MCCC Named a "Great College to Work For"

The unemployment rate stayed steady at 9.1 percent in July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But while one might think employers don’t need to do much to attract employees, much less keep them, one Montgomery County employer is being recognized as a great place to work. was one of 26 two-year institutions in the country to by recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For.”

“It’s easier to be a great workplace during good times, but it’s when times are tough that the commitment to workplace quality really gets tested,” Richard K. Boyer, principal and managing partner of ModernThink, which partners with the Chronicle in the “Great Colleges to Work For” program, said in an MCCC press release. “Those institutions that measure up during times of economic hardship reinforce their already strong cultures and put even more distance between them and their peer institutions for whom they compete for talent.”

“[Making employees happy] is most definitely a direct goal of the college’s,” said Diane O’Connor, MCCC executive director of human resources in an e-mail interview. “We strive to offer our employees the tools, professional development opportunities and organizational climate to support employee excellence and satisfaction. Our goal is to create and develop a high-performing culture in recognizing that student success depends on our employees having a supportive work environment.”

Montgomery County Community College employs 1,030 people full time and 700 part time.

O’Connor cited more than a dozen reasons that MCCC is such a great place to work, among them: a modified work week during the summer, generous vacation time, generous benefits and compensation – something the Chronicle specifically highlighted in its evaluation, onsite child care at a discounted rate, free admission to a host of cultural events and social events, tuition waiver for employees and their families, and ongoing health and wellness initiatives.

In addition, employees and their achievements are recognized and celebrated frequently, not least being the Mustang Award, given to employees in any job classification who go above and beyond their job requirements, O’Connor said. “The employee is not aware of being nominated for this award.”

The commitment to the supportive work environment begins before an employee is even hired, O’Connor said. “We encourage inclusiveness in our hiring practices and our advertising sources. Inclusiveness is also seen in terms of strong antidiscrimination policies.”

The staff is also empowered by being included in the college'strategic planning and goals and mission reviews, O’Connor said.  “A blog site and focus groups are established so all can participate and be heard.”

The Chronicle is a source of news, information and jobs for college and university faculty members and administrators, published online every weekday.

ModernThink is a workplace research and consultant group and has supported other “Best Place to Work” initiatives, including city, state and regional Best Place to Work lists and the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 program.