Anna Newell loves her job. As the Vice President of Human Resources at Mungo Homes, she gets to smooth over any bumps and hurdles that employees face so they can be their best selves for their clients.
Those clients are hopeful homebuyers, looking to find the security and well-being that comes from moving into a new home.
Founded in 1954 in Columbia, South Carolina by the late Michael J. Mungo, Mungo Homes is a regional homebuilder creating communities throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. In 2018, the company was acquired by Clayton Properties Group, but continues to be run by the Mungo family with Steven Mungo now serving as the organization's executive chairman.
This year, Mungo Homes was recognized as one of USA TODAY's
top workplaces for the fourth consecutive year. Newell says what truly makes Mungo Homes a great place to work is its people.
"We have great people and great leadership. We truly believe that it is our team members [who] are the bloodline [of] our company," she says. "We put them first and try to focus on them and make sure they have good work-life balance."
As a thank you to those team members, Mungo Homes employees enjoy a generous benefits package that includes a home-buying discount program. Newell says the program allows employees to be right in Mungo communities with clients, representing the company and sharing in the same experience.
"I had an old boss who said, 'you need happy, healthy team members.' We have healthy, happy team members. They're content with their jobs and they get to focus on what it is they need to do so our homebuyers also have a good experience," she says.
Though prioritizing employee and client-experience has helped make Mungo Homes a top place to work, creating homes comes with its own set of challenges.
"Affordability in the housing market is a big issue, and it's going to continue to be a challenge [for years to come]," Newell says.
To combat the high expenses of buying and developing land, Mungo Homes offers an introductory product line of simpler homes for first-time buyers.
The goal, she says, is always to get hopeful buyers into homes because it allows Mungo to support communities — a key piece of the Mungo mission.
Founder Michael J. Mungo came from humble beginnings and was dedicated to using his success to give back to local communities. That's why Mungo Homes continues to make giving a priority with efforts like paid volunteer time and a week of service each year. During service week, team members are encouraged to go out into the community and volunteer at causes close to their hearts. The organization additionally provides volunteer options to employees during this week.
Overall, Mungo Homes considers itself a faith-and-family-first organization, where blessings before meetings are the norm and life outside of work hours matches life during work hours.
Team leaders want to ensure that employees understand the Mungo mission and that that mission includes being true to your word and who you are.
"We want to make sure you are representing us to the best of your ability, and you have to know who we are in order to do that," Newell says.
What is USA TODAY Top Workplaces?
Each year, USA TODAY Top Workplaces, a collaboration between Energage and USA TODAY, ranks organizations across the U.S. that excel at creating a positive work environment for their employees. Employee feedback determines the winners.
In 2026, over 1,600 companies earned recognition as top workplaces. Check out our overall U.S. rankings. You can also gain insights into more workplace trends and advice by checking out the links below.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How putting people first makes Mungo Homes a top workplace
