Creating a workplace culture that values teamwork over individual success can be a demanding task, but for independent real estate brokerage Wemert Group Realty, the focus on “we” goes beyond just the name.
“This is kind of cheesy, but we’re Wemert Group Realty, so we refer to ourselves as WeMates,” CEO Jenny Wemert said. “But that means more to us than just a silly word; we’ve actually attached standards to that.”
For their dedication to the “we” and work operating as a cohesive team, Wemert Group Realty has been named the Orlando Sentinel’s 2026 Top Workplace in Central Florida winner within the small business category.
Wemert said the realty group operates under a “rainmaker” model in which they share opportunities and leads with other employees.
Office administrator/Listing Assistant Giana Hill at the lobby of the Wemert Group Realty, one of the 2026 Top Workplaces in Central Florida, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
“We also share leverage and support and collective experience across the team,” Wemert said. “It’s a unique model in our industry, especially the size of our team.”
Founded by Wemert in 1999, the brokerage has grown to 100 employees in Central Florida and consistently brings in high-quality talent by taking a more collaborative approach.
“People usually see a team as a stepping stone into the industry and to do this on their own,” Wemert said. “But in our world, we’re actually attracting experienced agents because they get out there and they realize how hard it is and how expensive it is and how lonely it is.”
Of the company’s 100 employees, Wemert said about half have been with Wemert Group Realty for over five years and around 20 employees have been a part of the team for a decade.
Retaining employees is important to creating a consistent, collaborative workplace, and Wemert said the realty group has achieved a solid retention rate by creating a culture of trust.
“Looking back, I can say that it’s because we really do care about the people that work for us,” she said. “They’re not just there to make us money; we really do care about their families and their goals and their success. We never hire unless we know that we could feed another family; we take that so seriously.”
Employees talk in between meetings at Wemert Group Realty, one of the 2026 Top Workplaces in Central Florida, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Caring about employees’ families requires flexible scheduling and office time, according to Wemert, who said the team rotates in and out of the office because real estate “is not nine to five.”
Because agents within Wemert Group Realty are independent contractors, Wemert ideally wants them out in the field — more than in the office — to create “dollar-producing activities.”
“Working from home, they can also do life and pick up their kids from school and take care of things in between,” she said. “As long as they’re getting their work done and taking good care of our clients, we’re okay with that. Being able to flex is a value proposition to our staff, but for me it’s just humanity.”
It’s not all work for Wemert Group Realty. Forty-five members of the team are scheduled to take a cruise in October as a culture-building excursion. Wemert said the team also does a ‘Wekiva Day’ each year where employees commute down to the river, rent out cabanas, play volleyball and relax with family.
“Our team is really proud to fly the flag of the brand and our team is not trying to build their own brands inside the brand,” she said. “They’re really proud to work with Wemert Group Realty, so whatever chance we get, we try to give them swag to wear and matching T-shirts to reiterate that we’re all proud to be together.”
The sense of togetherness is exemplified by a philosophical African term that Wemert said is plastered all over the Wemert Group Realty office: Ubuntu.
Ubuntu means “I am because we are” in several Bantu languages and is used by employees, according to Wemert, when helping another employee within the company.
“For us, it just means we’re lucky to be doing this together and we’re all better for all of the work that we do individually,” she said.
Wemert said she sees Wemert Group Realty as a top workplace for its focus on relationships, both with clients and employees.
“We keep the client as our north star and we want to make sure that whoever we hire has a servant heart,” she said. “Whatever we do, and in any decision we make, we try to make the client experience the best it can be and try to be the best experts in the industry that we can be. If we can focus on that, everything else shows up.”
Contact me at twilkins@orlandosentinel.com or (407)-754-4980.