The $108 Billion Culture: How Harrison Street's People-First Strategy Fuels Its Real Asset Dominance

CHICAGO, IL – December 08, 2025 – In the hyper-competitive world of global finance, accolades can sometimes feel routine. But when a firm is recognized as a top employer for the eleventh time, it signals something deeper than a good benefits package. Harrison Street Asset Management (HSAM), a powerhouse in real assets with over $108 billion under management, has once again been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Money Management” by the prestigious trade publication Pensions & Investments.

This consistent recognition is not a footnote to the firm’s success; it is the very engine driving its explosive growth and strategic acquisitions in key sectors like student housing, senior living, and data centers. While many firms focus solely on assets and returns, Harrison Street has built a formidable competitive advantage by treating its human capital as its most valuable asset, creating a blueprint for how to build a resilient, high-performance culture amid rapid global expansion.

A Decade of Distinction: Deconstructing an Award-Winning Culture

Securing a top workplace award from Pensions & Investments is no small feat. The recognition is heavily weighted, with 75-80% of the score derived directly from anonymous employee surveys. This methodology ensures the award reflects genuine employee sentiment rather than corporate marketing. For Harrison Street, this eleventh win underscores a long-term, deliberate investment in its people that goes far beyond industry norms.

A cornerstone of its strategy is the Harrison Street Impact Academy (HSIA), an internal university designed to cultivate leadership and professional skills. The academy offers programming on everything from effective communication to strategic problem-solving, empowering employees to grow within the firm. This commitment to professional development is complemented by a generous tuition reimbursement program for advanced degrees and certifications.

The firm’s benefits package is equally impressive and designed to support employees both personally and professionally. It features a 16-week paid parental leave policy for all full-time employees, regardless of gender, which includes a phased return-to-work plan. This stands out in an industry often criticized for its demanding hours. Furthermore, HSAM offers a no-deductible healthcare plan, covering 90% of the premium, and unlimited paid time off for employees at the Vice President level and above. These initiatives demonstrate a clear understanding that employee well-being is directly linked to performance and retention.

"Being recognized as one of the ‘Best Places to Work in Money Management’ by Pensions & Investments reflects our ongoing commitment to cultivating a culture where our team feels supported, challenged, and inspired to do their best work," said Stacy Nyenbrink, Chief People Officer at Harrison Street Asset Management, in a recent statement. This sentiment highlights the intentionality behind a culture that has proven remarkably durable.

People Powering Performance: Fueling Global Expansion

The true impact of Harrison Street’s culture is most evident in its recent, staggering growth. In the last year alone, the firm has nearly doubled its assets under management from approximately $56 billion to over $108 billion, while its employee count has swelled from around 300 to more than 600 globally. This expansion was driven by major strategic moves, including the acquisition of a majority stake in European credit manager RoundShield Partners and the unification of its North American investment businesses under a single Harrison Street brand.

Such rapid integration of new teams and platforms is a notorious stress test for any corporate culture. Nyenbrink noted the firm’s success followed the “successful integration of multiple world-class teams this year,” a feat that would be nearly impossible without a strong, pre-existing cultural foundation of trust and collaboration. A stable, engaged workforce is critical to absorbing new entities, aligning strategies, and maintaining momentum without succumbing to the internal friction that often plagues post-merger environments.

This human-centric stability allows the firm to focus on its core investment strategy: identifying and dominating niche, demographically-driven real asset classes. From developing a 1,195-bed student housing community in Tampa to acquiring a portfolio of senior living properties, Harrison Street’s operational excellence is built on the expertise and dedication of its teams. The ability to attract and, more importantly, retain top talent in these specialized sectors is a direct result of its reputation as a premier employer. In an industry where talent is migratory, Harrison Street has created a destination.

Talent as a Tangible Asset in Real Estate Investment

In the final analysis, the “Best Place to Work” award is more than a plaque on the wall; it is a strategic weapon in the fierce war for talent. For a firm operating at the leading edge of real estate and infrastructure investment, attracting professionals with deep, sector-specific knowledge is paramount. The award serves as a powerful signal to the market, differentiating Harrison Street from competitors and attracting high-caliber candidates who value culture as much as compensation.

The firm’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) further broadens its appeal. With initiatives like mandatory implicit bias training and the “Harrison Street Network of Women,” the company has fostered an environment where diverse perspectives are sought and valued. In 2024, 60% of new hires were female or from minority backgrounds, underscoring a commitment that strengthens innovation and decision-making.

Ultimately, Harrison Street’s story provides a compelling case study for the entire real assets industry. It demonstrates that a deeply embedded, people-first culture is not a “soft” initiative but a hard-nosed business strategy that builds resilience, drives growth, and creates sustainable, long-term value. By investing in its people, the firm has built a platform capable of executing complex strategies on a global scale, proving that the most valuable assets in any portfolio may very well be the people who manage it.