Description
The Global Real Estate Workforce Survey is now open for data collection.
This global benchmarking initiative captures critical insights into workforce demographics, organizational culture, and employment practices across the commercial real estate (CRE) industry.
Conducted by Ferguson Partners and backed by 19 global industry associations, the Survey – which will be the fourth edition – is the most comprehensive research effort focused on workforce composition and organizational strategies in the CRE sector.
The previous edition—Volume 3, published January 2024—included data from 216 firms representing nearly 297,000 full-time employees and $1.98 trillion in assets under management. Participants submitted detailed metrics on hiring, promotion, retention, workplace culture, and internal practices related to workforce inclusivity.
The Survey was renamed from the Global Real Estate DEI Survey to better reflect its broader focus. While representation data remains core, the Survey also evaluates how companies foster employee engagement, ensure pay equity, and expand access to real estate careers.
Highlights from Volume 3 (2024) included:
- 96% of participating firms had workforce culture or inclusivity-related policies; 56.4% had formal strategies.
- Female representation ranged from 39.8% to 45.6% globally.
- 30% of U.S. employees identified as part of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups.
- 36.3% of firms had dedicated budgets to support workforce-related initiatives.
- Scholarships and internships emerged as the top policy for expanding candidate pools.
The 2026 Survey (Volume 4) is supported by a coalition of associations including AFIRE, AIA, APREA, AREF, BOMA, BPF, CFMA, CoreNet Global, CREW Network, EPRA, NAIOP, NAREIM, NCREIF, OSCRE, PFA, PREA, RICS, REALPAC and ULI.
Data collection is open until September 19, 2025. Final results will be released on January 15, 2026.