Up until recently, commercial real estate was a highly male dominated industry. In fact, as recently as the 1970s, women were not in the industry save for in clerical or accounting positions. Over the years, the tenacity of women has enabled them to change the landscape of commercial real estate. In 1984, there were only 100 female CCIM. Today, that has number grown to about 550, but women still only account for 13% of all CCIMs in the US. There is still a lot of room to grow. Here are three ways to empower women in commercial real estate:

Representation

The number of women in C-Suite level positions in commercial real estate are still astonishingly low (less than 10%). Having representation in the hiring process, where at least one qualified female candidate is interviewed for a position is something that the industry adopted. A similar pledge, known as the Parity Pledge, has been signed by NASDAQ to offer women better representation in the hiring process.

Mentorship

Offering guidance to younger women who are just beginning their careers is critical. Women who have been in the industry longer, with higher-level positions, have the understanding and experience under their belts to know how to navigate the challenging field. Sharing this and creating a sisterhood among women in real estate will enable more women to feel confident entering the field.

Understanding Motherhood

Having a family is stressful enough, but often male dominated workplaces can be unforgiving to a woman starting or growing a family. Therefore, having fair maternity leave practices that allow for women to take off the time needed and also ease back into work with flexible schedules are a must. Firms should make it a priority to explore how they can support mothers at the office, and the best way to do so is to ask them directly. Ideas include flexible work hours, offering childcare in the office, and understanding when an unforeseen life issue happens.

These are just a few of the ways to support women in the CRE industry, but I’d love to hear from you! Leave your thoughts in the comments below!