HELENA - Last week, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines' office was awarded best workplace environment in U.S. Congress by a D.C. based non profit, non partisan organization.
The Congressional Management Foundation recognized Daines' office in its Democracy awards, which acknowledge non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices. Offices self-nominate and each category selects a Democratic and Republican office.
Congressional Management Foundation President and CEO Brad Fitch said Capitol Hill doesn't always encourage an atmosphere of professional development. The foundation values offices like Daines' where staff are encouraged to participate in internal and external development courses, he said. Healthy staff environments lead to less staff turnover, which can translate into better services for constituents, Fitch said.
Montana State University student Payton Fuller spent her summer interning with Daines' office. Fuller is double majoring in English literature and history. She said she'd always been interested in politics. The internship gave her even more enthusiasm for the work, she said. The best day was when she got to shadow Daines as he went through his senatorial duties.
"Throughout every step of it, he was talking to us, explaining to us what was going on, why he's doing this, what this is," Fuller said. "He was super engaged and really wanted to make it a super valuable day for us."
