Within just a few days of starting at Amex, Sophie Normand, Vice President of International Small Business Products, knew she’d made the perfect next step in her career. She’d found an employer whose values mirrored her own – and she immediately felt at home.
“I was excited to work for such a big well-known brand like Amex and it only took a week of being on my new team to know I’d found a group of colleagues who were smart, hard-working, and had similar values to me – but who also liked to have fun!”
We caught up with Sophie to find out more about how, she has successfully aligned her personal and workplace values, what they are, and what this has meant to her professionally and for her family.
Show up as your authentic self
As someone who appreciates transparency, Sophie loves the “open, authentic, and inclusive culture at Amex,” which she says can be felt from the top down. For example, the company recently hosted a women’s networking event focused on confidence building and senior leaders spoke about some of the struggles they had faced in their careers.
“Our leaders are not afraid to speak candidly about their own struggles – whether it’s about rebuilding confidence or feeling a sense of belonging at work. Not only did I learn a huge amount, but I had a new respect for these leaders who authentically shared their stories, which are relatable to so many.
“I felt a real sense that Amex was a company that would support me, and that I would always be able to find and connect with someone who had been through something similar to me.”
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Find out about this and their other impressive policies and benefits.
“We win as a team”
Amex is proud of its ‘Blue Box Values’, which define what the company stands for and guides how they operate. “We win as a team” is one of those values and speaks the loudest to Sophie – but she’s quick to point out that your ‘team’ doesn’t always mean your direct colleagues.
At Amex you can often find yourself working on projects with partners in different business units or locations. For Sophie, what unites them all is “working towards a common goal” and the best way to achieve this is always through collaboration.
“Working as a team is so important to me, as I really believe that we can achieve more together than as individuals. When I think about the times I felt I was fulfilling my potential, it’s been when I’ve come together with my colleagues and built a strong level of trust and respect to accomplish our goal.”
Celebrate every success
Whether it’s informal compliments from colleagues or more formal recognition for workplace wins, Sophie loves how the company shows its appreciation for the great work people do every day.
“Amex is big on celebrating colleagues’ achievements and our collective success as a team. I find that really inspiring.”
Talk about your career goals
Establishing and maintaining strong connections across the company has been integral to Sophie’s career development, and it’s often through informal catch-ups over a cup of coffee that the best ideas or growth opportunities come about.
“There is amazing support for your career growth and development at Amex and you are truly in the driver’s seat of your career. I’m always impressed that you can reach out to anyone for a career chat, however senior, and they will make time for you.”
Although it may feel daunting to ask your boss for a 1-to-1 or reach out to someone on another team for advice, Sophie says to first reflect on your goals and be intentional about what you want to learn from someone—but then send that email.
“Think about where you are, how you’re delivering in your role, and what you want to achieve. Then reach out to your colleagues and create a trusted network of people. It takes some preparation, time, and a bit of bravery to build these relationships, but it pays off in the long run!”
Good company values create loyal employees
When a company supports its employees professionally and personally, it helps them develop their careers and creates an environment of trust. It also means people tend to stay there.
Loyalty is another important value for Sophie, and having been at Amex for four years, she’s seen first-hand why people stay with the company long-term.
“Amex provides many opportunities to build your career with so much support. Several people I know have been here for fifteen years or more.”
Find your people
As Sophie has found at Amex, when you work for a company whose values align with your own, you can flourish in the workplace, feel proud of your career, and achieve a good work-life balance.
So, how does your employer measure up?
