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For Shawn Hayes, operations manager at LJ Hooker Property Bunbury, a growth mindset and a work-hard, play-hard attitude are keys to building a motivated, high-performing team.
Beginning as a 17-year-old trainee in business administration, Hayes worked her way up in various roles to eventually become a pivotal figure within the leading real estate agency.
She recently sat down with REB’s Liam Garman to share her agency formula for creating a highly effective team culture, minimising turnover and enabling staff to succeed.
When Hayes first arrived at LJ Hooker Property Bunbury, she wasn’t familiar with the work hard, play hard culture mindset, yet she believes it is what set the agency apart and motivated her to be part of the team.
At the time, the agency’s owner, Brent Spooner, was cultivating an exciting environment and a collaborative team, enabling its staff to be cared for and recognised for their contribution.
“I think sometimes it’s as simple as saying, ‘It’s Friday, 4 o’clock, let’s all put wine on our desk’,” she said.
Instead of a typical office party, a Christmas get-together would entail the team driving two hours to Perth, staying in a fancy hotel and getting dressed up to head out to Crown casino.
“We have always tried to do things better and more fun than everybody else. No business as usual here,” Hayes said.
While having fun is part of the LJ Hooker Property Bunbury DNA, Hayes said that building a solid team culture starts with hiring people who integrate well and want to be successful in the industry.
“Brent always tends to say you can almost teach people anything in this job, but you can’t teach the right attitude or the right personality,” she said.
According to Hayes, cultivating a growth mindset within the team and the agency has been the key to their success.
“You want to see the business thrive financially while also ensuring your team members achieve personal success, as this will ultimately empower the business owner to leverage that growth even further,” she said.
She emphasised the importance of staff consistently meeting KPIs and holding regular meetings to keep everyone motivated, ensuring the entire team is aligned and growing together.
“It’s important to have a business leader with that growth mindset, but I think it’s a really important part to make sure that encompasses your whole team to move forward personally and professionally,” she added.
While the real estate industry can be considered a “revolving door” at times, Hayes said the agency hadn’t lost many staff members, attributing this to the positive work culture.
“There’s nothing worse than someone dreading coming to work for the day,” she said
“I think that’s something we’re really proud of. Hiring the right people, hiring people that become friends, and creating a bit more of a family atmosphere than just simply working colleagues.”
Additionally, Hayes said that another crucial factor in keeping individuals invested in their work is enabling career development through different opportunities.
For example, receptionists at LJ Hooker Property Bunbury are given the chance to obtain a combined property and sales management licence, not only equipping them with further skills but ensuring they have career options.
“We allow them to do it at work if it’s quiet – please study while you’re here, that’s fine, we don’t expect you to do it all from home. It just gives them options,” Hayes said.
“It sort of ensures that they stick around a lot longer, providing value to them so that they then, in turn, provide that value back to us.”
“But it also helps them be better at their jobs even if they don’t foresee themselves becoming a property manager,” Hayes concluded.
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