Outstanding customer service, dedication to doing things the right way and a talent for reimagining daily processes to be more efficient and valuable are just a few of the qualities that earned Human Resources Partner April Beretta the City of Lenexa’s Employee of the Year award.

“April lives the City’s mission, vision and values daily,” one nomination said. “She models the leadership skills and abilities we want all our leaders to have. She displays unimpeachable ethics in all her interactions with staff. She is never satisfied with the status quo and is always pushing herself and her teammates to work smarter, better and more efficiently.”

We asked April to share more about her work for the City and what she’s most enjoyed about her career in public service.

How would you describe your job? 

As a human resources partner, my responsibilities cover talent development, performance management and enhancing the employee experience. The initiatives that I am currently focusing on are onboarding, engagement, retention and development of training for employees and managers that will support them throughout their entire career journey from hire to retire.

How has your job changed since you started working here in 2015?

We’ve hired more than 200 new employees since the Rec Center opened in 2017. The growth and impact on our HR services drove us to streamline our processes to be more efficient in our day-to-day duties. I have had the opportunity to support recruiting, then work as the City’s recruiter, and now work on training and development initiatives. 

What energizes you at work?

Continuous learning, finding innovative solutions with the chance to make an impact on others and working with great people! Being able to contribute to a collaborative team. 

What do you find most rewarding about your role? 

Researching and implementing new tools, technology and processes to help employees achieve their goals and knowing that I may have a little part in delivering and developing new training to help employees continue to learn, grow and develop is very rewarding.

What’s been one of your proudest moments on the job?

I have to be honest — being nominated for Employee of the Year is a huge honor! We take this nomination very seriously here. There are so many other great employees that are deserving of this recognition. It is a moment I will never forget. 

I am proud of the technology initiatives I have been able to implement here at the City. I have had the opportunity to implement a new applicant tracking system for the HR team and hiring managers to use for the candidate screening and selection process. I have had the opportunity to implement a new performance management system which allows employees and managers to connect and discuss their well-being and work performance. 

What is your favorite thing about working for the City of Lenexa?

The employees and my coworkers on the HR team! Everyone is collaborative, innovative, supportive and fun to work with. I know this may sound a little cliché coming from someone in HR, but this is the main reason I enjoy coming to work each and every day. 

What’s your favorite employee event, and why? 

I truly enjoy the Employee Appreciation Luncheon that the Human Resources team hosts. It is a way for all employees to come together, have lunch, support each other and recognize people for core values and all their hard work. 

Why would you encourage someone to work for Lenexa?

Working here has been a game changer for me in my HR career. Everyone I work with is so kind and supportive and willing to help you with anything you need. If you like to see how your work impacts the community, the City of Lenexa is the place to be. We are fortunate to have excellent equipment, tools and a supportive Governing Body and management team that trust us to do our jobs.