Culture Archives - GREENROOM

Interested in Healthcare PR? Start Here!

Green Room
July 6, 2021

Are you at a deciding point about what’s next after graduation? If so, I encourage you to remain open to opportunity, take risks and try experiences outside of your comfort zone. As a rising college senior with NO IDEA of my future career path, embracing this mentality led me to an internship in healthcare communications at Green Room. Fast forward six years – I am now a Senior Account Supervisor leading multiple projects for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical clients and managing our Intern and Fellowship Programs.

The Green Room Fellowship Program stemmed from a trend our account leads noticed that recent college graduates needed to further develop their foundational skillset and gain more relevant experience before transitioning into a full-time, entry-level position. Fellows work alongside team members to gain hands-on experience that helps set them up for a successful career path in healthcare PR. The program has proven to be such a success that we often look to hire directly from the program if staffing needs allow.

I often reflect on the strong and diverse exposure I had as a newcomer and how these experiences introduced me to and created a passion for healthcare communications. Green Room’s development programs cultivated many of the skills I still leverage in my role as a Senior Account Supervisor. Who knew six years ago that I would be leading corporate strategy, HR/change management and product communications for leading pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies.

The best guidance I can give to someone applying to our programs is this: If you show up with an eagerness to learn and a “can do” spirit, Green Room can provide a growth trajectory to help launch your career and accelerate your professional development.

Fellowship Qualifications

Highly motivated recent college graduates or graduate students
Degree in public relations, communications, marketing or related field
Previous relevant internship/professional experiences
Strong attention to detail
Exceptional writing skills
Growth-focused mindset, independent self-starter who aligns with agency Core Values
Prior healthcare experience is a plus, but not a requirement

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about current fellowship opportunities at Green Room, please reach out to Linda@greenroompr.com or visit https://www.greenroompr.com/careers/.

Work-Life Integration at Green Room

Green Room
October 21, 2020

By: Heather Rose, Senior Vice President, Client Navigation, Green Room Communications

We asked Heather Rose, SVP of Client Navigation, about her approach to work-life integration to flex and thrive in a work-from-home role. Here’s what she had to say!

How long have you worked fully remote? About nine years now—five with Green Room. I’ve worked with NJ- and NYC-based agencies from Connecticut, Toronto and now Maryland in full-time, part-time and consulting roles. I have run the gamut! Green Room’s model empowers me to keep growing my career despite not living in New Jersey where our physical office space is located.

What tools or resources does Green Room offer to promote success in a remote environment? In the normal (pre- and hopefully post-COVID) state, we have team members who are office-based, hybrid (a flex of home and office) and fully remote like me. We’ve always been at the forefront of connectivity—integrating the Slack collaboration platform and Zoom into our daily routines years before the pandemic made them a necessity. For quick things, I’ll Slack someone; it’s analogous to talking over the cubicle. I’m on the phone a lot, too, but have noticed a trend toward more Facetime and Slack video calls. I love that my clients are opting into this, too. It’s been a refreshing shift to have weekly Zoom calls where everyone can see one other; I feel like it’s deepened relationships and allowed for greater strategic spontaneity.

How do you create a break between work and home without a commute or clear end to the workday? Ordinarily my sons’ school routines create the flow for my work hours. Now that COVID-19 has thrown that out the window — especially as my third grader is fully virtual until January (insert screaming face emoji here!) — setting consistent routines and clear communication about schedules is essential. I am fully focused during my workday window, which is generally 9am-3:30pm. Then, I shut my laptop. My clients and teams know I’m still reachable for urgent things later in the day, but I am an advocate for selfcare and family time. It’s important to be able to “turn off” and I am appreciative that Green Room has shaped a culture where that’s encouraged.

The intro mentions “work-life integration.” How is that different from “work-life balance?” I consider work-life balance an old school, push-and-pull phrase. Meaning, you put in your 8+ hours in a chair at the office…and try to keep the “+” under control so you have time for a life outside of work. At Green Room, we prefer the term work-life INTEGRATION. It’s based on a foundational trust that we are all committed to doing the best work for our clients, our agency and ourselves, every day. We meet or beat deadlines, we show up powered on for brainstorms and client conversations. We care, we are accountable and we have high standards. We deliver. And within that space, there is permission to flex into the other areas of our lives even if those things fall during the standard workday. For example, I recently worked at the beach and took a few hours mid-day to be with my family, signing back on in the evening to wrap up. If I need to step away for a doctor’s appointment or school meeting, I shift my schedule and don’t need to take PTO. This is an extraordinary benefit as a working mother; I never have to choose between work and family. I can create time for everything.

What elements of WFH surprised you or would surprise others? That I’m never lonely. I’m talking to clients and teammates all day long during scheduled and spontaneous conversations. Also, that my location hasn’t hindered my ability to lead and nurture strong client and team relationships. It’s all about the effort you put in daily to build connections despite not being face-to-face. None of my colleagues or clients are back in the office yet and some have actually switched to permanently remote, so at this stage, pretty much everyone in my “space” has hit their stride with WFH. But I’m NOT surprised about that because PR pros are nimble!

What is the best advice you have for someone who is making the switch to fully remote? Be present. Set expectations and form agreements with your teams about what your days and interactions will look like, and follow through. Also, prepare to pivot until you find the right flow. Be responsive, too. It can be hard to know if someone is heads-down on a project or not at their desk if they don’t reply promptly to Slacks and emails. If I need to be laser focused on something or step away for a bit, I post in our “In and Out” Slack channel, which is like a work status blackboard across the agency. Also, before COVID, even though I was fully remote, I always made sure to work in some in-person trips to see clients and teams when possible. Despite technology innovations, sometimes nothing beats face-to-face interaction.

