More online
www.thecaterer.com N
early 56% of people employed in the accommodation and foodservice indus- tries are women, according to data
analyst Statista, and yet WiHTL’s most recent annual report showed that nearly one-fifth of hospitality, travel and leisure businesses have only one woman on their board. “I think it’s absurd that, in a boardroom of
people, you’ve only got one woman represent- ing 50% of the population,” says Sarah Brew- ster, owner of Stonehouse Court, a 36-bedroom hotel in Stroud. “There’s gender parity at mid- management level in hospitality but there’s a great deal more to do at senior executive level.” There are, of course, wider social issues affecting women’s progression across all sectors, but there are ways employers can make key changes to mitigate these, ensur- ing women in the hotel industry can achieve their ambitions and make the sector a more welcoming place for all. Unfortunately, in times of difficulty, such
as a recession, equality tends to end up at the bottom of a pile of priorities as companies compete to stay afloat. But as many businesses demonstrate, looking after your staff and encouraging female entrepreneurship can be worth its weight in returns, with equitable and diverse workforces repeatedly shown to outperform non-diverse competitors.
Make flexibility the norm Flexibility in the workplace can be a huge bene- fit to women, who are significantly more likely to work part-time than men. High childcare costs and shortages in childcare and social care provision in the UK are making it harder for parents and carers, but particularly women, to stay in work, let alone climb the career lad- der or take risks such as opening their own businesses. Until these issues are resolved, some women will require more flexibility, but flexibility, but that shouldn’t mean their jobs become less secure or lower paid. Susan Stuart bought a house in Penzance,
Cornwall, in 2012 after a career as a chartered accountant, and funded its renovation into a hotel by selling her London home. Now at the six-bed- room Chapel House hotel she has two (female) full-time team members. Although business is predictably quiet in the winter, she keeps them both on year-round to help with tasks such as gardening, repairs and decorating. “It makes a big difference to people to have
year-round jobs in this sector,” she points out. Meanwhile, to accommodate Stonehouse
Court’s male general manager, the business was able to flex his hours so he could work late shifts a few days a week and look after his child during the day. “I know he works really hard, delegates
well and does a great job, so why would I not want to be flexible?” asks Brewster. “The same applies for female managers. Why would you not want to be flexible if you’ve got somebody with skill and talent?” The business is also trialling a four-day
week with its female-led kitchen team. “We’re monitoring whether this better work-life
www.thecaterer.com Samantha Trinder
“Just because a man has been in the industry 30- 40 years and thinks things should be done a certain way does not mean it’s the best or right way”
Samantha Trinder, the Bingham
balance increases productivity, creativity, staff retention and wellbeing alongside that profitability,” she explains. “It’s too early to say yet, but if we don’t try
these things we won’t know. It’s about being creative and thinking, how can we improve the situation? Ultimately, you will gain that competitive edge in terms of recruiting and retaining employees.” Harriet Harman, chair of the Fawcett Soci-
ety, says making flexibility the norm in the workplace will not only make it easier for women, but will also “normalise men taking on their fair share of caring responsibilities”. This flexibility should also extend to
doing other things differently, for example networking, which is often cited as key to ‘getting ahead’. However, if women are pri- mary caregivers and unable to attend events out of office hours, they miss that opportunity. “I’ve only been able to network since my children have grown and I’ve been able to leave them at home,” says Rohaise Rose- Bristow, owner of the Torridon hotel in the Scottish Highlands.
Gender disadvantages University of Greenwich research argues that inflexibility in the way some hospitality work is structured, including precarious contracts, low pay, and long, irregular shifts, also dis- advantages women. It says conceptualising the ‘ideal worker’ as available “at short notice for over-time, out-of-shift work and to spend multiple days away from home on business” excludes women who have care responsibilities. Meanwhile, the ladder that leads to senior
management is usually operational, encom- passing roles that often require long and unsociable hours, putting some women at an inherent disadvantage and forcing them off those important rungs of the career ladder, slowing their career progression.
8 March 2024 | The Caterer | 19
▲
ILLUSTRATION: ANTON VIERIETIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
