What's the Company Culture Like at OCC?

Tell us about OCC’s approach to the in-office experience. 

The in-office approach was based on creating an environment that motivates employees to want to come to work and live the company’s values. OCC created an office environment that is welcoming to colleagues and is designed to foster collaboration and engagement through an open floor plan with glass wall conference rooms and executive offices. Conference rooms have whiteboard walls that allow for easy brainstorming and idea sharing. Café 73 offers barista-made coffee, cold brew on tap, a wide variety of snacks and cold beverages, in addition to ample space for meeting colleagues. Additionally, there are several different seating options throughout the space for employees to relax. 

OCC in-person training programs are opportunities for professional development while meeting colleagues from other departments. There are also employee networking groups that regularly hold events that focus on professional development, promoting cultural awareness and designing an accessible workplace. Overall, these elements create opportunities to innovate, establish meaningful connections with colleagues, create transparency and promote individual growth. 

In your opinion, what about your in-office experience feels the most impactful on your daily work life? 

It’s about the people and challenging work that make me glad to be a part of the OCC team. Meeting with colleagues, whether it be through meetings or informal hallway conversations, I feel a sense of pride in being here and the services we deliver. I start my days with a latte from OCC’s Café 73, my favorite spot to brainstorm ideas or talk about projects. It has a coffee shop feel with the convenience of staying warm during the harsh Chicago winter. I like seeing co-workers connecting throughout the day in the cafeteria or Café 73; both are always abuzz during the lunch hour with co-workers coming together and interacting on a personal level. 

The open-door policy is real. I feel comfortable directly engaging with leadership across all levels of the organization, and being one team is a tangible feeling. Working alongside OCC executives demonstrates that everyone’s input is appreciated, and we are all treated with respect. I would be remiss to not mention our building’s day porter, Annette, when writing about my favorite parts of the in-office experience. She is a bright spot in everyone’s day offering heartfelt motivational greetings that make me feel grateful to be part of a great company.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to with the in-office experience?

OCC is participating in the national “Bring Your Kid to Work Day” in April. It’s a great opportunity for my kids to see where I work and learn more about my job and the important role OCC serves in the financial markets. Additionally, it’s a chance for my colleagues to meet and chat with the little ones who motivate me to succeed. The corporate events team does a fantastic job of delivering an experience engaging with age-appropriate activities and games to demonstrate the different functions of the company.

For several years, OCC has been working to completely transform our technology platform for market participants with an anticipated launch date later this year. Many teams have been involved in the process, and I’m excited to celebrate the collective success of Ovation. It’s a testament to how OCC leverages cutting-edge technology and employees are involved in complex projects that motivate people to reach their potential.

What measurable progress on diversity have you made at the director level and up — and which program drove it?

At OCC, “Our Collective Commitment” reflects the experience every colleague can expect, and diversity, equity and inclusion is at the heart of that commitment. It is the foundation of our #WeAreOCC value and it shapes how we operate at every level of the organization. 

Over the past five years, as OCC has grown significantly, including strong expansion in our technology function, we have sustained and strengthened representation at the officer tier and above. Women representation has grown and held strong through a period of significant organizational expansion and women of color hold officer roles at rates that reflect a leadership team that is broadly representative. That progress did not happen by default. It reflects a sustained, collective effort: hiring via a thorough process, purposeful development and a consistent performance process that ensures advancement is applied equitably across the organization. 

What drives results like these is the consistency of the approach across all three areas working together. At OCC, diversity, equity and inclusion is not a standalone initiative. It is built into our culture, values and processes at the organization.

Describe a practice that increased fairness — and what metric improved?

OCC has conducted regular pay equity reviews since 2019, examining compensation across gender, race and ethnicity while controlling for relevant factors like job level, performance and tenure. Where the process identifies opportunities to address gaps, we act. That means off-cycle adjustments when needed and internal peer review built into every new hire offer, so equity is not reserved for an annual moment but addressed as an ongoing discipline. Over time, that consistent approach has contributed to narrowing pay disparities across the organization. Equity in compensation is an ongoing commitment at OCC and the discipline of returning to it regularly is what makes it meaningful.

What ritual consistently builds belonging — and how do you know it’s working?

Our employee network groups are among the most visible expressions of OCC's commitment to belonging. In 2024, we invested in building a new identity system for our ENGs, developed collaboratively with group leaders and our communications team, giving colleagues more ways to signal pride in their participation and show allyship with others. The response has been telling. Forty-two percent of OCC colleagues are members of at least one employee network group. And across the organization, colleagues have shared how meaningful visible symbols of support are, particularly in the current environment. Seeing those signals at desks, worn by leaders, present in shared spaces and at events, has consistently surfaced in personal stories as a reflection of what OCC stands for. Belonging is difficult to capture in a single number. But when nearly half of your organization has chosen to show up in that way and colleagues across the company describe feeling seen and supported, that is how we know the investment is working.