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38 | M R EP O RT EXPERT INSIGHT Keeping a Team Focus in a Challenging Year Kelly Ann Doherty, EVP and Chief People & Communications Officer at Mr. Cooper, speaks with MReport about how to attract, train, and retain talent in a COVID-19 world. K elly Ann Doherty serves as EVP and Chief People and Communications Officer at Mr. Cooper Group. Prior to joining the company in 2016 as the SVP of Corporate Communications, Doherty was VP of Corporate Communications at Elevate, a financial technology firm. She also served as a public relations and affairs consultant for four years and as a strategic commu- nication staffer for a Presidential campaign and within President George W. Bush's administration with a tour at the White House in Presidential Personnel and N.A.S.A. as a political appointee. M // How does Mr. Cooper attract new talent in today's competitive market? DOHERTY // First and foremost, I think our people-first culture is attractive to new talent. Our transparent and inclusive culture is why, based on team member feedback, Mr. Cooper Group is a certified Great Place to Work and has earned the honor as a Top 25 Company to Work for two years in a row from MReport. We've learned that the best way to attract and retain talent is to understand our team members well and know what they're look- ing for. When we think about attract- ing new talent, we want to offer clear paths for career growth which is especially important for new job seekers. Our Home Advisor Team program, which blends customer relations and sales, provides long-term growth and development opportunities for team members coming into this industry with little experi- ence. We're also focused on telling our story to help potential re- cruits better understand who we are as a company. It's important to understand your company's employee value proposition, what sets you a part in the market and be able to clearly articulate that message. M // How has Mr. Cooper addressed the needs of its employees in reaction to COVID-19? DOHERTY // Mr. Cooper responded early and quickly to COVID-19, and in March 2020, we transitioned nearly 97% of our staff to work from home with plans to remain work- ing remotely at least until 2021. I've learned that how we've responded to COVID-19 is very important. Flexibility has become a top priority, and we've had to adapt our training and onboard- ing programs. Transitioning our training to a virtual environment was not an easy task, but we've