Being in real estate is all about dreams. Sure, it may be other people’s dreams, but you get to contribute to the long-term aspirations of people and organizations by helping them find a new place to call home or a pathway to new adventures.
Sounds fun, right? It is.
But at Knight Frank, employees can also rest assured that while they help others achieve their aspirations, they’re supported and inspired in an inclusive culture that’s defined by opportunity. Knight Frank celebrates individuality, rewards contribution, and ensures that every voice is respected and heard.
Diversity and inclusion built on solid foundations
For a business in the property sector, it’s fitting their employee culture, just like a good building, is set on a secure foundation.
As, Prue Lelean from their Victorian Office Support team, summed up to us,
“The people are great here – they are always happy and friendly. I always feel like I’m part of the team and that I belong.”
Prue and others benefit from Knight Frank‘s four pillars approach to diversity and inclusion.
Employees can testify that this is more than just a few words to hang on the wall and be ignored. It’s a living breathing statement of culture.
But what does it really mean?
Read on to see just how committed Knight Frank is to ensuring the well-being of its people and the community.
Out and proud about LGBTQIA+
Knight Frank has established Employee Advocacy Groups based on four pillars, honing in on identified communities that have too often found workplace culture challenging and even debilitating.
Think about that term, Employee Advocacy, and you can begin to see where Knight Frank differs from many other organizations.
Knight Frank, its LGTBQIA+ Employee Advocacy Group, operates from a baseline position of recognition of members of those communities. But the company goes well beyond that and says it’s about celebrating the lives, contributions, and experiences of LGTBQIA+ individuals.
Knight Frank also want to build a legacy in this broad community and its place in wider society.
“We aim to raise awareness and educate others on the issues and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, both within and outside Knight Frank Australia,” a company spokesperson told us.
Knight Frank has partnered with other organizations to help drive LGBTQIA+ workplace inclusion, promoting change and improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ people within the property and construction industry.
They recently became a member of Pride in Diversity, Australia’s first and only not-for-profit employer support program specifically designed to support employers in creating a genuinely inclusive workplace for employees of diverse sexuality and gender.
A culture that connects communities
Of the many programs Knight Frank has initiated, those connecting employees from varied cultural backgrounds have been among the most popular and valuable.
Central to this is the company’s Race & Faith pillar and Employee Advocacy Group, which focuses on educating people and increasing awareness of cultural differences. A key aspect of this is recognizing and celebrating different holidays and festivals across all the faith communities represented in the company.
Knight Frank is also committed to celebrating the proud heritage of Australia’s First Peoples and acknowledging their fundamental role in our history.
Through their Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), they engage employees and stakeholders in reconciliation while strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and developing and piloting innovative strategies to empower them.
Do you want to see if Knight Frank’s benefits could work for you?
Embracing wellness in the workplace
While Knight Frank is active in ensuring all feel included in the company’s thriving cultural space, their Ability & Well-being pillar and Employee Advocacy Group is equally focused on supporting employees’ well-being and wellness.
As with the other pillars, providing access, awareness, and advocacy channels is the bedrock upon which the wellness pillar is built. They aim to be progressive and meet best practices in the “ability” and “well-being” spaces.
“We want our employees to feel safe, healthy, respected, and included in their working environment and comfortable to bring their whole self to work,” says the spokesperson.
So many great leave options
There is a vast range of leave options at Knight Frank too. In addition to 16 weeks of paid parental leave with full superannuation, they offer additional and purchased leave schemes and Wellness, Compassionate, Cultural, and Volunteer leave.
Their Gender Affirmation Leave policy offers 10 days paid leave to support with any surgeries, medical appointments, and other related appointments.
In-home violence is also specifically addressed by Knight Frank‘s Domestic and Family Violence Support policy.
Structured in collaboration with Challenge DFV Australia, the policy allows employees experiencing domestic and family violence to access up to four weeks of paid leave in a 12-month period.
Ryan Hendricks, a Facilities Manager, told us he greatly benefited from the parental leave scheme.
“I’m very thankful to Knight Frank for providing an inclusive culture and flexible working arrangements that have allowed me this opportunity to enjoy fatherhood.”
Ashley Williams, an Executive Assistant to Knight Frank‘s managing director in Queensland, was eager to talk up the group experience of the volunteer leave program.
Along with her team, she volunteered with FareShare to help deliver meals to almost 3000 people in hardship.
“It was a great way for our team to bond and support the homeless community.
“We all left the day feeling inspired by the work that FareShare commits to helping those in need while also making positive impacts on our environment.”
To be honest, this is all still just scratching the surface. There’s actually a whole lot more to Knight Frank‘s extensive diversity, inclusion, and work-life balance programs worth exploring.
