Top workplaces, midsize: 5. Realty Executives of Nevada

Getting recognized as one of the best places to work in Las Vegas isn’t just about the benefits, says Fafie Moore, the broker/owner of Realty Executives of Nevada.

Moore says her company made the list, coming in at No. 5 in the midsize category, because of its focus on employees. It’s important to know what’s happening in employee’s lives and let them know that work isn’t the only part of it, she says.

“You do a good job at work and you’re efficient, and we try to be understanding,” Moore says. “We had one person who worked for us whose son was one of the top soccer players in the state, and we worked with her to have a schedule where she could attend soccer meets. This was important to her, and we understood this is not something you can go back and do later in life.”

Moore says her company doesn’t offer doggy day care or other benefits boutique firms may offer, but instead focuses on employees’ work-life balance and their pursuit of success. When the housing market tanked during the recession, not only were sales down, but prices fell sharply. That substantially lowered commissions and forced real estate agents to make more sales to compensate for the losses, she says.

“We have been through a difficult real estate market, and we care about the people that work with us,” Moore says. “Everybody was hit hard. We had to work with them to be more efficient and help get them business where they could make up the difference by doing more deals.”

That meant a lot of training, including teaching agents to do short sales in which the bank approves a sale price that is less than what the owner owes on the mortgage, Moore says.

“I think the economic downturn in Las Vegas has made people realize that there’s a whole lot more to life than just money,” Moore says. “It’s also to have people you can trust and rely on when times are tough, not just when times are good. It’s important for people that work for us to know we’re there regardless of what the times are.”

Moore says her company helps foster a culture that attracts people who appreciate working together and has an environment where people look forward to being at work. It can’t be one of drudgery, but a place where people care about each other, she says.

“I think my advice to anyone is to create an atmosphere and place you would want to work in if you didn’t own it,” Moore says. “I think if you have people that are likeminded and want to be together and stay, that’s why you have success.”

In a survey, employees say they felt like they were part of a team and talk about the support they get in doing their jobs.

Joe Stewart, a Realtor at the firm, credits managers for being in touch with their employees and being engaged in their activities and education.

It’s very important to help agents who are new or just licensed to get the knowledge necessary to be successful in the real estate business, Stewart says. They’re not just given a phone and told to do their jobs.

“It’s one of the most outstanding places to work,” Stewart says. “I know our clients are well-served, and that’s what it comes down to. In a lot of ways, the company is not in the business of selling houses, but in the people business. Every sale has a person or family behind it, and that’s acknowledged here.”