share my true personality and be a mentor to those around me.”

We want to thank Liz, her team, and all the food service workers at Sodexo. Your daily commitment to creating a healthy and positive environment for all significantly impacts the employees and customers we serve.