Letting & Estate Agent Podcast The gender gap in Estate Agency isn't an accident - Ep. 2491
Mar 8, 2026
David Powell, CEO of Andrews Property Group, discusses gender balance in estate and letting agencies and why structural choices create disparities. He talks about flexible working, practical examples of senior leaders on reduced hours, and how technology and trust can enable results-based flexibility. He also explores maternity-related career barriers and ways leaders can retain talent.
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Deliberate Gender Balance Mirrors Customers
- The gender balance in Andrews reflects customer demographics and the company intentionally matches staff to that split.
- David Powell reports 33% female on the board, 33% in the executive team, and 50% among heads of departments as targeted representation.
Motherhood Assumptions Drive Progression Dropoff
- The gender dropoff from negotiator to branch manager happens because employers assume women will take career breaks for motherhood.
- Powell notes other countries where fathers take similar leave avoid that hiring bias, while the UK still lags.
Use Flexible Schedules To Retain Senior Women
- Offer flexible working arrangements so senior women can balance school runs and leadership duties without losing career momentum.
- Andrews places senior staff like Alex and Harrod on flexible schedules and trusts them to return time as needed.