What would you consider most critical to helping your real estate agency grow? Chances are, you’re focused on commission splits, agent training, marketing and advertising, leads and inventory — all of which affect your ability to recruit and keep good real estate agents.
But one thing brokers often forget to invest in is the culture within the brokerage and how it affects agent retention, recruiting and productivity.
Workplace culture is essentially the personality of your business: the environment, attitude, expectations and ethics that you want to foster to achieve your business goals.
While successful brokerages vary on the details, they all have one thing in common: a supportive and positive company culture, and the more unique you make it, the harder it will be to find it somewhere else.
So how do you build a great brokerage culture? Consider focusing on the following to create a positive company culture:
Training
Being able to offer courses, tips, best practices or insights from your years of experience are enthusiastically welcomed, especially for new or younger agents.
People first
Recognizing achievements as well as celebrating the small personal milestones of folks in your brokerage helps to create a feeling that you are a team that cares about each other beyond the job.
These personal relationships create the glue that keeps your team together.
Communication
Don’t hide in your ivory tower; communicate the business of your agency often, in both individual and group settings.
Open communication is the heart of an empowered agent team. If they know where you are headed, they may just be able to help you get there.
Support
Even when you’re too busy to help, don’t ever make your agents feel that their requests are unimportant.
Find the time to follow up with them, and make it clear that their success is your priority. In fact, it should be — if you want to be successful.
Make it fun
Just because it’s work, doesn’t mean your agents need to feel negative about doing it. Find ways to get people involved and encourage them to do the things they need to do to get the job done.
Your business benefits from the passion, productivity and loyalty that results from the consistent application of these principles.
Creating a positive, fun and productive workplace doesn’t just happen by chance. There are many things a broker can do to foster a great environment that will create the kind of buzz that brings agents to your door.
By listening, learning and working differently than your competitors, you can help turn your vision for success into a reality.
Bill Scavone is President and Chief Operating Officer of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. You can follow Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. on Facebook or LinkedIn.