Rice makes

Rice makes ‘best places to work’ list

BY B.J. ALMOND
Rice News staff

The Houston Business Journal (HBJ) has selected Rice University as one of “Houston’s Best Places to Work.”

In its first year to participate in HBJ’s survey, Rice ranked among the top 12 businesses with more than 500 employees.

The winning institutions were determined by responses of employees who took the initiative to fill out an online survey measuring 40 attributes associated with employee satisfaction and involvement with the workplace. Participating institutions were considered for the rankings only if the percentage of their employees who took the survey was high enough to represent a statistically valid sample based on the size of their workforce.

TOMMY LAVERGNE

University representatives attended an Oct. 12 luncheon where the Houston Business Journal named Rice University one of “Houston’s Best Places to Work.” Rice ranked among the top 12 businesses with more than 500 employees.

More than 160 companies participated this year in four categories (10-100 employees, 101-500 employees, 501+ employees, and companies not based in Houston but with a significant presence here). Each company received an overall score depending on the strength of the survey responses. The institutions with the highest scores in each of the four categories were designated as the best places to work.

Rice ranked 11th among the largest employers in Houston and scored 83.12 out of 100 — just seven points behind No. 1-ranked Administaff in the same category.

“The rich fabric of Rice University is woven from the people that make it great — our students, our faculty, our staff, our alumni and our friends,” said President David Leebron. “I am delighted that through this award, we can highlight the extraordinary contribution that our staff and faculty make to our university. Their commitment, and their daily dedication to our students and our research mission, are the foundation of all our efforts.”

HBJ presented the award to Eusebio Franco, director of custodial and grounds, and Mary Cronin, associate vice president for human resources, before a table of cheering Rice employees at an Oct. 12 luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel–Downtown.

“It still surprises people that Rice, as well as being a premier research university, is also an employer of almost 3,000 people,” Cronin said. “This award will help us recruit the very best employees for the very best employer. We are so proud of this recognition in the first year we threw our cap into the ring — it belongs to every one of us who strives to make us all that we can be.”

HBJ shared comments made anonymously by Rice employees who completed the survey, including:

• “I’ve been very happy since coming to Rice University. I feel strongly that the work environment, management and co-workers are far superior to conditions I had at other similar jobs. I also find the ambience of the institution to be a good match.”

• “Rice offers many ways to get involved outside of your job description, such as involvement in residential student activities (colleges), regular department lunches to meet people and collaborate, and meetings to inform us on the direction of the university. I am very impressed with how much the university does for their employees.”

• “Relationships among all of the employees at Rice — faculty and staff, Nobel Prize winners and new hires — are very good. We all respect each other and each other’s contributions to making this a great place to work.”

• “I would have never thought that I would have stayed longer than a couple of years. Now going on 20, I have found Rice (people, beauty, commitment, way of life) grows on you in such a positive way. The small contribution we make in kids’ lives is remembered throughout, and that in itself is very rewarding, whatever your contribution.”

• “Rice provides many amenities to make life easier and therefore allowing me to work when I am at work. Rice has restaurants, a work-out facility, a police department and a post office.”

• “The immediate supervisors of this team are open, encouraging, and inclusive regarding our day-to-day long-term goals. They applaud quality work and efforts while also being forthright about areas we can improve. This motivates me toward higher work standards and loyalty.”

• “Through my 31 years at Rice, I cannot remember one day that I did not enjoy coming to and being at work.”

Employee relations coordinator Scott Helsinger, who helped spread the word to Rice employees that they could participate in the HBJ survey, noted that the complete list of Houston’s Best Places to Work is published in the Oct. 13-19 HBJ.