5th July 2019 / Prue Fletcher: REB Women In Real Estate Awards

Last month, I had the pleasure of representing Fletchers alongside my colleagues Sarah Lowry (CMO) and Beth Oleyar (CCO) at the inaugural REB Women in Real Estate Awards held in Sydney on Thursday 27th June.

It was an incredible evening shared with industry colleagues and both Sarah, Beth and I were fortunate to be named as finalist in 4 categories (Young Leader, Rising Star, Wellness Advocate and Industry Thought Leader). Although we didn't come away with the silverware this year, we were extremely proud to have represented the Fletchers brand on a national level.

Reflecting on the past 9 months I've spent in my new role as Brand & Lifestyle Ambassador, it really was a 'pinch me' moment to be included in an evening which shined a light on all the wonderful women working hard to create positive change within our industry.

Leading into the event, I was dubious about a 'female only' awards night, for I have never personally felt secondary to my male colleagues. However, I have come away from this experience after having listened to some heartfelt acceptance speeches with a very real reminder of what it really takes for women to perform at the top level and it's left me thinking, 'can we really have it all?'

My answer? I think we can have it all, just not all at the same time. For when you give to one area in life, you instinctively take from the other.

Whether you are male or female, real estate is a round-the-clock profession. With the rise of automation and AI, there is an expectation that you are available 24/7.

In light of my nominations, it's now very much on my radar to ensure that within our firm and through wider networking opportunities, we do more to support each other on our way to the top.

Tim Neary, Editor in Chief of the REB said that 'the awards night provides a platform for women in the industry to showcase their talents and be role models for others: yet, I also feel that the platform provides us with a voice and strong social obligation to be real about the pressures that we face to get there.

There still remains a large social imbalance when it comes to the roles both men and women play today. Women still spend almost twice as many hours a day performing unpaid care work than men*.

And although we can match our male colleagues in terms of intelligence and value, never before have we asked our body and mind to operate in this 24/7 arena.

To perform at the top level of your chosen field requires both sacrifice and hard work. However, what is required of the modern woman of today; career, family, social circle, self-care, allows me to believe that we have a broader responsibility to look out for one another on a much more deeper, more intuitive level. We may be climbing the corporate ladders but we need to make sure we continue to check in at every step.

This includes offering help to our colleagues as well as taking it, having regular check-ins with HR and being provided with career progression opportunities, while advocating for wellness programs and mental health days. Keeping staff motivated, engaged and holistically well should be a focus point for the leadership groups of today.

As we continue to nurture the next wave of female leaders, celebrating women in leadership roles truly helps shine a positive light on how far we've come as an industry. But if there's one thing of which I'm certain after attending Australia's 1st inaugural Women in Real Estate Awards in 2019 ...

The journey has only just begun.

*Source: humanrights.gov.au/face-facts