With more and more companies bringing their employees back to the office, now is an ideal time to examine the concept of where we work, or to be more specific, the best place to work. Conventional wisdom has it that offices must be designed for collaboration and creative work, as well as a cycling workforce that has adopted a hybrid schedule. This is, in fact, true in many cases. But we have gone further in the following pages, looking at the many moving parts that make up a good place to work. As you read through our selection of these offices, you will find there is a wide range of attributes, benefits and features that can go into a high-quality workplace and the company that provides it.
ABI MULTIFAMILY In the cutthroat brokerage industry, it’s uncommon to find a firm that works in a truly collaborative manner, however, at ABI Multifamily, internal teamwork and data sharing significantly contribute to the firm’s low attrition rate. “From the core of our company, we encourage full collaboration,” says John Kobierowski, the president and CEO of the Southwest-focused multifamily brokerage and advisory services firm. “We build systems that are open. We built a company headquarters [in Phoenix] and offices that are open. Glass walls are the perfect analogy for how we do business. As a result of this open culture, there is almost zero internal conflict in the company.” The company also offers flexible work arrangements, subsidized health club memberships, continuing education and professional development opportunities, organic mentorships, weekly company lunches, electric car charging stations and free parking. ABI Multifamily also encourages philanthropic efforts through company-planned volunteer days with Habitat for Humanity and St. Mary’s Food Bank, as well as other philanthropic projects. “Our team is engaged with our business, the community and each other,” states Kobierowski. Of particular note, ABI Multifamily contributes $100 from each completed transaction to the Arizona Housing Fund, which helps build more affordable supportive housing throughout Arizona. Kim Seeley, special projects manager at ABI Multifamily, commends the firm’s flat organizational structure and approachable leadership. “The greatest strength at ABI Multifamily is our company culture and workplace environment. It feels like a family. Everyone is supportive and genuinely wants each other to be successful. Individual strengths are recognized internally and valued in structuring our teams, which allows everyone to contribute to the highest level of customer service for our clients.”
B+E New hires at New York City-based investment brokerage firm B+E are asked to write out their personal mission statement, which is then shared with the company. “Stating our ‘why’ helps drive a sense of purpose across the team,” explains CEO Camille Renshaw. The firm, which specializes in national net lease real estate, has a corporate culture that is best reflected in the employee-developed core values of integrity, loyalty, teamwork, curiosity, courage, inclusivity and work ethic. “We support each other and each other’s business objectives but remain fierce competitors externally,” states Katie Berg, B+E’s director of business operations. “Employee engagement is fairly high and we took measures to make people that were isolated during the pandemic feel closer to those who were together.” In March 2020, amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, B+E provided security to its employees by setting a budget that leveraged existing cash flow to sustain the company for 12 months without having to lay off any employees or reduce salaries. The firm’s commitment to diversity is perceived in its staff: more than 50% of employees are female, 20% of employees are LGBTQ members and the majority of the technology team are people of color. In addition, half of the board of directors and half of the company investors are female. Furthermore, B+E’s board members range in age from 35 to 72-years-old and employees range in age from 23 to 58-years-old. “Every person on the team brings something unique to the table and diversity is celebrated,” states Emma Meyers, a marketing associate at B+E. The company offers a wide range of programs to the employees, such as bi-annual, full-staff three-day retreats that feature a mix of intensives, training, speakers and fun. These in-person gatherings allow employees to connect on a more personal level. Additional company perks include a 60-day in-house self-directed training program, formal mentorship with firm leadership, peer-to-peer training and team-building initiatives, such as a company book club and monthly happy hour, which offer ways for a dispersed staff to come together.
BAYER PROPERTIES At the onset of the pandemic, property and asset management firm Bayer Properties immediately equipped all employees with the necessary tools to work remotely full time. As the pandemic stabilized, Bayer Properties moved to a flexible work remote policy. Despite the Great Resignation, employee turnover at Bayer Properties remains low due to a variety of training opportunities and incentives, such as a structured bonus program, which encourages employees to seek out and complete personal and professional development opportunities. Not only do the employees benefit from personal and professional growth, but they are financially rewarded for their achievements. Founded in 1983 in Birmingham, AL, Bayer Properties now has four US offices and owns and/or operates more than eight million square feet of retail and mixed-use space across the US. The company is one of the nation’s few female-led commercial real estate firms with Jami Wadkins and Libby Lassiter serving as co-presidents. The company’s 94-person staff is comprised of 57% women; 52% of which are in the role of director or higher. “I believe Bayer’s female-driven leadership makes the company more empathetic and transparent than previous organizations I have worked at in my career,” says Bethanne Jenkins, VP of marketing at Bayer Properties. “All employees are treated equally, and no one is above doing things that may fall outside their identified job description.” The company has instituted diversity and inclusion initiatives through inclusionary hiring practices, such as utilizing historically Black colleges and universities as part of an overall employee recruitment strategy, and the firm has developed an advisory committee that focuses on inclusivity and diversity awareness. Terra Reed, senior administrative coordinator at the firm, appreciates that Bayer Properties is committed to employees’ professional and personal success. “Most importantly, it is a company that listens open-mindedly to all associates.”
