Four years ago, Alexiz Perez-Padilla’s mother suggested that he apply to Evans Distribution Systems. She was an employee at the Fort Street location at the time, and she knew they were hiring employees for the busy winter season.
“It was a perfect fit for me because at the time I was working at an asphalt company, which was only active during the summer months,” Alexiz says. It wasn’t long before he joined as a warehouse processor on Evans’ liquor line.
From the start, Alexiz gained attention from the human resources team for his professionalism. He had one of the hardest jobs, stacking boxes at the end of the line to be palletized and loaded onto trailers—yet never complained and always showed up on-time with a positive and outgoing attitude. “[Having a good attitude and being reliable at work] was an important lesson from my mother; I wouldn’t be here without her,” he says.
When a new spot opened on the HR team—Alexiz was one of the first to be approached. The role required reliability and a personable demeanor. As the Humans Resources Clerk, Alexiz was the first line of communication for new applicants. From answering phone calls, greeting new candidates, and routing applications—Alexiz always made a good first impression of Evans’ workplace culture. His bilingual abilities were especially helpful to those whose primary language is Spanish.
“It was my very first office job, so it was a learning curve at first,” he says. Fortunately, Alexiz had a helpful group of mentors behind him to train and support his development along the way.
Fast forward a few years, Alexiz continues to grow in his career at Evans. He was given the opportunity to shadow senior team members, to expand his knowledge of other important HR functions such as recruitment and payroll.
Recruitment Ready at a Time of Need
It’s no secret that Evans’ HR team needs to be recruitment ready at all times. Warehouse resources can ramp up or down at moment’s notice driven by last minute customer projects and facility expansions.
One of those times, involved a new project at the Georgia Street facility where an immediate need arose for 24 warehouse associates covering two 12-hour shifts with alternating weekly schedules. The long and odd hours combined with the facilities remote location would present challenges for even the most seasoned recruiters. Once again, Alexiz stepped up to the plate to support.
For the first time, Alexiz experienced the recruitment process from start to finish. He routed the position description to be posted online, reviewed applications, scheduled interviews, conducted pre-screening procedures, and onboarded new employees onsite. He also recruited additional candidates to backfill future openings. His willingness to work long hours and his commitment to securing all 24 candidates within a limited timeline showcased his hard work and determination. His efforts led to high satisfaction from all sides including employees, operations, and the customer. He also gained appreciation from his teammates, for acting quickly and picking up this new role with such ease.
Alexiz already feels rewarded by his new role as Payroll & Onboarding Coordinator. “I enjoy interacting with people and being a resource for them when they first join Evans,” he says.
In addition to recruitment, Alexiz is responsible for Evans Resources Solutions’ employee payroll. He ensures that paychecks are accurate and reflect the right number of hours worked, vacation time, pay rate and more. His attention to detail and thoroughness in identifying potential errors directly impacts the corporate goal of reaching 100% payroll accuracy.
“Payroll is directly related to employee satisfaction and reduced turnover rates. Employees are comforted to receive the right pay that they deserve after a long work week,” he says. “And attendance earns points in the e-store!”
Alexiz is grateful to be part of a team that mark achievements together, rather than individually. He likes the constructive learning environment that supports his growth and development.
Alexiz’s experience at Evans is summed up by a quote from his favorite show, Criminal Minds: “Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in our dreams? Another words, “Try new things outside of your comfort zone, because you never know where they will lead,” Alexiz says.