Blog

Navigating the journey of dyslexia has its hills and valleys. Jessica Stillman Lloyd, proposal analyst on Pearson’s Clinical Assessment team, celebrates the wins with her son, Mitch, who has dyslexia.
 

Read more

Renaissance Man

Jeremy, the newest addition to our Canadian Customer Experience team, began his career at Pearson completely by chance. After taking a leap of faith and following a former coworker’s advice to apply, he landed in Customer Care and found his “calling”. We sat down with Jeremy to learn more about his personal views on what each customer’s experience should be, how he brings that vision to life, and what brings him joy in his free time.

Came to Pearson by chance

Initially, it was completely by chance. My supervisor at my previous full-time call centre job was hired at Pearson. He was excited about his new role and what Pearson stood for, so I decided to take a leap of faith. I applied for a temporary position in Customer Service within the K–12 group and was hired on the spot! I felt strongly that I’d found something special. I believed in the value of what we had to offer our customers and was confident that I could help make a difference in efficiency. After a month, I knew it was a good fit for me. I’m able to use a creative element of my personality that most customer care teams may not provide the possibility for; traits that help the business and our customers grow.

I joined the K–12 team in 2016 as a temporary employee and was later integrated into the Clinical Customer Support team as a full-time employee. I was with Pearson until 2020 and was delighted to be contacted about rejoining the team in 2021. I was excited to have the ability to use my customer-focused approach, my knowledge of the products, and my technical support abilities to give each person the best possible experience.

Setting Pearson's Customer support apart

When a customer wants product info or has a question or concern, I try to go one or two steps beyond what they’ve asked for. I want to be the last point of contact that acts on getting their request or issue handled.

Here’s a specific story: I had a customer who had a Q-interactive account and needed all their licenses to start on the same day.  The customer required assistance and had been communicating with a few different departments before they got to me. My initial message to them was, “Don’t worry, I’ve GOT this. Here’s our plan as to how I’m going to resolve this. Please know I will see this through!” I think it’s important to validate customers’ feelings about their experience and let them know you’re going to get any issues resolved.

Defining Success

What does success look like for you?

To me, success in my role looks like customer gratitude; if they’re happy to know I’m handling their call, I feel successful. I ask myself “Did I provide everything the customer needed? Did I offer everything I could?” I love it when I can share information that is helpful to them, especially when they’re clear on what was conveyed.

What have you learned through this role/experience so far?

I’ve learned that not everything is simple, but when things seem complicated initially, taking it one step at a time will lead to success (or in this case, a happy customer).

Is there something that you’d say to all customers if given the opportunity?

Don’t let an issue overwhelm you; it's not as complicated as it seems. We are here to help.

What can you tell us about your life outside of Pearson?

I'm from Hemphill, a small town in east Texas. My brother and I were basically raised by my paternal grandparents who instilled wisdom and guidance in us as if we were their own. In high school, I worked at a local grocery store in most any position I could get my hands on. It was there I learned that I don't sit still for too long as I get curious and seek to try and learn everything at least once. I have maintained that same ambition with every job I've ever taken on. I currently live in San Antonio and love it here—with wonderful lifelong friends, including my partner who is just as ambitious as I am when it comes to our passions.

What do you like doing in your free time?

I spend a lot of time with my family, my partner, my friends, and my four cats — three of whom are rescues. I go to at least one Renaissance festival every year and make my own costumes. I even crafted a wizard staff out of a curtain rod, a leather strap, a candle holder, a quartz ball, and an LED light! I’m a BIG video gamer when I’m not out gardening or enjoying all the different foods this world has to offer.

Quotes from Jeremy:

“Each customer’s experience should be an enjoyable one. I always want my customers to feel familiar with me; like they’re calling a friend to see how they’re doing.”

 

Read more

How many times have you gotten into your car after a particularly challenging day, turned on the radio, and suddenly felt your mood improving? Believe it or not, there’s actual science behind this phenomenon. Music’s rhythm and repetition engage the neocortex of your brain, and research supports the use of music therapy for various mental health conditions, including depression, trauma, and anxiety. Creating a “rainy-day” playlist can be a lot of fun and might just save the day tomorrow! Here are a few of our favorites...

Five foot-tapping fan favorites

1. I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff — This transcendent, joy-inspiring song perfectly encapsulates the jubilance that comes from a bad day that’s suddenly turned itself around. Look straight ahead; there’s nothing but blue skies!
2. I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown — From the iconic “Whoa!” that sets the tone for James’ buoyant lyrics, this ultimate “feel good” song will have you singing along in no time (and you knew that it would now).
3. Happy by Pharrell Williams — Seems as if Pharrell knows a thing or two about turning lemons into lemonade when he sings, “Well give me all you’ve got, don't hold back. Well, I should probably warn you — I'll be just fine.” Clap along if you know what happiness is to you!
4. Young Folks by Peter Bjorn and John — Sometimes we just need to feel accepted, imperfections and all. Young Folks tells the tale of two friends who turn a blind eye to one another’s pasts and choose to live in the moment. If the whistling doesn’t turn your frown upside down, the message certainly will!
5. What a Feeling by Irene Cara — If you grew up in the 80’s, three things are true: You used waaaaay too much hairspray (yes... you did), you got up early every Saturday to watch cartoons, and you kicked and stomped your way through this song like a champ. Your hairstyle may have (drastically) changed and cartoons are now available on-demand, but this song will ALWAYS inspire you to dance right through your life.

