Too many barriers to retaining women in real estate sector

Traditional approaches to talent management and reward processes are significant barriers to retaining women in the property industry and are exacerbating the skills crisis, according to a new report from The Circle Partnership in collaboration with Cellence Plus and Laing O’Rourke.

Ceri Moyers, Director, The Circle Partnership

The research looks in depth at the unique values, strengths and concerns of a group of mid-level women in a variety of roles from across the built environment. The findings revealed unexpectedly marked similarities in how this diverse group behave in the workplace.

It has long been known that the built environment has a problem when it comes to gender balance, particularly at senior leadership levels, but so far it has been difficult to understand why that is, said Ceri Moyers, director, The Circle Partnership.

“A focus to date on the policies and procedures that impact on diversity has ignored a critical piece of the puzzle: that of culture and behaviour,” she explained. “The insight gained from this study suggests that the industry still doesn’t seem to fully understand how to make the most of women’s talents and potential. And it also raises bigger questions about our macro workplace culture: it is time to re-examine the environment that favours traditionally masculine traits of extroversion, competition and leading from the front rather than expecting others to adapt to fit.”

The study revealed that women are discouraged by overtly competitive or ambitious behaviour, preferring to earn recognition through consistency, reliability, and quiet competence. They are also more cautious and risk averse when it comes to career and finance, which could be a key contributor to the ongoing gender pay gap.

The report finds that women are extremely strong in relationship building, emotional intelligence, empathy, influencing and team building – and these ‘relational’ skills are becoming critical as technology and new working practices become more diffuse.

Women are also more driven to contribute to team success and prioritise collaboration over personal advancement and have a tendency to bottle up frustrations. The study concludes that if the industry is serious about attracting and retaining female talent and easing costly and inefficient employee turnover, businesses should reconsider the ways in which women are managed, developed and rewarded.

“The behaviours that this study revealed complement traditional definitions of ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits highlighted in gender-based research, but what is startling is the consistency of the findings, particularly when considering the size, age, experience and role spread of the women assessed,” said Lucy Kendall, head of resourcing and DEI, Laing O’Rourke. “For any organisation looking to retain its female talent, these findings demand attention when it comes to talent management strategies.”

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