Any closing thoughts? We’re going to see more and more people in PR working remotely past COVID. It’s fantastic to work with an agency that’s always recognized that good work can happen anywhere, and it’s exciting to help shape “where we go from here.” I know that Green Room will stay ahead of the curve for our clients and our team members. But one also has to be very self-motivated to thrive in a remote environment. It’s all about what you create for yourself!

We’re Moving! How Our Open Space Fosters Collaboration and Communication

Green Room
March 21, 2018

By Deborah Fowler, Managing Partner, Green Room Communications

As a former TV journalist, open space is like going home. Newsrooms have embraced the open space model for decades, and as Green Room officially moves into our new office space, we join newsrooms, as well as trendsetters like Google and Facebook, with an open space floor plan.

In an open office, there are no walls, barriers or fully enclosed spaces separating team members. In the newsroom, I developed a new way of working. I tapped into new skillsets where I could actually listen as I was thinking about another thought, with one ear to the police scanner while simultaneously writing news copy for the 6 pm broadcast.

We work with many colleagues who loathe the open space model. Personally, I cherish it.

As communicators who are rooted in journalism, Karen and I designed an office environment that fosters informal and frequent communication. It’s what we do best, and our workplace should reflect and build on our strengths.

Open space layouts have been shown to improve communication and collaboration among co-workers. Taking down walls both physically and figuratively fosters spontaneous teamwork and problem solving. I’ve noticed, and research supports, often these types of informal interactions can be incredibly productive. People can generate and bounce ideas off one another without the constraint of a more structured and scheduled meeting.

In the newsroom environment, open office space cultivates camaraderie and teamwork among colleagues simply because constant exchange is welcome and encouraged. Everyone shares, contributes and gives input. People get first-hand and frequent exposure to different work styles and how colleagues approach tasks. Problem solving can be more efficient when it’s informal, and people just work better together when physical barriers are removed. There’s a greater sense of community and less hierarchy.

Yes, open offices can be noisy and sometimes disruptive for more focused tasks like writing, data analysis or conference calls. However, like a newsroom with edit bays and sound booths, we have places employees can go for private conversations.

Our new office design includes several “huddle rooms” where teams can meet privately, take calls or work undisturbed when more focused concentration is required. Flexible work spaces – where people have the option to work in various places around the office – provide options for a change of scenery or to get into a new mindset. And a nearby Starbucks on the building premises is an added perk.

It’s important that employees feel a connection to their space. Studies show open space offices are successful when people have a greater sense of what psychologists call place identity. When they feel their space is truly collaborative and a reflection of themselves, they take greater pride in their workplace. They’re also more engaged and positive about their work. We’re encouraging people to personalize their space with pictures, plants and other things that help them feel more connected to it.

The new space does come with some rules of common courtesy. We encourage colleagues to be mindful of those around them. If someone looks like they’re trying to focus, don’t holler across the room. If a team member is on a call, keep the volume down. And if you’re the one who needs to focus, don’t be afraid to let your neighbors know, or try headphones to drown out background noise.

It turns out communication really is the key to a productive and successful open office. No wonder it works for us!

Come visit us at 1719 Route 10 East, Suite 318, in Parsippany!

Green Room Communications Receives WBENC National Women’s Business Enterprise Certification

Green Room
March 29, 2016

BOONTON, NJ (March 29, 2016) – Green Room Communications, a specialty agency focused on healthcare public relations, creative design and media strategy, is proud to announce that the company has received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). The certification recognizes women-owned businesses that demonstrate entrepreneurial excellence, service and leadership.

The WBENC national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth financial, administrative and organizational review of the business and a site inspection. The certification process is designed to ensure the business is at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier and vendor diversity programs.

“Green Room is honored to receive certification as a women-owned business,” said Karen Qualter Carolonza, Managing Partner, Green Room Communications. “The certification is a wonderful milestone in our company’s history and will allow us to better serve our existing and prospective clients by helping them meet their vendor diversity requirements.”

“It is an honor to receive the WBENC certification and to be recognized in our industry as women business owners and leaders,” said Deborah Nettune Sittig, Managing Partner, Green Room Communications. “This award not only recognizes the contributions women make in terms of building businesses and supporting commerce across the country, but also acknowledges the important role women play in sustaining a diverse workforce.”

With a diverse client base in pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology industries, Green Room creates and supports career growth opportunities for women in communications in STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering and math. Its unique, non-hierarchical skill-based agency model ensures support for changing client needs and provides a competitive business edge. The company fosters career opportunities for women through a strong communications internship program.

In 2014, Carolonza and Sittig were selected among the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of New Jersey (LWE).

About WBENC

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for the more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on WBENC’s certification as an integral part of their supplier diversity programs.

About Green Room Communications

Green Room takes traditional communications in a new direction. Our five divisions – Green Room Public Relations, Green Room Solutions, Bridges Advocacy, Green Room Creative and our dedicated team of media specialists at Q Communications – cover the complete span of communications needs. We are passionate about our work. From public relations and social media strategy through stakeholder engagement and creative design, Green Room’s new school approach puts clients’ programs in a class of their own. Our philosophy is simple. We build nimble teams with the specific skills and chemistry to match the individual needs of our clients, and deliver smart, efficient solutions to drive business and produce results that exceed expectations.

Media Contact:
Candace Disler
Green Room Communications
candace@greenroompr.com
973-263-8585 x228

Category: Culture