BRIDGE INVESTMENT GROUP The culture at Salt Lake City-based Bridge Investment Group is rooted in the firm’s core values of teamwork, excellence, accountability, empowerment, specialization, creativity, innovation and responsibility. The vertically-integrated real estate private equity firm relies on those values to guide and develop its 1,650 employees, as well as gauge leadership potential and quality of performance. Every year, Bridge Investment Group recognizes a member of the organization who has most exemplified the core values. “From revising our benefits to giving paid time off for voting, to extending our [diversity and inclusion initiatives] efforts to our sites — where the majority of our diverse employees work — we continue to find ways to ensure we extend our commitment to all of our people,” says Zach Smith, director of talent management at Bridge Investment Group. “It remains a challenge, but it is a challenge that we are proud to take on.” In order to keep people informed and connected, the company holds regular all-hands meetings and an annual “knowledge share,” where people gather across asset verticals to learn and share best practices. Over the last few years, Bridge Investment Group’s leadership has prioritized improving levels, titles and pay scale by working with individual teams to create clear position expectations and taking steps for employee promotions. One employee appreciates how the firm prepares for a changing marketplace and unexpected economic turns. “As an employee, it was incredibly frightening to see big to small companies having to lay off most of their employee base when COVID began to spread. Bridge was able to not only avoid those massive layoffs and pay cuts, but they still delivered pay on time and continued to support employees throughout the uncertain times.” Tuttle adds, “While the world still faces COVID-related challenges, Bridge has emerged this year on top and been able to expand employee engagement initiatives and hire many new team members.”
CAMPUS ADVANTAGE As an industry leader in student housing management, Campus Advantage has continued to navigate and learn from various Black Swan events since its founding in 2003. In the wake of the Virginia Tech spree school shooting in 2007, Campus Advantage established Campus Advantage Rapid Engagement, a group of team members, including the CEO, marketing professionals and operations leadership, that would meet regularly and game-plan crisis preparation. During the pandemic, the firm doubled down on this approach. In 2020, Campus Advantage additionally launched a diversity, equity and inclusion committee, which continues to grow and provide resources, education and support to the company as a whole, as well as its residents. In May 2021, the firm established a people and culture division headed by a newly minted chief people officer, Daniel P. Oltersdorf. Though Campus Advantage welcomed remote employees prior to the pandemic, the firm now permanently offers a flexible work-from-home hybrid model for all corporate team members. “We faced tremendous uncertainty as an industry, and yet our teams pulled off an amazing year, and have now come off of a banner leasing year as we came into the 2021/2022 academic year,” Oltersdorf says. Matthew Keller, national director of leasing and marketing at Campus Advantage, appreciates the firm’s efforts to help its employees reach their full potential. In his case, Keller states, “I’ve been able to travel the country, learn about skills and disciplines I’d never even heard of and much more because [the firm] is committed to my growth.” The benefits of working at the Austin-based company include financial incentives for physical activity check-ins, peer mentoring, access to professional coaches, summer Fridays, paid time off to volunteer and a rent credit reporting benefit—which boosts personal credit scores by an average of 53 points. “A true mission-driven team who is dedicated to supporting one another to do important work… This is what has gotten me up and has me more excited than ever after 18.5 years at Campus Advantage,” states Oltersdorf.
