NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–RETS Associates, a leading commercial real estate (CRE) recruitment and staffing firm, today announced the findings from its 2018 Women in CRE Survey, which garnered results from women holding entry- to senior-level positions across the nation. Notably, 87.2 percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that the biggest challenge facing women in CRE today is equal pay, followed closely by a lack of promotion opportunities and feeling that female opinions aren’t as valued or respected as their male counterparts (79.2 and 79.1 percent respectively). According to the survey, gender pay and opportunity discrimination appears to be pervasive within this industry that accounted for 7.6 million American jobs and contributed $935.1 billion to U.S. GDP in 2017.1
“The days of commercial real estate being an ‘old boys club’ are over,” said Jana Turner, principal, RETS Associates and a former executive of a Fortune 500 global CRE company. “We had a great response to the survey with more than 615 participants. That’s significant. Women are more empowered than ever before to stand up to discrimination, but change must come from the top and currently there aren’t enough women in leadership positions. We’re working to change that.”