Your team members and customers are struggling, writes Rachel Haidt. Here’s what a wise agent needs to know about the state of happiness and how it affects us all.
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Americans are feeling less happy, according to Gallup World Happiness Survey, released on March 20. The latest poll shows Americans currently ranked 23rd overall due to inflation, housing shortages, rising costs of higher education and child care, and challenges in finding and affording quality health care. Since last year’s survey, the global “happiness” index has fallen sharply out of the top 20.
The real estate industry is facing tremendous pressure and change due to commission lawsuits and National Association of REALTORS (NAR) settlements — and it’s no secret that things are tough for agents.
In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at overall consumer sentiment and identify ways agents can use strategies to improve their work-life balance and hopefully bring more happiness into their daily lives.
Who is the unluckiest person? Why is this important?
This global study provides insights and data on what’s happening around the world and explains why happiness is so important to our overall well-being.
The results are shocking.first time in The United States fell out of the top 20 in 2012 In the happiest countries, those aged 30 or younger have a bleak outlook on the economy and political discourse.
This year’s study is unique in that it focuses on happiness levels and age-specific activities across generations, and reveals new statistics showing that younger generations have a harder time feeling happy than older generations.
Americans over 60 They report feeling happier than their younger peers. Why? Mainly for economic and social reasons. They report that their friendships and hobbies are stronger, and many feel more confident about their financial situation.
- According to statistics, Americans over the age of 70 control 30% of the nation’s wealth Bloomberg.
- Nearly 80% of adults over 65 own homeaccording to census data
- Research also shows that for some reason, mental health follows “U” shapeAccording to Axios. This means your mood and well-being will improve as you age.
The most important thing to realize is that the stress that continues to fill our daily lives is affecting our ability to achieve happiness and find purpose, and this is not a situation we want to be in long-term.
Elmo started
sesame street Elmo In January, he nonchalantly asked everyone on social media how they were doing, and parents and fans alike shared answers that went viral. The flood of disgruntled comments and reactions on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) suggests that, no, Elmo, things are not going well for many adults.
Elmo just arrived to report! How is everyone?
— Elmo (@elmo) January 29, 2024
The reactions (more than 20,600 responses at last count) made national news headlines, inspired late-night talk show jokes and sparked social media attention. The answers range from the ironic to the heartbreaking. They remind us how important it is to check in on your loved ones.
At the same time, the real estate industry is likely to undergo upheaval, and leadership should take this cue to communicate to their teams. Mental health issues, although more common now, still carry a stigma that many people find difficult to overcome.
Perhaps this is the biggest mistake the National Association of Realtors (NAR) makes in its response to real estate agents. There is an overall lack of concern among leadership about how the coming changes will impact the livelihoods of millions of people, not to mention how it will impact their mental health.
@abc7la The one and only Elmo from “Sesame Street” asked people how they were doing doing “X” and Elmo got a ton of responses, many from people who were struggling. #information #abc7la #abc7witness #elmo #X #sesamestreet #elmosworld #Mental Health #MENTALHEALTH IS IMPORTANT ♬ Original Sound – ABC7LA
Like Elmo’s question, agents responded on social media after news of the NAR settlement broke, angry, shocked and ready to fight back.Agents are frustrated, but they have every reason to be, especially after a few news media We’re told only the most sensational parts of the story, lacking crucial nuance and fully explaining what might have happened.
@silas_ottah I’m checking with you. how are you feeling? #CapCut #foryourpage #fyp #trend #tweet #interesting #sesamestreet #trauma #information #elmo ♬ Original Sound – Silas
if you are happy and you know
Leadership needs to step up and realize that all the facilitation talks in the world are not going to help their teams succeed; there needs to be real change, better education, more advocacy, and most importantly, high quality customer service training To maintain and build lasting relationships with consumers.
Toxic positivity is rampant in business coaching and recruiting circles, and that’s not the message the industry needs to hear right now. Agents and team leaders must provide team members with the tools they need to help them succeed.
Your team doesn’t need to throw a pizza party or be told they didn’t make enough cold calls or knock on doors to solve the problem at their next sales meeting.
Effective strategies to help your team improve their well-being during challenging times might include a few things:
- Better commission distribution demonstrates your commitment to advancing their careers and moving them forward
- Additional administrative assistance (frees up more time for prospecting)
- Deal management assistance (freeing up more time for prospecting)
- Customized assessments that match their personalities with sales techniques that support their individual strengths. Sales is not a one-size-fits-all path.
- An open door and just knowing you can listen and solve problems is priceless
- Tools that support better communication and more powerful lead capture
- Financial Advice Referrals
- Retirement Plan Referrals
- If they decide to moonlight or refer, be flexible and don’t create a culture based on shame
Your team needs honest guidance and solutions to help them stay in the game. The reality is that big changes are going to happen over the next year (and probably later) and in order to evolve into something new, the old systems have to be burned.
Strong leadership will define 2024
Good leadership recognizes challenges and creates pathways for the team to move forward in the least restrictive way possible.Wise leadership remembers where excess can be cut and bring real Value to agents – less swag and more results.
Popular social media chat groups even feature experienced agents talking about sluggish business, finding alternatives, guidance, and the many questions that strong leadership should answer for them.
Great leaders know that if you want your team to be happy, you have to actively make it your mission to be more people-centered than ever before. Your focus must shift from selling to ensuring the top-notch well-being of your employees so they can go out and succeed—without clapping.
Rachael Hite is a former broker, business development professional, fair housing advocate, copy editor, and currently perfecting her long-term home selling game in a retirement community in Northern Virginia.You can contact her about life, marketing and business at Instagram.
