A major industry survey has revealed the key strengths each agency must have to attract the industry's top talent.
According to REB’s exclusive Australian Residential Real Estate Industry Employer of Choice 2015 report, 65.4 per cent of respondents nominated company culture as a key consideration for joining their present business.
Respondents, who were allowed to make multiple responses, also placed considerable importance on brand, which hit 48.9 per cent.
Other leading motivations were training and education on 38.0 per cent, company size on 35.8 per cent and head office support on 30.4 per cent.
The report also revealed the particular features that different types of real estate professionals valued.
The top three reasons principals gave for joining their present business were culture on 61.2 per cent, brand on 52.5 per cent and head office support on 42.6 per cent.
For agents, the main considerations were culture on 63.3 per cent, brand on 51.8 per cent, and training and education on 38.4 per cent.
Property managers placed even greater emphasis on culture, with 77.3 per cent, followed by training and education, with 46.1 per cent, and company size, with 43.0 per cent.
Gough Recruitment director Justine Buhrmann told REB that 95 per cent of candidates who interview at the recruitment firm rate culture as a very important factor.
“The best candidates in the market value a culture highly, so if you want to attract them, you need to work on this,” Ms Buhrmann said.
“It also keeps current staff loyal to a business when markets are tough, or they are having a tough month or day.”
A special feature – available only to REB+ subscribers – looks at some of the key findings from the Employer of Choice report, including the strengths and weaknesses of each national residential real estate group, why agents are attracted to the independent sector and what it takes to create a top office.
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To buy the full 61-page Employer of Choice report, click here.