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For the third straight year, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) was ranked No. 1 among small federal agencies by the Partnership for Public Service’s 2011 “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” survey.

The board's score was the highest of any government agency and the highest in the survey’s history, STB officials said in a prepared statement. The STB, which employs 141, topped agencies with fewer than 2,000 workers.

Agencies were ranked according to workplace environment indices: employee skills-mission match; strategic management; teamwork; effective leadership; performance-based rewards and advancement; training and development; diversity support; family-friendly culture; pay and benefits; and work-life balance.

The board was ranked No. 1 according to an overall index score. Among 34 small agencies, the STB achieved an index score of 91.1 percent, up 4.9 points compared with last year.

“STB workplace policies foster a work-life balance through telecommuting and flexible work schedules,” board officials said, adding that the agency has an open-door management environment that “encourages innovation.”