SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico State Land Office has won the Woman-Led Organizations Award as part of the October 2023 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence national awards presented by human resources and technology research company Energage. The Woman-Led Organizations Award recognizes outstanding organizations whose most senior leader is a woman who has fostered a stand-out workplace culture that performs. The State Land Office qualified for the award earlier this year when it was named the #1 Midsize Employer by the Albuquerque Journal as part of Energage’s annual Top Workplaces Awards.
“The State Land Office is fortunate to have so many strong women in positions crucial to the success of the agency,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard. “Since taking office, I’ve prioritized creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for employees, and that includes elevating women leaders to the important roles they deserve based on their experience and skill. These amazing women are a big part of why we’ve been able to break revenue records and blaze new trails on behalf of New Mexico’s public schools year after year”
Energage’s Top Workplaces Awards are based solely on employee feedback to an anonymous survey that measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution and connection. 97.6% of State Land Office employees took the Energage survey. The agency ranked in the top 1% in the State Government category for work-life flexibility, meaningful work, employee appreciation, inclusion and confidence in leadership.
Over the past several years, Commissioner Garcia Richard has instituted agency-wide policies that invest in employees and promote fairness, including placing women in leadership positions and correcting pay equality disparities. The State Land Office’s mission is to earn money for schools and other public institutions by responsibly leasing state lands for energy production, commercial development, and agriculture, among other uses. The State Land Office continued to earn record-breaking revenue every year since 2019, exceeding $2.75 billion last year alone, as these cultural changes were implemented.