Helping Through Good Times and Bad
Monique Roland, who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary at Texas Health, helps employees at some of the happiest and saddest times of their lives. As manager of Integrated Disability Management, Monique says she’s doing her life’s best work by helping employees who need to take a leave of absence, whether to have a baby, recover from an injury or care for a terminally ill family member. “Whatever the situation, we get to provide a little peace and comfort,” she said.
Carla Dawson, chief people officer, said Monique’s dedication has made a big difference for employees needing to go leave.
“Applying for a leave of absence can be confusing and especially onerous for someone already dealing with a life-changing situation,” Carla said. “Monique is always working on ways to make the process easier for our employees.”
What did you want to be when you were a kid, and how did you decide on your current career?
When other kids wanted to be teachers and nurses, I wanted to be Diana Ross. Other than that, I wanted to be a sports reporter. I got my first job in a hospital the summer after I graduated high school and loved the atmosphere. Once my family and I moved to Tyler, Texas, I was fortunate to be able to continue working in health care. I never saw myself in management, but I’ve always taken the lead on things. I’ve had great leaders who saw that in me and help me move into my current role.
What’s a typical workday like?
I’m an early riser and I live in Balch Springs, so driving in early works best for me and I’m often at my desk by 7 a.m. There’s always an email to answer, leaves to approve or reports to run. My day is filled with a variety of tasks, from updating claims in the workers comp portal, putting together a monthly report, or doing a presentation at one of the entities to help managers better understand the laws surrounding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). No day is ever the same for me.
What new and different things are you doing to improve efficiency?
We are always working with the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) team to update the leave portal so employees have more information on the front end of their leave.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I love to read. Danielle Steele is my favorite author, but I also like reading autobiographies of former first ladies. During football season, I make homecoming mums. Both of my kids graduated from Mesquite High School, and I became known as the “mum mom.”
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I am shamelessly an obnoxious football fan. I’m that fan who yells at the TV, trash talks your team and dances around when my team scores. I love the New Orleans Saints and Louisiana State University, so Saturdays and Sundays at my house during football season are quite exciting.
By Robin P. Loveman • Posted February 25, 2020
