Employer Profile

Employee questions get answered at this not-for-profit science and engineering organization in McLean, Va. Through a special feature on its intranet called "Closing the Loop," employees' suggestions and questions are fielded by senior managers, and the responses are published on the intranet. Employee opinions are valued, too: Since 1997, the company has conducted a biennial employee survey to better assess employee satisfaction and productivity. A sampling of workplace improvements spurred by survey responses include calculating holiday pay on a prorated basis for part-time workers, holding a series of maternity classes, building a basketball/volleyball court at the main campus and offering shuttle transportation between the nearby Metrorail station and the McLean campus. The company has also simplified procedures for travel arrangements to provide faster reimbursement and launched a companywide campaign to help employees take charge of their career development. Big benefits: Mitre's defined retirement contribution plan has a 99% employee participation rate and provides a level of matching for both the basic level of employee contributions and the optional voluntary contributions. Employees participating in all levels of the plan can contribute up to the maximum amount allowed by law, with Mitre contributing up to approximately 11% of salary. Employees are vested immediately on all contributions. The program also features a phased retirement option, so employees 59 1/2 and older can work a part-time schedule and simultaneously access a portion of their accumulated retirement account balance.