Breaking down barriers and championing gender diversity in property

The property industry plays a central role in shaping our built environment, providing the housing, offices and infrastructure that forms the backbone of our communities. Aside from having the ability to shape the physical landscape of our future, it also holds huge potential to champion social progress, notably in the form of gender diversity for this and future generations. While progress has been made towards equality, only 30% of the sector workforce is female, and just 15% hold senior management positions.

Achieving gender diversity in the industry is not only clearly a moral imperative but a business one too. By embracing diversity, organisations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and in so doing, harness a variety of experience and perspectives to come up with more innovative and inclusive solutions to housing issues.

Studies have consistently demonstrated that companies with diverse workforces tend to perform at higher levels and are more efficient, resulting in improved results in the long-term. By prioritising gender diversity and inclusion, the industry can ensure that it fully meet the needs of the communities it serves, creating more equitable and just housing options that are more responsive to the needs of our society.

Equal opportunities

Like many other industries, the UK property sector is guilty of gender biases that must be reversed to promote diversity in the workforce. This shift has to start with the hiring process, where gendered language can dissuade women from applying for positions in the first place. Conscious or even unconscious biases can come in many forms, so it is vital to implement measures that not only recognise but eliminate them – in the recruitment process, this might include blind CVs, so candidates are hired solely on merit, or standardised interview questions to ensure everyone starts off on an equal footing.

Facilitating women’s development and progression in their careers is another crucial step the sector must take. This is something we believe in passionately at HSPG. After all, in the social housing space, having women in decision-making roles is essential. This ensures that the unique experiences of women who may need these services due to domestic violence or mental health issues are considered.

To achieve this, mentoring programmes can provide guidance and support for women at all stages of their careers, so they have the opportunity to connect with other skilled professionals, receive the career advice they need and expand their networks. By prioritising development and growth, companies will benefit from a more diverse senior management team that is able to bring a range of perspectives to the table.

Change must be driven from the top. Representation at senior levels is absolutely critical to ensure that equality filters throughout a business. But this representation needs to go beyond token efforts. It needs to give female leaders the chance to spearhead real change. We have already seen the practice of quotas essentially fail within the broader corporate arena among listed companies where female representation is often confined to non-executive level. Boards must have female representation at executive level if they are to champion true equality.

Celebrating diversity

Achieving diversity in the industry also requires businesses to play an active role in creating a workplace culture that celebrates and fosters the unique contributions and experiences of all employees. This begins with recognising and addressing the gendered challenges that women face in both their professional and personal lives, such as caring responsibilities and the impact of pregnancy, menstruation and menopause on their health.

In order to support employees with these challenges, businesses can offer a range of flexible working arrangements, such as parental leave and flexible work hours, which allow employees to balance their personal and professional lives effectively. In addition, providing accessible and private facilities for breastfeeding, as well as education and support around menopause, can help create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees.

Even small actions can have a significant impact on employees’ wellbeing. For instance, at HSPG, we always made sure that one of our parking spaces closest to the main door was always available for our pregnant colleague whenever she was in the office. By doing so, she never had to walk far and always had a convenient spot in the car park. Such small but meaningful gestures can go a long way in creating a supportive workplace culture that values and cares for its employees.

By providing appropriate facilities and support systems at work, businesses can enable employees to feel comfortable and valued in their workplace. It’s crucial that initiatives to promote diversity and flexibility come from senior leaders. By setting an example for the rest of the organisation, leaders can create a workplace culture that values diversity and empowers employees to achieve their full potential, regardless of gender.

Significant strides have been made over the past few decades to address gender equality in the property sector, but a disparity remains especially at top-brass. To drive real progress, businesses should embrace change by implementing practices that reduce unconscious bias and celebrate the diversity of their workforce. In making these basic changes, businesses can fuel a major shift, creating a foundation for a more diverse and fair future in this industry and beyond.