We hope we’ve inspired you to create your own rainy-day playlist! If you enjoyed our list of up-beats for down days, check out Five easy-to-implement habits for improving your mental health at work.

 

Read more

You may be feeling the added pressure at work these days, and most days it probably feels like everyone wants some of your time. Here are a few easy tips for maintaining your positive attitude and protecting your headspace in your professional life. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

 

1. Set manageable boundaries. Blocking your calendar for lunch or focus time and not responding to emails after hours are great ways to protect your “downtime”. Last-minute meetings, impossible deadlines, and covering staffing shortages are all common occurrences in today’s world but reducing as many of them as you can and setting clear boundaries for your valuable time can help give you some sense of control over your day.
2. Take regular “brain breaks”. While our smartphones are often dubbed “tools of mass distraction”, they can be an invaluable means of temporary escape. Taking short, regular breaks can help reset your brain, increasing your overall productivity. Download a few quick games that interest you or keep a light read loaded on an e-reader app and allow yourself a few minutes to decompress when the opportunity strikes.
3. Tackle one thing at a time. If your to-do list should be relabeled as a “must-do-NOW" list, remember that the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Prioritizing your tasks, writing them down, and crossing them off in order of importance can give you some sense of control over your day and keep you focused.
4. Help your neighbor. While this advice may seem counterintuitive to #1, taking some time to voluntarily help a coworker — instead of being “voluntold” to do so — feels good! If you see someone struggling under the weight of their obligations, ask if there’s anything you can do to help them. Even if you simply shine a little light on a task that seems overwhelming to them, the resulting sense of community will brighten the day for both of you!
5. Keep your visual spaces clear. Much like the chair full of clean laundry mocking us from the corner of our bedroom, we’ve all got “that pile” of paperwork on our desk that’s begging to be dealt with. Just looking at it probably makes you stressed! Schedule 15 to 30 minutes every day to tackle that pesky pile, and (if possible) keep it out of sight.

If you find these tips to be helpful, check out our previous Five tips for improving your mental health post!  

Read more

After decades of battling the stigma associated with mental health and anxiety, we are finally seeing a change in the tide. Every day, more people than ever are seeking help and support for these concerns, and those who once suffered in silence are finding their voice and advocating for themselves and their loved ones. Many others are experiencing “situational anxiety” due to increased stressors at home and work. It can be difficult to eliminate these stressors completely, but there are some ways to reduce their effects, beginning with our daily habits. Here are five tried-and-true daily habits that can help.

1. Prioritize sleep. An agile, resilient mind needs its rest. Creating a bedtime ritual (e.g., turn off devices, have a cup of herbal tea, journal, and read a book) can help you “power down” and relax before your head ever hits the pillow. Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep — you might need slightly more or less than eight hours — but ensuring you’re getting enough sleep helps your brain “reset” and prepare for a new day.
2. Stay active. An exercise routine you can stick to will not only help maintain your physical health, it will also prompt your body to increase endorphins, your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters.
3. Stand up. If you work at a desk, get up and move as often as you can. If you’re already on your feet, a quick walk is a great way to take a brain break, even if it’s to the parking lot and back. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to gain a fresh perspective!
4. Write it down. Journaling is a great way to process the events of your day. Find one with some inspirational quotes and prompts to help you get started and keep it on your nightstand and at the ready! Getting your thoughts and feelings out on paper helps to purge the negative and reinforce the positive.
5. Listen to music. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), music’s rhythmic and repetitive aspects engage the neocortex of your brain, calming you and reducing impulsivity. Lyrics can also affect your mood, so choosing familiar songs with a positive angle can help propel you to a more positive frame of mind. Create a positive mindset playlist and press “Play” whenever you need to change your perspective. Singing along is optional, but definitely adds to the fun!

We hope this list helps you find and maintain your positive headspace. If you find yourself in need of mental health support, please contact a provider in your area. We wish you all the best!

Read more

Our entire Pearson Assessment team upholds a commitment to ensuring our portfolio of assessments is aligned with the needs of our customers. To that end, we are happy to announce that Pearson and Multi-Health Systems, Inc. (MHS) have entered into an agreement to transfer ownership and distribution of a few select products. 

Effective immediately, MHS will transfer ownership of their “Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale” (PANSS) and “Profile of Mood States” (POMS) products to Pearson. In exchange, Pearson will transfer ownership to MHS of the Stanford Achievement Test, 10th Edition (SAT10), Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, 8th Edition (OLSAT-8) and Aprenda® La Prueba de Logros en Español Tercera edición (APR3). Pearson will continue to distribute and provide customer support for these products.

This partnership ensures the continuity of support for these measures and paves the way for future enhancements while enabling us to continue building a well-rounded family of assessments. We are grateful for the trust you place in us to provide the relevant products and support you rely on as you help those in your care achieve their goals.
 

Read more