Women are often told not to be too aggressive, too confident or too bold. So how do we break this pattern then? Personally, I think you should hire a mum because she is the best multitasker and negotiator, wearing all hats and juggling all the plates. Are men more loyal to their employers than women or is it the other way around? The gap is still prominent, and I just think, what are we going to do to close the gap?
Welcome to Macroscope, your lens into real estate hiring and careers. Brought to you by Macdonald & Company.
Hi, I’m Vianney Dinnall-Sadler, an Associate Director at Macdonald & Company and I specialise in HR, business support and operations across BTR and PBSA. Hi, I’m Hafsah Zubbair. I’m a consultant at Macdonald & Company. I work in the housing sector across housing associations and local authorities.
Real estate’s gender gap sits at 16 percent, which is above the national average of 13 percent. Why do you think the national average is higher in real estate than any other industry? Well, the real estate industry has always been male dominated, and I think they’ve worked really hard to attract more women into the industry, and that’s definitely improving. But from our survey, we can see that there has been a gap across asset management, surveying, town planning, leasing and sales. So I think they’re working really hard to improve that gender pay gap, but we have still got a lot of catching up to do.
From our recent salary survey, we saw that men’s median pay was £75,000 and women’s was £63,000. That is a 16 percent gap. Do you think this is based on performance?
I think it’s about the role, how it’s made up, the composition of the role and what sector it’s in. And even before bonus entitlements, men’s highest entitlement is up to 40 percent and women’s highest entitlement is up to 30 percent. That is not even taking into account where employees are rewarded for going into work sick or unwell, and it is all about visibility versus output.
Our research shows that entry level and junior roles start on equal footing. Salaries are pretty much standardised, but then it starts to split when you get to senior associate or middle management level roles. That is when the difference begins. This comes down to age. In your late twenties and early thirties, you start making decisions about your career, childcare and motherhood. All of these things come into play, and it can create somewhat of a step back. It is unfortunate for women in their late twenties to early thirties to start seeing that gap appear simply because of the gender they were born into and because they want to start a family. It can really change the trajectory of their career if they decide to leave work and have a baby.
So what is driving this mid career divergence? Childcare costs play a huge factor for women returning to work after maternity leave. Around 65 percent of women consider not returning because of the cost. Many consider taking a pay cut or settling in a role beneath their level because costs are too high. Having a small child myself, I know it has a huge impact.
There is also the Pink Flamingo Effect, where you lose a sense of identity after being out of work for long periods of time. Women with bigger families can lose their sense of self worth, their understanding of their skillset and what they bring to organisations. Personally, I think you should hire a mum because she is the best multitasker and negotiator, but the reality is women miss out on what is going on in the market and do not always know how much their skillset is valued. This impacts confidence, which then impacts negotiation. Women may accept things long term that will not suit their lifestyle.
For example, I had a candidate who was returning from maternity leave with twins starting nursery. She needed flexibility and to cover childcare fees, but she felt unsure about asking. I told her she could negotiate on all these things and the right opportunity would come, but she needed to understand her worth. When it comes to salary negotiation, men often apply for roles even if they do not meet all criteria, whereas women may wait until they feel fully qualified. Many women do not realise they can negotiate job title, flexibility, salary review and holiday, not just base salary.
Research shows that moving to a different company typically yields around a 24 percent pay rise, while staying for a promotion yields around 21 percent. Are men more loyal to their employers than women? According to our research, 50 percent of men and 45 percent of women said they would consider moving employers this year. Women job hop less, meaning they miss market increases and are penalised for loyalty. To break this pattern, we need transparency around salaries and standardised pay ranges based on experience, not previous roles, to combat negotiation bias.
At senior levels, the gap widens further. Men at MD and C suite levels typically see salaries around £170,000, while women see around £145,000. When you include bonuses, LTIPs and other incentives, the gap remains prominent. The Shifting Standards Model shows that harsher criteria are applied to women in leadership, who must prove their competence, while men benefit from assumed capability. Women are often told not to be too aggressive or too bold. Men do not carry these expectations.
Does diversity improve financial performance? Yes. Research shows businesses with more diverse boards see a 27 percent increase in financial performance. So why are fewer women hired? Motherhood penalties, career breaks, childcare costs, lack of confidence and inflexibility all compound the problem.
Flexible working has not disappeared, but autonomy is shrinking. Last year, 30 percent had a choice of office or home, now it is 23 percent. Women say stricter mandates negatively impact them, and 50 percent are considering leaving real estate due to inflexibility. Nursery and school hours do not align with the workday, and flexibility is essential.
In the public sector too, pushback is growing around mandated office days. Many roles being five days in the office dramatically shrinks the candidate pool. The cost of coming into the office can be significant, and childcare and commute considerations weigh heavily on women. Women face fewer promotion opportunities because they are less physically present and do not shout about their achievements. Leaders should model flexibility, leave loudly and be visible about their family commitments.
Many real estate professionals no longer feel valued. Women want to be seen and heard. They often take on invisible work at home and in the workplace. At senior levels, women can have the title without influence. Some are even left out of important meetings. Praise and approval matter, but they need to be embedded into culture. People feel valued when recognised and when they have strong relationships with managers. Bravado cultures can create dissonance, and women are more likely to keep their heads down while men shout about achievements.
Women are nuanced. Hormonally, women have an infradian rhythm while men have a 24 hour rhythm. Employers can support women through menstrual products in bathrooms or leave for severe symptoms. Hormonal health is fundamental to retention.
AI is reshaping work. Fifty two percent of people in real estate use AI, but women use it 25 percent less. Early adoption is critical. Women who use AI feel more confident, which leads to better progression. Access and exposure are key. If women do not adopt AI, especially early in their careers, entry level roles that AI may replace will disproportionately impact them.
At senior levels, AI adoption is lower despite strategies being set at those levels. Only 14 percent of companies are upskilling staff in AI. Without upskilling, the gender pay gap will widen.
Workshops could help ensure entire teams learn together, but willingness and self motivation are essential. If you want to get ahead, you must adopt AI. This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Give to Gain. There are three core levers employers can use: pay and progression, flexibility and AI upskilling.
Transparency in pay will prevent disadvantage as women progress. Flexibility is fundamental to retention and performance. Encouraging women to adopt AI will help them progress into senior roles where strategy is set.
If the insights around compensation, mid career challenges and workplace culture resonate with you, head to the show description.
If you’d like support with hiring, retention or building a more equitable workplace, visit Macdonaldandcompany.com/contact. Subscribe to Macdonald & Co on YouTube for more episodes of Macroscope. You can also find us on Spotify.
