A Life changing is…Story
The Colleagues of Koala Café
A Life changing is…Story
Three words come to mind when thinking of the team at UPMC Children’s Hospital’s Koala Café: teamwork, dedication, and, of course, milkshakes. This tight-knit team of seven knows that making a patient a milkshake is much more than part of their job: it’s an opportunity to affirm the belief that the little things can mean a whole lot. The Koala Café team understands that its job isn’t just serving food to patients and families at Children’s, but it’s about being a place that also serves people kindness and care, empathy and levity, nourishment and encouragement.
Together, the colleagues of the Koala Café are an example of a team that shows how caring well for each other makes all the difference at work and in life. For Beatrice, Darius, Kaitlyn, Matt, Tyler, Mike, and Jamie, working at the Koala Café is an opportunity to uplift others, support their teammates, and look for the good in each day. Life changing is… colleagues that care: about each other, about the mission, and about making the most of every moment.
Three words come to mind when thinking of the team at UPMC Children’s Hospital’s Koala Café: teamwork, dedication, and, of course, milkshakes. This tight-knit team of seven knows that making a patient a milkshake is much more than part of their job: it’s an opportunity to affirm the belief that the little things can mean a whole lot. The Koala Café team understands that its job isn’t just serving food to patients and families at Children’s, but it’s about being a place that also serves people kindness and care, empathy and levity, nourishment and encouragement.
Together, the colleagues of the Koala Café are an example of a team that shows how caring well for each other makes all the difference at work and in life. For Beatrice, Darius, Kaitlyn, Matt, Tyler, Mike, and Jamie, working at the Koala Café is an opportunity to uplift others, support their teammates, and look for the good in each day. Life changing is… colleagues that care: about each other, about the mission, and about making the most of every moment.
Life changing is…colleagues that care about each other.
On the patio outside of the Children’s Hospital cafeteria, Koala Café co-workers Darius and Kaitlyn shared some good-natured teasing while debating about their favorite Pittsburgh sports team (Penguins for Kaitlyn, Steelers for Darius). The two colleagues displayed what others on the team agreed on, too: their team feels like a tight-knit family.
With only seven team members working from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, getting to know their co-workers comes naturally to the crew at the Koala Café. Sharing about what’s going on in their lives outside of work—like how pee-wee football coaching is going for Darius—is a natural component of conversations. Both Darius and Kaitlyn agreed that it feels like their colleagues genuinely care about what is going on with them both at work and outside of work, too. When the café gets busy, the team knows they can lean on one another to get through a shift and work together seamlessly, relying on their camaraderie and familiarly with each other’s strengths.
Koala Café manager Matt shared that their work environment remains positive because of a collective belief in “The Golden Rule,” or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “I always treat others the way that I wanted to be treated—being kind, helpful, and understanding,” reflected Matt. “I feel when people are treated this way, they give out that vibe in return, which makes for a better work environment for everyone.”
Life changing is…colleagues that care about each other.
On the patio outside of the Children’s Hospital cafeteria, Koala Café co-workers Darius and Kaitlyn shared some good-natured teasing while debating about their favorite Pittsburgh sports team (Penguins for Kaitlyn, Steelers for Darius). The two colleagues displayed what others on the team agreed on, too: their team feels like a tight-knit family.
With only seven team members working from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, getting to know their co-workers comes naturally to the crew at the Koala Café. Sharing about what’s going on in their lives outside of work — like how pee-wee football coaching is going for Darius — is a natural component of conversations. Both Darius and Kaitlyn agreed that it feels like their colleagues genuinely care about what is going on with them both at work and outside of work, too. When the café gets busy, the team knows they can lean on one another to get through a shift and work together seamlessly, relying on their camaraderie and familiarity with each other’s strengths.
Koala Café manager Matt shared that their work environment remains positive because of a collective belief in “The Golden Rule,” or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “I always treat others the way that I wanted to be treated — being kind, helpful, and understanding,” reflected Matt. “I feel when people are treated this way, they give out that vibe in return, which makes for a better work environment for everyone.”
Life changing is…colleagues that care about the mission.
