COMMENT As a woman working in the real estate and technology industries, both of which are largely male-dominated, I’ve had to learn to overcome impostor syndrome and challenge other people’s assumptions about my role and career plans.
I now understand the value of my own contribution to the workplace, and that it often brings an alternative perspective to problem-solving as a result of my personal experiences.
For women aspiring to work in the property industry, it’s important that there isn’t a pressure to become moulded into the typical real estate ‘hire’. My advice for anyone exploring a career in this sector is to understand that your differences can also be your strengths – and play to these.
However, it’s understandable that for any new joiners, it can be difficult to display confidence in a new role, especially if it involves moving overseas like I did from Hong Kong to the UK. For anyone looking to build confidence and meet other like-minded individuals that you can bounce ideas off, I recommend getting involved in events and industry groups as much as possible. Personally, mentoring start-ups has been a real confidence booster for me and has been noted as one of my strong attributes that was recognised by EG directly, with my nominations last year in the EG Tech Awards (Rising Digital Star) and EG Awards (Rising Star) awards.
One of the most significant barriers to entry for women in the property sector is a lack of awareness of the diverse roles available in the industry. To tackle this issue moving forward, real estate companies should work closely with organisations, schools and universities to educate women about the career opportunities and growth potential in the industry. It’s important for businesses to adopt flexible hiring policies so candidates outside of the traditional real estate education background are also considered. This will help build more diverse teams that bring a range of viewpoints to the table and are ultimately more representative of their customers.
When we are talking about equity as opposed to equality, it’s critical that companies not only listen to their female employees but take the time to address their concerns, and provide the required policies and resources for these individuals to succeed. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Embracing equity makes happier, healthier and more successful businesses. It’s all of our responsibility to challenge stereotypes, call out problematic behaviour and help create an inclusive environment for everyone in the workplace to thrive.
At GPE, we are putting diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront of our working and customer culture, holding the business accountable to each commitment. We are partnering with organisations such as Arrival and XLP to change recruitment policies, build diverse talent development programmes and drive cultural change.
Elsewhere, GPE has made huge strides forward over the past year. Our executive committee has committed to ensure more than 60% of senior recruits are female and 40% of all senior leadership roles are occupied by females by 2025. This is a huge step in the right direction.
Ella Walter-Pavlou is innovation manager at GPE and an EG Rising Star