CBRE Prior to joining CBRE, Carolina Trujillo struggled with being accepted and empowered at work as a Hispanic female. Thankfully, Trujillo has not felt this way again during her seven-year career at the global commercial real estate services and investments firm. The director of project management states, “One of the best parts about working at CBRE is the empowerment and trust that the company has placed on me and my skills as a young female, especially working on the project management side of the business, which is predominantly white males.” Headquartered in Dallas, TX and established in 1906, the firm champions diversity, equity and inclusion and makes promoting minorities a priority. “Whereas other companies do it to check a box or meet diversity goals, CBRE genuinely cares about building and maintaining a diverse culture, from the top down,” Trujillo says. In 2021, the Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company began leveraging a technology to help capture the diversity of candidates and track their recruitment journey. This was in addition to the firm’s requirements that embed inclusion into the hiring process. To help employees struggling financially due to the economic impact of COVID-19, CBRE created an employee resilience fund that was seeded with a $5 million donation from the company and was supported through employee fundraising. In September 2020, the fund expanded its criteria to provide grants to employees facing hardship due to national disasters. As of June 2021, the employee resilience fund had issued more than 16,000 grants totaling $6.8 million to employees in need. “As we were facing the pandemic, and even through to today, there has never been a time where the workforce needs to feel a greater sense of trust, both physically and psychologically,” says Derrick Mashore, SVP of CBRE advisory services. “CBRE has done an outstanding job creating environments where we feel physically safe.” Large-sized companies can often provide obstacles to professional growth, but not in the case of CBRE, which employs more than 45,000 employees across more than 130 US offices. “CBRE realizes its size can sometimes cause barriers, especially between lines of business, but the tools and groups that exist help to create a family-like atmosphere,” Trujillo says.
FIRST NATIONAL REALTY PARTNERS First National Realty Partners, a private equity firm focused on acquiring, owning and operating shopping centers across the US, has adopted a fully-remote, work-from-home platform, which allows the firm to recruit and attract top industry talent from all over the country. Even so, employees still recognize the benefit of the firm being “officially” housed under one roof at FNRP’s Red Bank, NJ office. “Our platform is our greatest strength—having all departments in-house, including acquisitions, leasing, property management, legal, capital markets, marketing and investor relations,” says Kyle Camilliere, acquisition associate at FNRP. Part of what helps the firm retain employees is its support of the growth of its professionals through trade show attendance, training webinars and seminars. The firm incentivizes employees to refer candidates for roles and it has taken part in and sponsored various community service and philanthropic events over the years. “Everyone is friendly, approachable and willing to help one another,” Camilliere says. “Leadership cares about what employees have to say and values their input. We are also an extremely active buyer, which makes it a fun place to work.” In an effort to facilitate connections and communication among the staff, FNRP holds weekly calls between employees and senior leadership to discuss ongoing issues that need to be addressed. “It is an open forum where interns all the way up to managing directors have the opportunity to discuss ideas and strategies,” says Matt Annibale, senior director of acquisitions at FNRP. “It is a very positive work environment.”
FOGELMAN PROPERTIES Five years ago, Memphis-based Fogelman Properties created Fogelman Fit, an employee-led effort to get everyone up and moving through exercise and weight-goal challenges, periodic breaks for walks and healthy living tips posted around the office. While the pandemic put a damper on the program, COVID-19 compelled Fogelman—a pioneer in the multifamily industry—to take a broader look at workforce expectations and create options for remote work. On the diversity, equality and inclusion front, the firm uses inclusive job descriptions to reach talent, employs marketing outreach to promote its inclusive workplace, and institutes human resources training so that it can better support and train other departments. Furthermore, employees appreciate the firm’s company culture, which comes from the top. “This company is led by exceptional leaders who display character, integrity and genuine care for their employees,” says Amanda Borgognoni, resourcing and recruitment manager at Fogelman. ”They have created a culture founded on the basics of family where you are recognized and matter.” Fogelman employees enjoy their workdays through the efforts of the firm’s fun committee, comprised of volunteers that plan employee appreciation days, rewards and giveaways, and recognize birthdays, anniversaries and other notable dates. For more than 50 years, the fully-integrated property management and investment company has given an award annually to an employee who exhibits an above-and-beyond commitment to the firm’s values, has made significant and identifiable contributions to the profits and/or quality of Fogelman, practices the philosophy of teamwork and cooperation, and maintains a positive attitude of support and encouragement. Melissa Brady, VP of strategic marketing at Fogelman, initially joined the firm due to its outstanding reputation, and in the year since joining, she notes that “it has surpassed expectations” because of its investment in employee growth and well-being, in addition to the “everyday positive spirit in the workplace.” With 606 employees across eight offices, Fogelman offers education/tuition reimbursement; a learning management system that encourages career growth; and company-paid certification, training and testing. It has an employee assistance program that offers team members access to confidential counseling to help manage stressors or emotional difficulties. And, thanks to Fogelman CARES, employees have the opportunity to give back through volunteerism and donations.
