Today we bring you yet another interview with one of our wonderful team members as Shirley had a chat with Ntsiki Jantjies – Officially Ntsiki is our Receptionist but behind the scenes she assists and supports each and every member of the team in a variety of ways. An absolute pro at organising things and making sure that everyone is informed and well taken care of. Many of you know her by her friendly tone of voice, excellent telephone manners and warm bubbly personality!
Ntsiki sets a sterling example of how each and every team member can find a meaningful purpose in their role. She shares some advice on how to maintain your own well-being and a positive mindset in order to keep giving your best service to those around you.
In terms of your role, what does being a Receptionist mean to you?
For most people being a Receptionist means greeting people at the door and offering them a beverage while they sit in the waiting room but for Ntsiki it means something entirely different. She sees herself as the very first point of contact and understands that her interaction with each person sets the tone for the experience they have with the rest of the team and the company at large. Being the face of the brand, she strives to make a lasting, positive first impression.
As we all know, first impressions last!
How has your role and your work changed since the start of lockdown?
Most people in Support and Administration roles have felt like they were most at risk of losing their job to this crisis because staff members like Receptionists are often the first to be let go. Placement Partner values their staff very highly and have gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone feels safe in their jobs.
Initially there were a lot of worries about how she could take care of her kids at home, keep delivering her best service at work and keep supporting her team. She soon realised that she needed to ramp up her Time Management skills to overcome these challenges. Much more so than pre-lockdown, although it has been great to skip all the traffic!
How are you taking care of yourself so that you are able to take care of others?
“You can’t even laugh or offer any kind of sincerity if you aren’t feeling fulfilled within yourself.”
Ntsiki practices meditation and positive self-talk to ensure that her light is always shining at its brightest. She feels it is essential to keep reminding herself of her own value, filling her cup in order to offer the overflow to the team and their clients. Much like a bottle of champagne, there must be a shake up from within to produce a pop and an overflow of bubbles.
This is where Ntsiki cultivates her lovely bubbly personality and develops her fierce self belief. We all need to make sure that we are in a great mind space in order to give excellent service and support.
What are your top tips for taking advantage of the opportunities which lie ahead?
With the easing of the lockdown levels we know that things are going to start happening more quickly and there will be new and different opportunities out there. Here are Ntsiki’s top tips for making the most of them:
- Use this time to learn and empower yourself in order to be better prepared for any adjustments which may be needed in the future. Seek out knowledge and grow your skill set.
- Believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself it shines through in everything that you do and it shows up in your work. Believe that you can offer your best and you will succeed.
- Keep being awesome! Just keep shining and being your awesome self.
First off, you should get a firm understanding of your purpose in your role, up front. Ensure that your cup is full and that you have excess to give to others. There are many tools and practices that you can use to help you generate this fulfillment and share it with others.
Remember, you are all awesome, especially all our Support staff who make such a meaningful impact in the background and often don’t get nearly enough credit for it!
