In recent years the real estate industry has been facing major structural change alongside rapid technological advances. The shift away from a traditional, face-to-face business model toward efficiency built on digital tools is accelerating, and the role people play has become more important than ever. This article explains why acquiring talent matters so much in the real estate industry, the challenges that make it hard, and concrete strategies for attracting outstanding people.
Why Do Industry Change and Investment in People Matter So Much Right Now?
In short: as the shift online and the broader move to digital accelerate, a company's competitiveness increasingly depends on securing people who combine IT skills with real estate expertise.
With the spread of the internet and the near-universal use of smartphones, more and more clients now gather property information online and complete even the initial stage of a consultation there. Much of the work that used to be done on paper and in person — booking a viewing, handling the contract paperwork, providing after-move-in support — is steadily shifting onto digital platforms.
The "real estate x IT" space in particular is a growth market that has drawn in a wave of startups. Not just large firms but small and mid-sized operators, too, are trying to differentiate themselves by adopting cutting-edge technology, which has pushed demand for people with IT skills to unprecedented levels. Innovation in the real estate industry requires both technology and human strengths working together — a combination that will feel familiar to anyone who has watched proptech reshape estate agency and property management work in other markets around the world.
Why Does Acquiring Talent Sit at the Root of a Company's Competitiveness?
In short: raising client satisfaction, generating innovation, and building a foundation for long-term growth all depend on securing and developing outstanding people.
Raising Client Satisfaction and Brand Strength
A company staffed with knowledgeable people who communicate well earns clients' trust more easily, which creates a virtuous cycle of repeat business and new clients gained through referrals.
Driving Innovation and Operational Efficiency
Bringing new technology properly into the business — AI-driven pricing and demand forecasting, or online viewing systems, for example — is simply not possible without people who have real IT skills.
People as the Foundation for Long-Term Growth
People are the foundation of corporate value. Just as INA's stated vision — to be "the world's number one company for investing in people" — suggests, a company that treats its people as its single most important asset builds the kind of solid foundation it needs for its business over the medium and long term.
What Are the Main Obstacles to Attracting Talent in Real Estate?
In short: there are four structural challenges — a slow generational handover driven by an aging workforce, intensifying competition for IT talent, high staff turnover, and a shift in what younger generations value.
An Aging Workforce and a Slow Generational Handover in Leadership
Veteran staff are retiring in large numbers all at once, risking the loss of years of accumulated hands-on experience and professional networks. At many companies, development of the next generation of leaders has not kept pace.
Intensifying Competition for IT Talent
Because the same demand for talent is rising just as fast in the IT and consulting sectors and other growth industries, skilled IT people find themselves in the middle of a fierce bidding war. People who combine real estate industry-specific knowledge with strong client-facing skills are exceptionally rare — a scarcity that will sound familiar to real estate and proptech employers in other developed markets, where the fight for technical talent is just as intense.
Turnover and Employee Engagement Challenges
Demanding ways of working — irregular hours, a compensation structure built heavily around commission — have become the norm in parts of the industry. High turnover also affects the quality of client service, and it can mean losing know-how and client networks out the door along with departing staff.
Shifting Values Among Younger Generations
Millennials and Gen Z tend to place a high value on opportunities for personal growth, work that carries social meaning, and work-life balance. Taking an ESG-minded approach to the business also matters for attracting younger talent.
What Strategies Help Attract Outstanding People?
In short: five things matter most — building the right company culture, offering attractive employment terms, investing in technology, pursuing recruiting strategically, and investing in engagement.
Building Company Culture and Investing in Talent Development Programs
Introducing a mentorship system, supporting staff in earning professional qualifications, and building an environment where employees can freely exchange knowledge with one another are all essential.
Offering Attractive Employment Terms and Benefits
Regularly reviewing compensation and benefits against market trends, and introducing flexible ways of working such as remote work or flextime, are also effective.
Using Technology to Improve Both Efficiency and Appeal
Using cutting-edge technology to make operations more efficient does more than project a forward-looking image to clients — it also helps attract people who are genuinely interested in technology.
Strategic Recruiting and Networking
Recruiting needs to draw on a range of channels — real estate industry conferences, IT-focused events, and partnerships with university career centers, among others.
Improving Engagement and Retention
A thorough onboarding process, regular one-on-one performance reviews, and clearly communicating a path for career progression all help prevent early turnover.
What Direction Do INA's Vision and Talent Strategy Take?
In short: by promoting diverse ways of working and actively embracing new technology, the company is raising its appeal while attracting outstanding people.
At INA, which practices human capital management and values-driven management, piloting hybrid and remote work supports employees in balancing productivity with work-life balance. The company has also built an environment where staff can put AI analytics and data-driven marketing into practice, which in turn strengthens its recruiting brand.
What New Kind of Talent Will the Real Estate Industry Need Going Forward?
In short: the industry will need people who combine technological literacy, communication skills, project management ability, and an awareness of sustainability.
- People with strong technological literacy: the skills to use AI and data-analysis tools to forecast market trends and automate parts of the contracting process.
- People who combine communication skills with genuine hospitality: building trust face-to-face and providing attentive, detailed support remain just as important as ever.
- People with project management and consulting ability: the ability to coordinate among a wide range of stakeholders, and to give advice with an eye on long-term asset value.
- People who can contribute to building a sustainable society: the ability to rethink how a real estate business operates through the lens of the SDGs and ESG is now indispensable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the real estate industry need IT talent?
The shift online and the broader move to digital are advancing rapidly, and IT has become essential in areas ranging from AI-driven pricing to online viewings to electronic contracts. Securing people who combine real estate knowledge with IT skills is now a key factor in a company's competitiveness.
How can the real estate industry lower staff turnover?
Building the right company culture, offering a clear career path, introducing flexible ways of working, and putting in place a fair evaluation system are all effective. What matters most is stimulating employees' own desire to grow and building genuine loyalty to the company.
What does "a company that invests in people" actually mean?
It describes a company that treats its employees not simply as a cost, but as its most important asset — its "jinzai" — and that actively invests in their growth and the full use of their abilities. INA has built this vision into the center of how it runs the business, with developing its people at the core.