FUNDRISE In the past year, Washington D.C.-based direct-to-investor real estate investment platform Fundrise has more than doubled its employee count to 239 team members today. SVP, Whit Booth, who has held four positions during his seven years at the firm, states, “At such a fast-growing company, I’ve not only had a chance to take on a very broad scope of work from the start but quickly stepped into increasing amounts of responsibility as my performance allowed, rather than based on more rigid timelines and hierarchy. There is nobody telling you not to work on this or that, the opportunities are there for you to take.” Fundrise senior associate, Amy Cohen says that in addition to the cross-collaboration, the company’s growth has presented her with hands-on learning opportunities, new challenges and a level of responsibility that she feels she would not have been able to get elsewhere. “I have had the ability to work on deals through their full life-cycle and am involved in creating new processes that ultimately contribute to the growth of the company,” Cohen says. “This fuels my hunger to keep learning and growing.” Employees say that the reasons the firm offers ample professional development opportunities across all experience levels is the high rate of growth, flat hierarchy and Fundrise’s willingness to give more responsibility when earned. The company offers a highly competitive benefits package; paying 100% of employee health insurance premiums and 50% of all premiums for dependents, with medical, dental and vision insurance all included. In addition, the national company fully covers life, short-term disability and long-term disability health insurance for all employees, and offers unlimited paid time off and gym memberships. The firm recently launched a remote-first program, which allows employees to work fully-remote, hybrid office/remote or full-time in the office. Early last year, the firm officially launched employee resource groups that build community, provide support and contribute to personal and professional development. The wellness-related groups have planned virtual 5Ks, yoga classes and a 12-day wellness challenge. Fundrise additionally has a culture that champions transparency and inclusiveness. When it comes to hiring, the company trains its employees who participate in the recruiting and interview process to be unbiased and to frame interview questions in a way that creates an environment of inclusion.
HORVATH & TREMBLAY As a junior broker, it’s not often that you get ongoing training and mentorship, however, at Boston-based real estate investment sales organization, Horvath & Tremblay, it is commonplace. The firm conducts daily corporate training for new agents, run by active principals. In the training, the principals provide significant deal experience and examples to new agents. In addition, multiple non-performing managers provide guidance and leadership to all of the production offices. Furthermore, each junior broker is assigned to a senior broker at the firm. These senior agents help mentor the junior and newer agents during the first few years of the brokerage continuum. Horvath & Tremblay “prioritizes mentorship and it is clear that management truly wants each member of the team to succeed,” says one associate, who adds that at the firm, she feels as though “the work I do matters and that I am a valued member of the team.” Employees consider Horvath & Tremblay a collaborative, fast-paced, high-energy environment. The collaborative nature is recognized at its annual events—a holiday party, a company ski trip, a summer party and an annual Horvath & Tremblay golf tournament, which launched in 2021. “Laughs are shared, memories are made, and connections are strengthened as we continue to create friendships and experiences,” says Dennis Kelleher, an executive vice president at the firm. As Horvath & Tremblay looks to expand beyond its 100 employees in eight offices nationwide, it has a strong focus on recruiting diverse candidates, working with a recruiting manager on how to attract a diverse candidate mix for its sales teams and professional services organizations.
HUDSON PACIFIC PROPERTIES The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that most companies operate. Hudson Pacific Properties, a REIT that acquires, redevelops and develops creative office and studio properties in global technology and media epicenters, continues to evolve employees’ work processes and inspires new ways to strengthen its benefit offerings for employees. These new benefits include additional parental leave, an increased 401(k) match, half-day Fridays, increased vacation accrual rates and additional bonus vacation days around the holidays. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hudson Pacific Properties promoted 52 employees from within the company in 2020 alone. The firm provides valuable opportunities for employees to expand their roles and advance their careers through a number of professional development initiatives. On a quarterly basis, the company hosts Hudson U, a two-day orientation and training program for new hires, at which senior executives present on various topics. Hudson Pacific Properties continues to expand its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. It has embraced a more inclusive recruitment process; it launched a DEI learning series for employees, which the company’s entire senior leadership team has completed; it introduced an employee resource group program to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace; and hired its first VP of diversity and inclusion. Although the firm has 364 employees across four US offices, Barbara Swensied, managing counsel at the firm, suggests that the “team and offices feel cohesive, a testament to our company’s leadership.” Supporting a corporate culture of philanthropy and volunteerism, Hudson Pacific Properties matches employee donations up to $1,000 per year and offers 32 hours of paid time off to volunteer. Krista Dixon, senior director of operations, notes, “Beyond the impetus for leaders to do the right thing for the company’s employees, there is a true open-door policy with our leadership team, which makes a huge difference.”
