As Maxwell’s HR Coordinator, Ysabel Flanders loves her new role and has immersed herself in the Maxwell Roofing world, taking on all kinds of projects. Originally from Southern Idaho, Ysabel spent years balancing school with jobs in customer service, management, operations, coffee shops, and even a bodybuilding gym.
Along the way, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and recently earned a Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, specializing in work psychology and organizational change and development.
That background might seem like an unexpected path to roofing, but for Ysabel, the connection makes perfect sense when it comes to the world of HR and providing support and structure for other roles.
“I was looking for an opportunity to put my educational background into practice and gain experience in an industry that would fit my passion for helping others and improving the workplace in a meaningful and permanent way,” she says.
Eight months later, she’s already found plenty of ways to put that experience to work.
Where People and Process Meet
As Maxwell’s HR Coordinator, Ysabel’s days rarely look the same. Her responsibilities range from payroll, onboarding development and execution, PTO tracking, compliance documentation, and policy support to technology research, job description development, fleet management reporting, and overseeing the BNA badging process for employees (alongside Michael Cox).
She also supports marketing efforts and plans company events, including employee luncheons, celebrations, and holiday parties.
“I love that there is both a blueprint of strict guidelines to follow as well as room for creative freedom within HR,” Ysabel says. “There are laws and compliance requirements that are non-negotiable, but Maxwell also allows me to brainstorm ideas on how I can improve procedures or make employees feel appreciated.”
That balance of structure and creativity is one of the things she enjoys most about her role.
Finding Her Place in Maxwell’s Purpose-Driven Culture
For Ysabel, the best part of Maxwell is a mix of a few things: The freedom to conduct independent research on projects or unexplored areas the company wants to dive deeper into, and of course, the people.
“What I love the most about working at Maxwell Roofing is the people, and the intentionality behind how everyone works together,” she says.
She appreciates that her coworkers respect each other’s time and responsibilities. When a project requires independent work, she has the space to focus. When collaboration is needed, people step in and pitch in together.
“It’s a very ‘let me know what you need’ kind of environment,” she says.
That willingness to help has made a strong impression throughout her first year. Ysabel says she has seen firsthand how leadership responds with support and how people work to understand the root of an issue rather than simply addressing the symptoms.
If she had to describe Maxwell in a couple of words, she would call it purpose-driven.
“Every decision that’s made is treated with intentional and deep thought,” she says. “I’ve noticed that mentality has influenced how people are treated here, and it shows in a positive way.”
One of Ysabel’s favorite projects so far has been planning Maxwell’s summer kickoff party. The event took months of preparation, and she loved the details that went into creating a fun experience for the company’s field employees.
For her, it wasn’t just about planning an event. It was about creating an opportunity for employees to feel celebrated and appreciated.
Now she’s looking forward to doing it all again for the Christmas party later this year.
A Life Full of Creative Projects
Outside of work, Ysabel stays busy with plenty of her own projects. She writes and records music, plays guitar and piano, paints landscapes, and is currently writing her first historical fiction novel.
She also enjoys horseback riding, fishing, baking, and going to the range. When she’s not working on something creative or getting outside, you’ll probably find her gaming or spending time with Theo, her Chow Chow who, in her words, “literally looks like a real-life Pokémon.”
For someone who enjoys solving puzzles, learning new things, and creating something from scratch, it sounds like Ysabel has found a great place to do all three.
We’re so glad she found her way to Maxwell Roofing.