Best Places to Work 2007: Ozarks Technical Community College

Communication and a family atmosphere are key to Ozarks Technical Community College’s success as an employer, school officials say.

“People do look out for each other and they know about each other, so I think it gives us a family atmosphere,” said President Hal Higdon.

Higdon addresses all employees at in-service meetings held twice a year. He also communicates regularly with employees via e-mail. “Dr. Higdon is very open about meetings that are held, like cabinet meetings with all the vice presidents. We get the minutes from every meeting that’s held on campus e-mailed to us,” said Alice Ramey, director of human resources. On a lighter note, there are employee picnics, a newsletter and monthly birthday parties in Higdon’s office, according to Ramey.

A popular new benefit was added at OTC this fall. The college now has its own health clinic on campus that full-time employees and their dependents can use for free.

In addition to the clinic, OTC pays 100 percent of health, dental and life insurance for employees.

Employees earn 10 days of vacation the first year of employment with the opportunity to earn up to 20 days, and sick leave is generous with 14 hours a month allotted to each employee.

Flextime and telecommuting opportunities are available at each department’s discretion.

Employees are also given the opportunity to save for retirement with a 403(b) plan for their own contributions and a retirement plan from OTC that automatically deducts contributions from paychecks and matches them by 12 percent for teachers and 6 percent for other employees.

The average annual salary increase is 4 percent to 6 percent, and it is the same for all employees on campus.

“In the history of the college – we’re 16 years old – employees have never gone without some type of percentage increase,” Ramey said. “Our administrators feel very strongly about taking care of employees.”

Education is also encouraged for OTC employees. Each full-time employee is allowed 12 credit hours of tuition-free classes per semester, and those can be used by spouses or dependent children.

After one year of employment, employees can receive some tuition reimbursement for pursuing higher education. According to Ramey, about 30 percent to 49 percent of employees take advantage of the program.

“They tell me I’m the poster child for OTC,” she said. “I started my education late in life at OTC. I worked my way up in human resources from work-study to clerical to director.”

According to Higdon, 75 percent of upper-level positions are promoted from within, and there are employees who have been with OTC since its inception.

“We try to listen to them,” Higdon said. “That seems to make them happiest.”

Ozarks Technical Community College

Founded: 1990

Address: 1001 E. Chestnut Expressway, Springfield, MO 65802

Phone: (417) 447-7500

Web: www.otc.edu

Employees: 1,289

Services: Higher-learning institution