KIDDER MATHEWS Kidder Mathews is privately-owned by employees, which means it is not run by a purely top-down perspective or outside singular focus on the bottom line. Its privately-held status combined with the employee opportunity for ownership and a commission structure that allows brokers to keep more of the money that they earn make for a compelling company culture. “Due to our employee-owned structure and our fun, respectful and collaborative environment, we have a high level of engagement and long-tenured professionals,” says Kidder Mathews’ Karen Benoit, an employee of the firm for 31 years. Every employee receives a year-end profit-sharing bonus, excellent medical benefits, matching 401(k), paid time-off for volunteer service and matching charitable donations. Another long-time employee, Pamela Wiesenbach, says it is “a pleasure coming to work every day.” The work is fast-paced, but it’s not without fun, the 19-year Kidder Mathews veteran says. “My manager is flexible and supportive, allowing our team to express ourselves in ways that make work fun and relieve stress, such as taking meditation breaks, playing our favorite music with the volume up, a flexible work schedule, sharing team moments with impromptu happy hours and celebrating each other’s birthdays,” she says. Leadership at the Seattle-based firm continually conveys that it cares about employees, resulting in minimal turnover. The firm recently announced that the workforce will receive four additional paid days off starting in 2022, and it moved up its review period so employees will reap the benefits from their annual raises three months earlier than expected. Despite its size—900 professionals across 21 offices on the West Coast—Kidder Mathews maintains a sense of community by organizing internal and external events, such as training sessions and conferences, happy hours, annual social events and awards.
LUMA RESIDENTIAL LUMA Residential, which manages a portfolio of 30 apartment communities and nearly 7,500 units, has worked to automate routine tasks and provide training in leading-edge mobile technology in response to its employees’ desire to be freed from boring deskwork. Such responsiveness exemplifies why employees enjoy working at LUMA Residential. The firm also provides education and job training benefits to all full-time employees, and it pays for up to 100% of approved courses and training programs for professional development, while offering paid time off to attend the courses. “LUMA maintains a family culture, offering support, education opportunities and long-lasting relationships,” says Allison Hamrick, regional supervisor at the firm. LUMA Residential has clear non-discriminatory policies in place that encompass all employment-related practices, and it additionally has a designated committee that provides ideas and opportunities to recognize all employees. The Dallas-based property management firm also offers significant rent discounts so that employees can live on site—enabling the opportunity to reduce commutes and stop home for a mid-day meal. LUMA Residential employee, Dandi Breese appreciates that even with more than 190 employees the firm still retains a family feel. Breese says that president, Ian Mattingly, knows each employee by name and most employees’ spouses and children’s names as well. “You’re not just a number, you’re part of a family,” Breese says. LUMA Residential assigns each new employee with a mentor, in addition to their managers and supervisors. The firm recognizes employee achievements in the companywide newsletter, where everyone can respond with a “congratulations.” The company has also notably managed to not cut employee hours or laid off or furloughed any employees during the pandemic.
MATTHEWS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT SERVICES While COVID-19 shut down a lot of commercial real estate brokerages’ hiring efforts and internship programs, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, a firm focused on investment sales, leasing and debt and structured finance, maintained a strong recruiting pipeline and added slots to its internship program. Throughout 2020, the El Segundo, CA-based brokerage firm hired more than 110 interns and trainees. Matthews’ internship program delves into commercial real estate’s fundamentals and complexities, as well as personal development, through 80 digital training sessions. Trainees that complete the course immediately start to build their own business as a broker, whereas at other brokerages, trainee graduates often act as transaction coordinators. According to Victoria Harkrider, a brand marketing assistant at the firm, hard work is rewarded, successes are celebrated and ideas are heard. Each time an agent closes a deal, everyone in the office stops working to congratulate the broker as they ring the office bell. The company, which employs 400 people across 13 offices, ensures weekly check-ins with supervisors and face-to-face time with executive leadership. CEO, Kyle Matthews, holds a weekly Monday morning meeting for all sales associates to celebrate successes and give recognition. The six-year-old firm offers employee retirement plans, including 401(k), formal diversity training and career development programs. The company hosts various events, internal awards and recognitions throughout the year, including a trip to Hawaii for top-producing sales associates, annual holiday parties, office happy hours and lunches with leadership. As part of the company’s corporate social responsibility program, a social impact committee was formed to allow agents and employees to take on philanthropic leadership roles at the firm. “I have worked at four different companies within the CRE industry, each of which has its strengths and weaknesses. I have found the Matthews culture and engagement to be a winning combination,” says Duerk Brewer, COO of the firm.
