Women within real estate transactional teams experience greater progression hurdles than men: a review of real estate firms from a gendered perspective

This presentation was based on a research project that sought to understand the relationship between gender, progression and promotion within transactional roles in the Real Estate Industry and also aimed to provide guidance for real estate firms on how they can support more females to progress to senior positions within Real Estate Transactional Teams. The number of women entering surveying firms has steadily increased in recent times (RICS, 2022) and this increase is reflected within transaction teams. However the number of senior females within transactional teams is not reflective of the wider real estate industry, showing an upward mobility limitation. Topics such as policies that promote increase female representation within Real Estate firms, Female representation onto Leadership boards, as well as themes relating to hindrances of females into these positions were addressed. These included childcare responsibilities, masculine workplace culture, recruiting bias and fee-earning culture. A synthesised analysis of the factors preventing women from progression to senior roles were given.