NO. 1 LARGE COMPANY
FIRST-TIME WINNER
SPECIAL AWARD: Best at Encouraging New Ideas
Jeffery Hayward, Fannie Mae’s executive vice president, says the importance of home has never been more urgent or meaningful. And that has given his troops a sense of urgency.
“By our charter and by our choice, Fannie Mae’s mission is to provide stability and funding to the housing and mortgage market in good times and tough times,” Hayward said. "This year is one of those tough times.
“I’m proud that our team has stepped up to help. We’re putting people first, leaning into housing challenges and providing sustainable housing options to help homeowners and apartment residents until they can get back on their feet.”
Fannie Mae’s 1,378 D-FW workers helped propel this Washington, D.C.-based, publicly traded mortgage lending company into the No. 1 spot among our largest companies in its first outing.
And comments from its employees clearly show their pride.
“Fannie Mae truly cares about their employees and has shown that in many ways through the COVID crisis,” one employee said. “We have all banded together to make the most of this situation.”
The survey statement that got the highest marks from its troops was: I would highly recommend working at this company to others.
So what do employees love about their jobs?
“Where to start?” answered one employee. “My manager is supportive. I’m pushed to expand my knowledge and thrive in my career. It’s constantly challenging. My co-workers are open, knowledgeable and wonderful. And they actually encourage work/life balance in a real and meaningful way.”
“I have not worked with such a talented and dedicated group since leaving the Marine Corps in 1992,” another worker said. “Beyond the people, the compensation is competitive and the benefits are excellent. The perks, like work from home and the office environment and equipment, are also excellent. I’ll retire from here if possible.”
“I work with talented and caring people,” said a Fannie Mae loyalist. “Fannie Mae serves crucial roles in our national economy, including allowing millions of people to achieve homeownership.”
Plano-based employees support the North Texas Food Bank’s peanut butter drive, which collected over 3 tons of the shelf-stable protein in 2019. They also work with a Collin County shelter to fulfill holiday wishes for 24 families.
Throughout the year, Fannie Mae allocates 10 hours a month to encourage individuals and teams to create and participate in volunteer events that range from sorting and stocking at food pantries to skills-based projects such as mentoring students and teaching financial literacy.
“We partner with multiple nonprofit organizations through Fannie Mae’s paid volunteer work, and Fannie Mae matched donations,” one employee said. “When my daughter was in elementary school, I was even allowed monthly paid time to volunteer as a parent watchdog for her school.”
Fannie Mae also won this year’s special award for being the Best at Encouraging New Ideas.
How are new ideas nurtured?
“From the top down we are told, ‘If you see something, say something,’ ” one employee said.
“We utilize lean management to bubble up ideas from associates, and those ideas are strongly encouraged,” another worker said. “People feel empowered to bring up ideas and find their own solutions.”
“I can ask questions, give opinions and am not judged about either,” said another.
During the pandemic, Fannie Mae filled openings and trained new hires through remote technology.
“We honored our summer internship program by making it a virtual experience,” Hayward said. “Our technology for remote work has proven excellent, and we expect to continue to offer flexible opportunities for our employees.”
2020 was also the year of the racial reckoning, when many companies turned introspective about their policies.
“We are fortunate to work for a company with a social mission rooted in fair and equal opportunity, respect, diversity and inclusion,” Hayward said. “And we remain diligent in finding ways to make sure we are leading with those principles and creating an environment where our employees are better able to feel safe and heard.”