NNN PRO GROUP NNN Pro Group, which specializes in triple-net and single-tenant net-leased properties and investments, prides itself on a strong work-life balance and culture. NNN Pro Group employees participate in various team-building social activities, such as volunteer events, client events and various industry conferences. “You are given the opportunity to handle multiple responsibilities early on in your career and the ability to interact with clients earlier than you would be able to at a more traditionally structured firm,” says VP Michael Liu. “Each person’s voice is heard and treated equally.” The New York City-based firm’s mission statement “relationships over transactions” best defines its culture. The company promotes strong communication and a collaborative environment through its flat organizational structure, where employees are able to work together and learn from each other across all levels. The firm also centers its culture around developing talent. College students have the opportunity to join NNN Pro Group as interns, and upon graduation, NNN Pro Group offers a multi-year talent development program, which is designed to create a well-rounded and comprehensive training experience for emerging real estate professionals. Whether just starting out as a first-year analyst or in a more tenured role, internal mobility and development are strongly encouraged and facilitated. Employees are paired with mentors to provide support and coaching and participate in mid- and end-of-year reviews to discuss long-term goals, progress and development. On the diversity, equity and inclusion front, more than 25% of all company employees identify as diverse, and year-to-date, 50% of employees that have been hired, identify as diverse. “As a team, we have made concerted efforts to hire diverse employees and create a dynamic workforce that represents the future of commercial real estate,” says Madison O’Connor, an SVP at the firm.
RPM LIVING At RPM Living, interacting with others often feels like connecting with people on social media. The full-service property management company, headquartered in Austin, TX, has an internal learning and communication platform that allows team members to post questions, offer up ideas, provide support, share photos and simply say, “Hi.” The platform has been a key method for leadership to enhance teamwork and collaboration, as well as distribute information. This tool proved extremely valuable last year during the Texas winter storm and Hurricane Ida, as the firm was able to quickly distribute information to employees. RPM Living’s marketing communications manager Suzanne Koch touted the firm’s work-life balance and the supportive nature of leadership. “They understand you have lives outside of work, and really push associates to take all their [paid time off] and not sign on during our days off, unlike other companies I have worked for that expect you to always be available,” she says. The firm’s employee benefits program includes 15 paid-time-off days in addition to a bonus birthday and anniversary day during the first three years of employment, with PTO increases from there until reaching unlimited PTO after five years. Wellness perks include a reduced monthly medical premium for completing an annual wellness exam, a bonus paid wellness day, discounts on wellness products and gym memberships, short-term disability paid by the company and a 24-7 telehealth program. Additionally, RPM Living offers housing discounts and guest suites to associates, pre-tax accounts for healthcare and related expenses, a competitive 401(k) match and resources and reimbursement for continuing education. Diversity and inclusion are embedded in how RPM Living attracts talent, builds teams and cultivates leaders. To improve itself, firm leadership solicits feedback from key stakeholders and those most impacted by RPM Living policies and decisions, and implements changes based on feedback received. “Unlike other places I’ve worked, RPM Living is continually looking for ways to be better, especially for our associates,” says Kevin Owens, a division president at RPM Living. “There is no sense of satisfaction or complacency with where we are. The company is pushing to improve every day.”
RPT REALTY In recent years, RPT Realty has worked to provide more services to its 130 employees, which are spread across three offices and its open-air shopping center portfolio in 13 states. The firm’s efforts seem to be working according to its 2021 engagement survey, in which the company achieved an 85% employee satisfaction level and an 87% company culture approval. At the start of the pandemic, the publicly-traded New York City-based REIT moved quickly to remote work with minimal disruption, having already laid the groundwork for remote and hybrid work in 2019 with a remote work pilot program. RPT Realty launched a comprehensive virtual wellness program, including socially-distant fitness challenges and meditation. As part of RPT Realty’s dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion, the firm formed a DEI committee in 2020 with a mission to create an inclusive and safe environment where all team members feel valued and secure. The committee also endeavors to close opportunity gaps for underrepresented groups within the real estate industry. In 2020, RPT Realty employees took their volunteerism virtual in order to continue community engagement. The firm supported more than 30 charitable organizations that year, donating $35,000 through corporate funds and employee contributions. Demonstrating its commitment to the long-term success of its team members, in 2019 the company established the RPT risers program, a 12-month professional development program targeting areas of leadership including purpose, culture, engagement and emotional intelligence. “The company demonstrates a genuine concern for the well-being of its employees and all stakeholders whether that is through our award-winning wellness programs, internal social engagements, community events at our shopping centers or in our day-to-day interactions with each other,” says Vin Chao, SVP of finance at RPT Realty. According to operations administration manager Vicki Carlino, RPT Realty has “a company culture of care and respect (that) starts at the top with the president and CEO. Brian Harper demonstrates and lives this on a regular basis. Because of this, people are motivated to come to work every day and always give their best.”
