The Global Real Estate Workforce Survey (Volume IV) provides insight into how commercial real estate organizations are managing workforce composition, culture, and people practices during a period of significant change for the industry.
Conducted biennially in collaboration with Ferguson Partners and supported by 19 leading commercial real estate associations globally, the Survey examines workforce demographics and internal practices across North America.
About the Survey
Formerly known as the Global Real Estate DEI Survey, the Survey was renamed to reflect its broader focus on workforce data. While representation remains a core component, the Global Real Estate Workforce Survey also evaluates how organizations foster employee engagement, support inclusive workplace cultures, address pay equity, and expand access to careers in commercial real estate.
Key Findings (North America)
- Women represent 43.5% of the overall workforce
- Nearly one-third of U.S.-based employees identify as people of color
- More than 90% of firms report having either a formal inclusivity program or related policies in place
- 44% maintain a fully documented, firmwide program approved by senior leadership
- 38% of firms reported changing the language used to describe these efforts
- 30% have a dedicated inclusivity budget, while another 44% fund these efforts through other business areas
- 71% reported no change in spending on inclusivity-related efforts over the past year
- Employee engagement remains a priority, with 78% of firms assigning staff resources to inclusivity work (averaging 1.2 FTE)
- Mental health and non-work-related support (87.5%) and enhanced parental leave are among the most widely adopted retention and culture practices
A Snapshot During Transition
Volume IV of the Global Real Estate Workforce Survey reflects responses from 57 organizations, representing 42,125 full-time real estate employees and almost $716 billion in assets under management across North America. Data was collected between June and September 2025.
The Survey is conducted in collaboration with Ferguson Partners and supported by 19 global commercial real estate associations, including AFIRE, AIA, APREA, AREF, BOMA, BPF, CFMA, CoreNet Global, CREW Network, EPRA, NAIOP, NAREIM, NCREIF, OSCRE, PFA, PREA, RICS, REALPAC and ULI. The Survey was formerly known as the Global Real Estate DEI Survey.