Northeast Mississippi Community College Recognized as Honor Roll Institution in the 2023 Great Colleges to Work For Program

NEMCC honored in Job Satisfaction & Support, Professional Development, Mission & Pride, and Faculty & Staff Well-being

by Michael H Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (09/11/2023) — Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) has been selected as one of the 2023 Great Colleges to Work For, receiving a special designation as an Honor Roll institution through an employee engagement survey conducted by ModernThink.

Northeast's recognition comes as a result of the college's exceptional performance across multiple categories in the employee engagement survey conducted by ModernThink, an independent research and consulting firm.

Among the 10 recognition categories, Northeast excelled in four key areas: Job Satisfaction & Support, Professional Development, Mission & Pride, and Faculty & Staff Well-being.

"My goal is to create an environment where our employees feel valued and appreciated every single day," said Northeast President Dr. Ricky G. Ford. "I want them to come to work knowing that their contributions are recognized, and their suggestions are not only heard but also respected. It is through their collective efforts that we continue to grow and excel."

Northeast's Honor Roll distinction signifies that the college was among the top higher education institutions recognized most frequently across these categories, highlighting the college's commitment to creating a unique workplace environment.

This year's recognition marks the first time Northeast has been included in the Honor Roll, representing a significant achievement for the institution.

"Our employees are the heart and soul of our institution. Their passion and energy are what make Northeast truly blessed to have such outstanding individuals as part of our team," Ford said. "Let us continue to celebrate our remarkable employees and nurture their dedication, as they are the driving force behind our success as an institution."

Northeast has a rich history of participation in the Great Colleges to Work For program, having been involved in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023.

In addition to being involved with the program dating back to 2014, Northeast has been recognized as a Great College to Work For in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023.

Northeast was one of only two community colleges and technical two-year schools to receive Honor Roll status in the Southeast region of The Great Colleges to Work For survey area.

"Having Honor Roll status as one of only two community colleges in the entire Southeast Region is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees," Ford said. "We are extremely proud to be recognized as a part of the Great Colleges to Work For Program and to have made it onto the Honor Roll."

Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever, La., joined Northeast out of the Southeast region as being recognized with Honor Roll status.

ModernThink's Southeast Region encompasses 12 different states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Twenty-two schools from the Southeast region were honored on either the four-year or two-year level.

Of the 22 schools, seven were two-year institutions: Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever, La.; Owensboro Community and Technical College in Owensboro, Ky.; Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va.; and Southwest Virginia Community College in Cedar Bluff, Va.; along with three community colleges from Mississippi - Meridian Community College in Meridian, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston and Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.

However, out of the short list of community colleges highlighted in the Southeast region, only Fletcher and Northeast were selected with Honor Roll status.

"This year's Great Colleges to Work for honorees have found ways to manage change better than most, said ModernThink Principal and Managing Partner Richard K. Boyer. "Arguably, one of the keys to successful change management is effective communication, and that is evidenced in the survey item, 'Senior leadership communicates openly about important matters,' a statement in which the Honor Roll institutions outperform the field by 35 percentage points."

ModernThink's Great Colleges to Work For program is one of the country's largest and most respected workplace recognition programs. Now in its sixteenth year, it recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.

During the 2023 Great Colleges to Work For program approximately 200 higher education institutions participated in the initial round of employee surveys with 121 coming from four-year colleges and universities and 73 two-year institutions being selected to participate.

Out of nearly 200 higher education institutions, only 72 were selected as a 2023 Great College to Work For including 50 four-year colleges and universities and just 22 two-year educational facilities.

Even more, just 42 of the original nearly 200 were designated as Honor Roll awardees based on their results in their respective size categories.

Special acknowledgment goes to schools recognized in multiple categories like Northeast's four placements in Job Satisfaction & Support, Professional Development, Mission & Pride, and Faculty & Staff Well-being. Honor Roll recognition goes to the top schools in each 4-year size category and the top schools in each 2-year size category based on the number of times they were honored in the individual recognition areas.

According to ModernThink, the four categories that Northeast was honored in, included:

Job Satisfaction & Support: This recognition category is based on satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources. High degrees of job satisfaction are essential to an engaged workforce.

Professional Development: Support for faculty/staff professional development is critical both in terms of building organizational capacity and supporting individual development needs. This recognition category is based on survey items related to onboarding processes, professional development opportunities, and support for career development.

Mission & Pride: Understanding an institution's mission and how one's job impacts that mission are considered primary drivers to faculty/staff engagement. In addition to mission understanding, this category is based on survey items that provide insight into the level of pride in being associated with the institution and the willingness to recommend the institution as an employer.

Faculty & Staff Well-being: With roots in work/life balance and wellness models, this recognition category is based on the impact of one's employment experience on their well-being (e.g., the opportunity to do meaningful work, the support for work/life balance and the experience of a safe working environment).

--NEMCC--

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