STAN JOHNSON CO. It’s not uncommon to find professionals that have worked at commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm, Stan Johnson Co. for long periods of time and in a number of roles. Amy Moyer, managing partner at Stan Johnson Co., is one such example. When she started at the company, she took a role that she assumed would be “an interesting job for a few years before I moved on to something else.” Now, 18 years and five positions later, Moyer realizes that she found her career at Stan Johnson Co. “Our company purpose is ‘Helping People Achieve Their Hopes and Dreams,’” Moyer says. “Of course we apply this as we work with our clients in the attainment of their goals, but it is definitely also applied to the development of our employees.” One company asset that has inspired her to remain at the firm is the collaboration among brokers as is evidenced by a centralized, shared database. Cameron Still, corporate marketing and brand coordinator at the firm, also cites the collaborative nature as one of Stan Johnson Co.’s strengths. “It is common for broker teams to band together on complex deals and for corporate staff to collaborate on internal projects,” Still says. Beyond that, he appreciates the firm’s “genuine emphasis on growth, whether that be growth of the company or personal growth.” With 205 employees across 17 US offices, Stan Johnson Co. has been working to support its brokers with a new sales leadership role, which it created last year. The sales leader is tasked with producing and delivering targeted training, coaching and development, and generating more peer connectivity and competitions for the firm’s newly hired or promoted brokers. In terms of diversity, the firm has challenged itself to expand its recruiting and social networks, while continuously reviewing and revising workplace policies. Looking to provide work-life balance, the company offers summer Fridays, free Peloton app memberships, an employee assistance program and a culture club, which guides company leadership. Initiatives coming out of the culture club include SJCares, where employees serve in their local communities, and a new employee “buddy” program that matches every new hire with an experienced employee.
TREPP INC. In the last year, Trepp has enhanced its parental leave policy. The firm—a leading provider of information, analytics and services to the structured finance, commercial real estate and banking markets—updated its policy to include all parents and ensure support of same-sex couples, transgender employees and adoptive parents. “I think the development of policies like this that highlight the more modern household with equal parenting are just one of the many things that set Trepp apart from other companies in the industry and those I have worked for in the past,” says Martha Coacher, CMO at Trepp. Another aspect of the 150-employee firm that employees appreciate is the culture, which is in part created through a buddy program, a mentorship program and a multicultural employee resource group; the latter formed to discuss real issues that employees are facing at work and in everyday life. Trepp ensures employees have opportunities for growth and learning through “lunch and learn” sessions, career development meetings and regular meetings with team leaders to discuss career progression, performance and strategies for development. Trepp provides financial assistance to full-time employees for educational activities that enhance job performance or career development. Trepp also offers bi-annual promotions on all teams to allow professional development within the company and to continue to motivate employees. In terms of the firm’s diversity, the company most recently launched an inclusive interviewing workshop for active hiring managers and team leaders with the goal of sharing practical tools to minimize bias in hiring practices. The firm continues to focus on hiring female employees on all teams and in all groups. As such, Trepp’s CEO, CMO, chief people officer and chief of staff are all female. COVID-19 restrictions did not stop Trepp employees from enjoying one another’s company. Marketing coordinator, Hayley Collier was concerned that she would struggle to connect with her team upon joining the firm as an intern during the pandemic in 2020. “Within the first month, I had connected with each and every member of my team on virtual coffee hours, lunch break chats and check-ins daily,” Collier says. “By the time we met in person, I felt like we had already met countless times.”
