Women in Hospitality #IWD2024 #InspireInclusion
At Umbrella Training, we don't just understand the importance of inclusion – we live and breathe it in every aspect of our business.
Internally we strive for equal opportunities with our hiring and promotions processes, championing and supporting women at every stage of their career.
We actively promote career advice and guidance within our learning sessions, as well as embedding core knowledge and behaviours that promote an active understanding of the importance of equal and fair work rights regardless of gender to empower all of our learners.
Our Learner Consultant Caroline Gubbins with her learners - celebrating IWD24 with the heart gesture.
This International Women's Day we want to show our support to women working with Hospitality.
The hospitality industry has long been recognised for its diverse and inclusive nature and a place where women can be seen vital part to play. Currently, women make up 55.5% of the workforce (Diederich, 2022; Croes et al., 2021; Leisure & Hospitality, 2022), but globally their roles and hierarchy within the sector can vary in extremes. It is an unfortunate universal truth that female hoteliers are still underrepresented at the highest levels of the hotel sector (Castell Project., 2019) with only 26% of senior leadership positions (Boutique Hotelier, Women in Hotels 2023) currently occupied by women.
While the hospitality industry at large is making great strides to address gender equality, there’s still work to be done when it comes to empowering women in leadership positions.
The best way to start the change is by educating yourself on what challenges women are facing, from work-life balance, a lack of representation and gender stereotyping.
The best way to understand what is happening in the hospitality industry for women's opportunities is to keep up to date with current articles and papers. The more you know, the quicker change can be made. We have gathered some handy resources for you to read, listen or attend to help boost women in the hospitality workplace.
Papers
A paper named Finding a Voice: Empowering Women in Hospitality, written in December 2023 created by jll.com/hotels stresses not only the need for female empowerment in hospitality but the core benefits of having women in leadership roles.
These include
increasing productivity
enhancing collaboration
inspiring commitment
and improving fairness
You can download the report here: https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/research/finding-a-voice-empowering-women-in-hospitality
Current blogs highlighting women in hospitality
Meet Linda Boronkay, the former design director at Soho House interviewed by hospitality design.
https://hospitalitydesign.com/people/interviews/linda-boronkay/
3 Women in Hospitality Who Built Thriving Businesses & and What We Can Learn From Them
https://www.eposnow.com/uk/resources/women-in-hospitality/
Being a woman in the hospitality industry
https://www.brigad.co/en-gb/blog/being-a-woman-in-the-hospitality-industry
PALife: IWD series of inspirational women: Chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen to debut at Royal Ascot
Event
Free Online webinar - Women in Hospitality
Join us online for an empowering event celebrating Women in Hospitality
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-hospitality-tickets-839936672197?aff=erellivmlt
Podcast
Inspiring Women in Hospitality
Check out this podcast by Naureen Ahmed who shares stories of inspiring women from the hospitality industry. Why they got into hospitality, their career journey so far, their learnings and who inspires them.
See full episode list here: https://open.spotify.com/show/6likjvIbK2B17g6pQu3QMm
Talking Hospitality podcast: How Can We Create Women Leaders in Hospitality?
If you're passionate about fostering a more inclusive and equitable hospitality industry, this episode is a must-listen. It's not just a conversation; it's a call to action for everyone in the industry to reflect on how we can support and empower women to climb the leadership ladder. With insights from women who've navigated these challenges firsthand, you'll be inspired to make positive changes in your own professional environment.
Vlogs
The Modern Hotelier - Episode 58: Shattering the Glass Ceiling in Hospitality | with Emily Goldfischer
In this episode, hosts Steve Carran and David Millili interview Emily Goldfisher, founder and editor-in-chief of Hertelier, a media platform focused on inspiring and informing women in the hospitality industry. They discuss Emily's background growing up in New Jersey, attending Cornell's prestigious Hotel school, and working in communications and PR with high-end hotel brands. Emily realized the shift happening with more women taking leadership roles in hospitality and wanted to showcase their journeys in a fresh, engaging way.
In this episode, you'll discover:
How women's leadership roles in the hospitality industry have evolved over the last decade
Key strategies for women to achieve work-life balance and avoid burnout in the hotel industry
Tips for women on advocating for themselves and asking for opportunities
Gender issues and societal expectations that need to be addressed
The importance of networking and professional growth.
The impact of a supportive company culture on women's career progression.
We hope you find these resources helpful and can help you understand the importance and benefits of having women represented in roles across the hospitality industry. From the kitchen to CEO opportunities need to be there for everyone.
Ways that companies can support and empower their female workforce include:
Look beyond the current network and talent pool to find new and exciting talent.
Develop and nurture female employees allowing you to spot potential leaders early in their career.
Provide mentorships for your female employees and encourage your female leaders to inspire others.
Provide networking opportunities both face-to-face and online.
Raise their voices and champion their successes. It is okay to celebrate women's achievements and raise awareness about discrimination if you see it.
Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.
About the day:
IWD2024: The International Women’s Day 2024 campaign United Nations theme is Inspire Inclusion. When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we are creating a better world for everyone. https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