When asked if Children’s was a place she looks forward coming to each day, Bea’s face lit up with a big smile. Bea has worked for UPMC for 32 years, but working at Children’s has been the highlight of her career. The children and families she meets inspire her daily at work and are the reason she is excited to show up every day. Simply seeing them smile is her ‘why’. In previous roles, Bea had less opportunities to interact with patients and people, but her work at the Koala Café now allows her to see the people she is serving, speak with them, and witness firsthand the impact of her work.
Darius agreed, saying, “What we do can really change people’s days…To be able to uplift [patients’ and families’] spirits in whatever they’re going through — that’s one of the main reasons I get up every morning to be here.” When asked if his role at Children’s felt meaningful, Matt echoed his colleagues: their work has a mission.
“Knowing that we are a small part of a bigger picture. Guests, patients, and families come down to the Koala Café for a meal, snack, or milkshake and can get a break from the stress of their day. It might only be for a few moments but sometimes that’s enough.”
Life changing is…that care about the mission.
When asked if Children’s was a place she looked forward coming to each day, Bea’s face lit up with a big smile. Bea has worked for UPMC for 32 years, but working at Children’s has been the highlight of her career. The children and families she meets inspire her daily at work and are the reason she is excited to show up every day. Simply seeing them smile is her ‘why’. In previous roles, Bea had less opportunities to interact with patients and people, but her work at the Koala Café now allows her to see the people she is serving, speak with them, and witness firsthand the impact of her work.
Darius agreed, saying “What we do can really change people’s days…To be able to uplift [patients’ and families’] spirits in whatever they’re going through—that’s one of the main reasons I get up every morning to be here.” When asked if his role at Children’s felt meaningful, Matt echoed his colleagues: their work has a mission.
“Knowing that we are a small part of a bigger picture. Guests, patients, and families come down to the Koala Café for a meal, snack, or milkshake and can get a break from the stress of their day. It might only be for a few moments but sometimes that’s enough.”
Life changing is…colleagues that care about making the most of every moment.
It’s clear that the team at the Koala Café know that the little things add up. It shows in the care put into sprucing up plain cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles. It shows in the way employees remember patients’ names. It shows in their clean and neat kitchen. It shows in the way they use their time and energy to make the best of challenges along the way.
This kind of mindset even shows up in ways outside of the walls of the Koala Café. For Kaitlyn, the flexibility of her role has truly allowed her to make the most of every moment. Kaitlyn is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and aspires to continue her education all the way up to her doctorate. Through the benefits and tuition reimbursement offerings of UPMC, Kaitlyn has been able to make the most of her employee experience. She’s even got some great colleagues who are cheering her on every step of the way.
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Life changing is...colleagues that care about you.
Having colleagues that care not only makes coming to work better but creates a sense of camaraderie that allows everyone that encounters a team to be lifted up, too. The team at UPMC Children’s Hospital’s Koala Café are one such team — a team that supports each other, embraces the mission, and makes an impact in big and little ways. Whether they’re serving a milkshake or working behind the scenes, Beatrice, Darius, Kaitlyn, Matt, Tyler, Mike, and Jamie are making UPMC better — one task, one moment, one day at a time.
Life changing is…colleagues that care about making the most of every moment.
It’s clear that the team at the Koala Café know that the little things add up. It shows in the care put into sprucing up plain cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles. It shows in the way employees remember patients’ names. It shows in their clean and neat kitchen. It shows in the way they use their time and energy to make the best of challenges along the way.
This kind of mindset even shows up in ways outside of the walls of the Koala Café. For Kaitlyn, the flexibility of her role has truly allowed her to make the most of every moment. Kaitlyn is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and aspires to continue her education all the way up to her doctorate. Through the benefits and tuition reimbursement offerings of UPMC, Kaitlyn has been able to make the most of her employee experience. She’s even got some great colleagues who are cheering her on every step of the way.
Life changing is... colleagues that care about you.
Having colleagues that care not only makes coming to work better but creates a sense of camaraderie that allows everyone that encounters a team to be lifted up, too. The team at UPMC Children’s Hospital’s Koala Café are one such team— a team that supports each other, embraces the mission, and makes an impact in big and little ways. Whether they’re serving a milkshake or working behind the scenes, Beatrice, Darius, Kaitlyn, Matt, Tyler, Mike, and Jamie are making UPMC better—one task, one moment, one day at a time.