VTS With more than 600 professionals across five US offices, VTS aims to inspire employees to be active members of the company, regardless of their specific role, and it encourages everyone to share thoughts, ideas and feedback. “We’re looking for actively engaged members and to promote within, fostering a rewarding and collaborative environment,” according to Nick Romito, CEO and co-founder of VTS. To that end, team members across all levels jump in to help each other. The firm, a leasing, marketing, asset management and tenant experience data platform, is invested in a robust diversity recruiting strategy to accomplish its fundamental vision of becoming the modern operating system for commercial real estate. “It is clear that VTS makes a conscious effort to recruit people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels in order to bring fresh and thoughtful ideas and ways of thinking to the table,” says Eric Johnson, senior public relations manager at VTS. Since 2017, VTS has implemented and prioritized a strategic diversity inclusion plan, which comprises 30 initiatives, all of which are reviewed and revised annually. Every quarter, the company hosts a speaker series to further enhance its diversity and inclusion efforts by featuring leaders in a variety of different fields and backgrounds. Employees are supported through leadership development and one-on-one coaching available through the firm’s culture consultants, who help all employees take steps to work through career-related challenges, professional relationships and overall well-being. The coaching program is widely-used, with more than 1,500 sessions taking place in the last four years. Each year, every employee is provided with a $1,500 stipend to be used for their professional development or health and wellness activities. VTS also implements initiatives such as VTS Gives Back, which provides an opportunity for employees to participate in company-led programs that serve the local community. Johnson adds, “VTS is a true team and is why the company has found so much success over the years.”
W. P. CAREY W. P. Carey is deeply committed to fostering a diverse workforce, which is emphasized in each step of the firm’s hiring process. In 2020, W. P. Carey—a diversified net-lease REIT specializing in the acquisition of operationally critical, single-tenant properties in North America and Europe—appointed a head of diversity and inclusion and launched a related initiative designed to facilitate conversations around race, sexual orientation and gender. As a result of those efforts, in 2021, W. P. Carey hired a summer internship class completely comprised of diverse individuals. Furthermore, at the end of 2020, 37% of the firm’s US workforce was composed of Asian, Black, African-American or Latino individuals. At the same time, women represented 46% of the firm’s global workforce, 42% of its managers, 33% of the executive team and 30% of its board of directors. Part of the appeal of the firm—which employs 128 employees across two US offices—is its benefits package. W. P. Carey offers company-paid medical and dental insurance, including family and domestic partner coverage at 100%; $2,000 per year for healthcare expenses not covered by insurance; financial reimbursement of the costs of continued education; generous time-off benefits, including paid caregiver leave; family planning financial assistance, including adoption, surrogacy and egg freezing; and equity grants awarded in celebration of milestone tenure anniversaries. To keep employees feeling connected and informed, the New York-based firm hosts company-wide town halls, led by senior management, in addition to a regular internal educational speaker series and frequent trainings. Staff agrees that the company’s successful communication and employee engagement proved critical the past two years during the pandemic. Following the implementation of fully-remote working in March 2020, the firm provided assurance that salaries and benefits would not decrease, and no layoffs would be made as a result of the pandemic. As a company, W. P. Carey champions the practice of “doing good while doing well,” which has been one of the firm’s guiding principles for decades, made evident through its commitment to giving back and supporting its local communities.
WALKER & DUNLOP From the top down every person “collaborates freely” at Walker & Dunlop. So says an employee at the Bethesda, MD-based firm who adds, “Everyone rows with one oar and strives for excellence” – a notion that includes leadership at the firm. Even though the commercial real estate finance company spans 1,500 US employees, the firm has managed to maintain a culture of respect, where employees treat each other as peers. With the belief that its employees would not be able to achieve its goals individually, Walker & Dunlop ensures a collaborative culture, where staff works to support each other through camaraderie on projects, business goals, career progress, community volunteering and personal development. “What I love most about Walker & Dunlop, and my team specifically, is the genuine concern about your overall well-being as a person and a friend, not just an employee,” says Ashton Monacelli of Walker & Dunlop. “This company is a family that truly takes care of its own.” Jeffrey M. Morris, managing director of capital markets at the firm, adds that the company is “driven by leadership that is inspired to greatness for employees and shareholders. It’s goal-oriented and exceeds all goals.” Walker & Dunlop aims to hire for talent, rather than solely for a position. The 85-year-old firm is currently focused on recruiting a more diverse workforce, with a drive to increase the number of women in leadership roles. The firm implements ongoing training for new hires, as senior executives continually guide younger colleagues. The company may be large, however, it attains near 100% participation in all company meetings, which are now held virtually. “The culture is very supportive and there are no barriers to communication and support,” Morris says.