69 firms get awards for their work

Attracting strong candidates is the first challenge in building a great place to work. Keeping those employees engaged, aligned with the firm's mission and developing is an ongoing process.

So say the winners in Pensions & Investments' 2018 Best Places to Work in Money Management program, which is recognizing 69 firms — a record number — for their efforts in building and maintaining a winning culture.

Even with the myriad pressures facing today's money managers — fees, growing industry consolidation and market volatility to name just a few — asset managers know that employees are a first-line defense when it comes to staying ahead of the pack.

To compile its seventh annual list, P&I again turned to Best Companies Group, Harrisburg, Pa., to comb through survey entries and identify top-performing firms. “Building a winning culture isn't simple,” said P&I Editor Amy B. Resnick. “The companies identified in this report take great care when it comes to listening to their employees and tailoring workplace policies to support employee growth, retention and readiness for future job promotions.”

In this year's special report on the Best Places to Work program, a variety of firms detailed new or enhanced policies to promote flexibility for their employees, giving them the ability to better meet family and personal obligations while fulfilling their job responsibilities.

One firm, Polen Capital Management LLC, Boca Raton, Fla., spoke with P&I reporter Brian Croce about how implementing a results -only work environment has empowered employees while building its talent pipeline.

“We're attracting top talent in the industry, we're developing that talent and we're retaining that talent,” noted Polen CEO Stan C. Moss. “If you talk to any CEO in any industry those are three things that they would like to able to say, and we're doing it.”

Other firms detailed efforts they've undertaken to ensure that employees are ready to move up when opportunities present themselves. Those efforts also include how firms are working to ensure seamless succession plans for top-level jobs.

To be named to the list, all firms met Best Companies' high threshold for inclusion, and are evaluated against others of similar size. Individual firm profiles reflect U.S. employment numbers and were confirmed by Best Companies in late July. Assets under management or advisement are as of June 30, unless otherwise noted.

Repeat winners

Many of the firms in the 2018 list are repeat winners. But only five companies have made the BPTW list every year since the program launched in 2012:

• Baird Asset Management, Milwaukee.
• Clearbridge Investments LLC, New York.
• Dana Investment Advisors Inc., Waukesha, Wis.
• Hamilton Lane Inc., Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
• Principal Global Investors, Des Moines, Iowa.

In 2018, 15 firms are newcomers to the BPTW program:

• Adams Street Partners LLC, Chicago.
• Artemis Real Estate Partners, Chevy Chase, Md.
• Bailard Inc., Foster City, Calif.
• Belle Haven Investments LP, Rye Brook, N.Y.
• Busey Wealth Management, Urbana, Ill.
• Cadre, New York.
• The Capital Group Cos., Los Angeles.
• Crossmark Global Investments Inc., Houston.
• Legal & General Investment Management America Inc., Chicago.
• LM Capital Group LLC, San Diego.
• Opus Investment Management Inc., Worcester, Mass.
• PanAgora Asset Management Inc., Boston.
• PPM America Inc., Chicago.
• Pugh Capital Management Inc., Seattle.
• Schroder Investment Management North America Inc., New York.

To participate, firms had to have at least 20 employees in the U.S., have at least $100 million of discretionary assets under management and be in business for at least one year.

An anonymous employee survey, which aimed to evaluate employee engagement and satisfaction, accounted for 75% of a firm's score; an employer survey, which evaluated workplace policies, practices, benefits and demographics, made up 25%.

To learn more about the program and register for notification when the 2019 program opens, visit pionline.com/bptw-pi.