Is there hypocrisy in our expectations as employers in real estate?

Hypocrisy: Behaving in a certain way and then getting upset when others do the same.

The wild world of real estate – where conflicting personalities collide, tensions run high, massively valuable assets are on the line, and time of the essence – is no stranger to hypocrisy. One example that we have come across frequently is where realtors expect their administrators to always be in the office by 9:00am, but they themselves barely ever make it in by noon. While we understand that there are employee/employer dynamics at play, and that realtors need to be out on the road, why is the real estate industry so adamant that their administrators must be in the office when they’re not? The realtor works from the road, the cottage or even across the ocean without giving it a second thought, so why does the admin staff need to sit in the office all day every day?  

Most of our team at AGENTC has worked in real estate, in varying capacities from realtors to client care managers, to operations managers, so we have seen all manner of realtor personalities. We’ve often seen realtors who expect responses from their administrators immediately when they are on the receiving end, but when it comes to getting any responses or feedback in return, it’s like a game of hide and seek. [Read: the administrator is seeking answers, often on time-sensitive matters, and the realtor is hiding.] We recently witnessed a situation where a realtor refused to interview a candidate because she was 2 minutes late with a valid reason. This same realtor is almost impossible to get a hold of, rarely answers his emails, and often goes missing in action for days when we really need a response. 

Employers are in a position of power and can often take that for granted. They expect the best from their employees, but do not reciprocate. The employer/employee relationship should be a two-way street; it’s important for both parties to establish clear expectations of the other and continuously strive to meet them. Furthermore, it’s important to recognize your own hypocrisy and be willing to change your behaviour so it’s consistent with your beliefs and the expectations and standards to which you hold your employees.