#PGProfiles: Making way for a confident and collected approach

Welcome back to our PG Profile series, where we feature an outstanding climber (our word for employee) who has made a big impact on our community! We’re pleased to have Employee Relationship Specialist Remy Houttekier this month, who opens up about her career, and her life outside of work as well. Remy was also recently recognized with a peer to peer award last quarter! Congrats, Remy! Without further ado, let’s get to know more about what makes Remy a special part of PG.

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I grew up locally (to our Troy headquarters) — graduated from Andover High School. I love to fish and hike and be outdoors. I like to cook, thrift, and watch my favorite soccer team, Aston Villa. I am getting back into reading and most of all love spending time with my friends,  girlfriend, and family, especially my nieces.  

How long have you worked at PG and what has kept you here? 

Six years. My first day was January 13, 2020. What has kept me here is absolutely the community and my team. The community within PG is like none other in the best way possible and my team keeps me motivated to grow and learn every day. I also love what I do. I want my work to make a positive impact, and I truly feel like I am helping others in my role.  

Tell us about your PG career journey so far.

I started off in the foreign national talent management department before transitioning to house payroll.   

What was the job where you earned your first paycheck? 

Coaching soccer! I loved coaching soccer and did so for eight years!  

Share three highlights or challenges you've experienced in your career while at PG.  

1. The first month that I took over my accounts as part of our foreign national team was March 2020. I had no idea what was in store for me. Soon we were working at home and I was trying to answer questions from contractors stuck in their home country with no immediate answers. It was a scary and challenging time but it made me resilient and knowledgeable by throwing me in the deep end right away.

2. Another challenge faced was moving from the foreign national talent management team to our in-house payroll team, taking on the General Motors account. General Motors has a long history with PG and we pride ourselves on our curated relationships with GM. Trying to hit the ground running while obtaining contractor history and previous escalations was challenging but primed me to feel confident to take on the next tier in my role.  

3. A highlight of being at Populus Group has been the friendships I’ve made since starting here. Although there have been many work highlights, the friendships I have made here had to be mentioned as a testament to the amazing community PG has. 

How do you stay connected with your team, especially in a remote or hybrid work environment? 

I am a big phone person. I think picking up the phone and calling instead of  Teams-ing or emailing  gives more of a personal touch to work-related calls. I also think that sharing about yourself helps others open up and do the same.  I am also the first to crack a joke. Seriousness is important, but I believe adding lightness can take a weight off a difficult situation and make way for a confident and collected approach.  

How do you like to unwind after a busy day? 

I love to cook! I enjoy making myself a good meal, playing a record and reading. Also, if the Michigan weather behaves, a good walk outside. 

What is your favorite summertime activity? 

I have gotten really into fishing this summer with my dad. I also am looking forward to camping this year. But my favorite activity that I have not been able to do in a few years is going up to the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for a long weekend.  

If someone was making a movie about your life, which actor would play you? 

I have been mistaken as the comedian Rachel Scanlon before, so I’ll roll with that.  

If you were to host a podcast, what would it be about and why? 

If I had a podcast I would probably make it about being a former athlete — what comes next in life, finding new identity and how we can take the lessons learned from sports to use in the real world. If I was to be a guest on a podcast, I would love to be on the Handsome pod. 

Congrats again, Remy! Leave a comment below to connect with her, and thank her for sharing her story.