NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma is the best place for women to work in the United States, according to Forbes.
OU earned the top spot on the magazine’s annual list of Best Employers for Women, which recognizes 400 employers with more than 1,000 employees.
“Being recognized as the nation’s top employer for women is an extraordinary honor,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “Not only is the University of Oklahoma a great place to learn, it’s also an incredible place for individuals to invest in and advance their careers. This achievement strengthens our commitment to foster a workplace that provides employees a diverse range of support and resources, empowering them to flourish and succeed.”
In recent years, OU has enhanced numerous employee benefits that support work-life balance. The university has expanded the number of paid holidays to 14 and embraced flexible work schedules, in addition to offering generous paid time off. OU has also implemented a paid parental leave program, which allows employees to take leave anytime in the first 12 months following a birth or adoption.
Other female-friendly programs in place at OU include numerous lactation rooms, women-centric health programs and on-site mammograms. On all three of its campuses, OU has been named a Certified Healthy Oklahoma Campus since 2014 and Business since 2017. Financial planning workshops for women employees are also a strong focus at the university.
“At OU, we pride ourselves on being a place where women can both thrive and feel empowered,” said Dorothy Anderson, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer. “This recognition validates our commitment to making all employees, including women, feel supported, heard and valued.”
The acknowledgment from Forbes is measured through an independent survey of more than 60,000 American employees, including 40,000 women, across 24 industry sectors. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who evaluated their employer based on work-related topics, including working conditions, salary and employer diversity.
Additionally, participants evaluated their employer based on topics relevant to women, including parental leave, family support, flexibility, discrimination, representation and pay equity. Survey participants were also prompted to evaluate other employers in their respective industries, and the number of women in leadership positions also factored into the rankings.
To compile the rankings, Forbes partnered with Statista, an online statistics provider, to conduct the voluntary survey.
The complete America’s Best Employers for Women 2023 list is available on the Forbes website.
To learn more about careers at the University of Oklahoma and to view current job openings, visit jobs.ou.edu.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information visit ou.edu.
