Building Our Future Through Culture and Community

“Our culture is the superpower that allows us to consistently perform at the highest level.” Ric Campo, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Camden

Camden Property Trust is an S&P 500 Company and one of the largest publicly traded multifamily companies in the United States. Structured as a REIT (real estate investment trust), Camden owns, operates, and develops properties containing approximately 60,000 apartment homes located in 15 major markets in the United States.

For 18 consecutive years, Camden Property Trust has earned a coveted spot on Fortune Magazine’s list of America’s 100 Best Companies to Work For®. What is the secret behind this remarkable achievement? Read on to learn more!

Cultivating a Culture of Trust and Authentic Connection

 "There are many contributing factors to a winning culture, but at the heart of ours is an unwavering commitment to active listening and authentic connections,” states Chief Operating Officer, Laurie Baker.

Camden’s “why” is to improve the lives of our team members, customers, and shareholders, one experience at a time. And their commitment to active listening is not just a principle; it is a cornerstone of culture and leadership. Employee touchpoints include an annual trust survey, quarterly engagement pulses, 1:1 manager meetings, and more. It is through these meaningful connections that Camden attributes its ability to improve lives one interaction at a time. Camden’s “why” inspires action and unites team members with purpose.

“Our conversation formats are more of a dialogue than a monologue. After my growth conversation [with my manager], it surprised me how honest I could be. It was a safe space, and I was pumped after my conversation.” Camden Shared Services Team Member

Building trust is a core tenet of Camden’s “Art of Leadership” development program for all new managers. This best-in-class 2-day learning experience offers leaders an opportunity to explore human-centered, strengths-based leadership and elevates the critical role leaders play in employee engagement. Key participant takeaways include getting to know their team’s individual strengths and motivators and committing to more impactful conversations with team members. In 2024, Camden measured 34,000+ such touchpoints and gained new insight into the power of manager-employee connection. Team members who had weekly conversations with their leaders were twice as likely to be fully engaged at work, illustrating the power of cultivating an environment where people feel seen, heard, and connected to their leaders.

Thanks to these strengthened connections, in their 2025 Trust Index survey, 91% of Camden employees said management shows sincere interest in them as a person, not just an employee; 94% of employees feel they are treated as a full team member regardless of position; and 95% of employees say people care about each other. 

Co-Creating the Future

Camden consistently demonstrates that people are their greatest differentiator and therefore prioritizes opportunities to improve outcomes by tapping into that power. Executive leadership seeks feedback through a suggestion box (with a 100% response rate) and periodic surveys. Feedback and ideas submitted by team members through these channels have led to new and enhanced benefits, including extended parental leave, increased employee rental discount, and pet insurance. Additional topics are fed into dedicated working groups, where Camden team members from a variety of backgrounds can be a contributing force in the decision-making process.

On participating in one of these working groups, a Camden General Manager in Austin, Texas shared, “Our group is full of amazing leaders from all over the country, with one goal in mind – to improve our processes for our employees and customers. This group fosters a safe, open space to talk honestly. To be real. And in true Camden fashion, we have fun!”

As a result of prioritizing inclusive decision making, Camden has driven operational changes that enhance work-life flexibility, bonus structures, and operational efficiencies, which impact both employees and residents. From 2022 to 2025, employee confidence in management involving people in workplace decisions grew significantly. Overall agreement rose from 79% to 85%, aligning with top industry benchmarks. Camden’s customer sentiment score reached a record high of 91.1 in April 2025. This is the highest score Camden has ever received since they began measuring customer sentiment in 2014, and it is a testament to the value each team member brings in delivering exceptional service and paving the way for continued individual and institutional growth.

Building Community

At Camden, People Driven is not only a core value; it is an operating norm. In addition to their emphasis on manager-employee connection and inclusive decision making, Camden has two specific people and culture-centric groups that create a warm welcome and foster a sense of belonging for all: Camden’s Mentor Program and CultureConnection.

Camden’s Mentor Program is as much about making employees feel a part of Camden as it is about the job. Mentors teach newly promoted and new Camden employees about their job duties and share Camden’s values and culture. Notably, mentors are paired with people in the same position as them outside of their immediate teams, creating an opportunity to see how others operate, extend their Camden network, and build new relationships. Mentors are selected for their commitment to Camden's values and purpose.

"I have been with Camden for 18 years and have had the opportunity to be an unofficial member of the Mentor team by being leaned on by others. I am so blessed now to be able to be an official Mentor. I love helping others grow and seeing how they progress. Helping others makes me feel a part of something special and important and has helped me grow in my Camden journey.” Camden General Manager in Charlotte, North Carolina

CultureConnection is Camden’s employee, peer-led community established to promote a borderless community and belonging. In 2024, CultureConnection highlighted the unique stories of over 100 team members and introduced creative awareness and team-building opportunities to foster cultural recognition. Some engagements shared across the organization include ‘Exploring Different Brains,’ an employee-led video for Neurodiversity Awareness, ‘Movement for Mental Health, ’ a national step challenge, and ‘Cafecito,’ a national coffee social celebrating Hispanic Heritage.

A District Coordinator in Atlanta shared the following: “CultureConnection gives a voice to EVERYONE. No matter how loud, bold, calm, or subtle, there are amazing opportunities for our team members to be seen far beyond their roles here at Camden. CultureConnection has given me and others in Camden the space to celebrate not only who we are in the present, but those who forged the way for us through our diverse cultural histories and the foundations that shape who we can become both professionally and personally."

Both groups receive best-in-class leadership development training, national recognition, and the benefit of growing their Camden experience, skills, and network. In 2024, 30% of Camden mentors had received a promotion, and 100% of CultureConnection Leads renewed group membership. Combined, individuals in these networks and others both benefit from and contribute to a truly supportive work environment.