When Will Andrews was promoted to CEO of Campbell & Co. LP three years ago, his goal was to open lines of communication so all employees at the absolute-return management firm feel informed.
The employees approved, and made Campbell & Co. a Pensions & Investments' Best Places to Work in Money Management.
“Great people, great opportunities, great work environment. This is a very special place to work. I love the culture!!!” one employee wrote in responding to the Best Places to Work in Money Management survey.
Employees treated the Baltimore-based firm's longtime CEO Bruce Cleland with such reverence they were reluctant to approach him, said Mr. Andrews, who worked at Campbell & Co for 15 years before taking the helm.
(Mr. Cleland was Campbell's CEO until 2007, and then chairman until his retirement in 2012.)
“I want to be approachable,” Mr. Andrews said, adding that openness is a quality he looks for in employees.
“Putting together people who are clever ... are self-reliant ... and (are) good communicators, that's the golden trifecta in my mind,” Mr. Andrews said.
The company also strives to take good care of its employees.
“The company cares about its employees,” said Sarah Sheckells, director of human resources. “We have a strong benefits program, including a fitness center, tuition reimbursement, competitive time off and attractive compensation.”
Employees raved about the firm's 401(k) plan, which features a dollar-for-dollar employer match plus a profit-sharing contribution.
“We focus on getting better every day. It applies to benefits. It applies to culture,” said Adam Tremper, director of marketing.
Campbell executives like to have a little fun, too. Typically employees are required to wear business attire, but the firm has Purple Fridays in support of the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. There is also the occasional dress-down day — often paired with a charitable giving campaign — in which employees can wear jeans for a $1 donation.
“People work really hard here and we want to make sure they are balancing that,” Mr. Andrews said. “With the advent of smartphones and being able to write e-mails in bed at 10 p.m., we want people to have some fun, too.”
