Five real estate companies make Fortune’s list of best places to work

From left: PCL Construction CEO Paul Douglas, DPR Construction President Doug Woods, Camden Property Trust's Ric Campo and Keith Oden and Balfour Beatty's John Woodcock
From left: PCL Construction CEO Paul Douglas, DPR Construction President Doug Woods, Camden Property Trust's Ric Campo and Keith Oden and Balfour Beatty's John Woodcock

Fortune Magazine just released their annual ranking of the country’s 100 top employers. Many usual suspects top the list, including Google, the Boston Consulting Group, and DreamWorks Animation. But five companies in the real estate industry were also recognized. Here’s a snapshot of the five companies and what makes them so appealing to employees. Looking at a previous survey by The Real Deal of New York City’s best residential brokerages to work for found that many brokerages offered similar benefits to the companies that made Fortune’s list.

Camden Property Trust

The Houston, Texas-based real estate investment trust specializing in multifamily apartment complexes slipped three spots this year but still managed to take the tenth spot on the list. The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and owns and operates 192 properties containing 65,000-plus apartment homes across the country. Its founders, Ric Campo and Keith Oden, are known for their lively personalities and love of pranks, and its 1,896 employees—almost half of whom are minorities or women—receive perks such as discounted rentals, an onsite fitness center, and generous professional training.

DPR Construction

Coming in at No. 15, this Redwood City, Calif.-based company has the vibe of a startup, with dog-friendly workplaces, bagel breakfasts and ski trips. DPR, which is behind the $25 million remodeling of Barney’s New York in San Francisco’s Union Square, offers its 1,371 employees fully-paid sabbaticals, an onsite fitness center, flex time and telecommuting.

PCL Construction Enterprises

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No. 73 on Fortune’s list, this Denver, Colo.-based contractor is employee-owned, and puts a premium on volunteerism. It offers a job-sharing program, professional training and pushes employees to rack up at least 18 volunteer hours annually.

Balfour Beatty Construction

At No. 85, this Dallas, Texas-based company is admired for its spirit teams at every work site, which put on events such as arm-wrestling for charity for its 2,543 employees.

In October 2009, the company acquired New York City-based construction management firm Parsons Brinkcerhoff for $626 million. Parsons Brinckerhoff, in tandem with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, built the Croton Water Treatment Plant tunnels in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, which were completed in 2010 and provide water treatment facilities for the city’s Croton water supply system. The firm is also spearheading the $7.3 billion East Side Access project, which will bring eight tracks of Long Island Rail Road service to a newly constructed station space at Grand Central Terminal.

TD Industries

The 100 percent employee-owned firm came in at No. 86, and is known for the close rapport between bosses and employees, particularly the frequent meetings known as “breakfast with the BUMs,” or business unit managers. The Dallas, Texas-based firm’s 1,660 employees—41 percent of whom are minorities– can avail themselves of a compressed workweek, domestic partner benefits for same-sex employees, as well as telecommuting. – Hiten Samtani