Women In Managerial Position In Tourism Business
Author: Susanne Myllyniemi
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Abstract: As a hospitality management student I am personally interested about women working in higher positions in tourism industry and is there a difference to reach manager position if you are a woman compering to men.There will be a closer look about the topic within women in managerial positions in tourism business. The paper is interview report where the interviewee is hotel manager of six years in Helsinki.
Keywords: hotel manager, tourism industry, salary, promotion
Summary:
Tourism business is one of the largest business industries and woman worldwide make up 55.5% of the labour force but for example only 15.8% of women are board members in the UK`s leading tourism companies. These companies are international tour operators, hotel groups, cruise operators, airline carriers and international professional associations and certification bodies (Equality in tourism, 2013, 3). When looking globally woman hold less than 40% senior managerial positions and only 5-8% are the board members (Baum; Cheung, 2015, 5). Even women are playing major role in tourism business it is bright and clear that they are not equal with men when looking managerial position or board members. Women are more likely to been working in lower positions for example as a receptionist or housekeepers in hotel (People`s first, 2017).
There was an interview with Hotel Manager from one of the hotels in Helsinki central. She is my boss. I have been working four years as a receptionist at the hotel and I have had the same Hotel Manager the whole time. Hotel chain itself is one of the leading hotel chains in the Nordic countries. They have hotels in six European countries; Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Germany and our head office are in Stockholm.
Reason this interview was held is because it was interesting to have someone`s own opinion how is it to be a woman and being in managerial position in tourism business. And in her opinion is there any difference to get a managerial position if you are a men or a woman.
There were ten questions about her work background and how it feels to be a woman in managerial position in tourism business and was it a difficult to reach the position where she is now because she is a woman. The questions based the articles that have been read before the interview about the women in managerial position in tourism business.
In 2017 over 65% of women employees had part-time contract in tourism industry and in hotel business the number was 72%. Many women work in the tourism business as a second job. Business are taking seriously these numbers and doing their best to offer different kind of career opportunities. For example business are taking these approaches: redesigning job roles to increase hours and responsibilities, identify career opportunities across the business progression and offering sharing opportunities at supervisor and management position (Peoples first, 2017, 4).
She did not feel she had to prove herself more than men when seeking a promotion. She added that actually she was offered the hotel manager job so she did not even apply for that. She added also that she has had really lucky when it comes to employer. The hotel chain where she has been working over 14 years do not offer “better” positions only for men but to women too. She added that the company is only interested how good are you with your job and they do not care if the employee is women or men. Of course this might not be the case other companies in tourism business. But she did not have any examples for that.
But still women earn less annually than men. For example the annual wage gap for cooks are 4,358 pounds and receptionist 1,165 pounds. The same is when comparing managerial positions. For example the gap is 13,640 pounds for hotel and accommodation managers (Peoples 1st,2017, 5). When comparing catering and restaurant managers the wage gap is huge, almost 34,464 pounds. But many business in tourism is trying to fill the gap and trying to get equal salary to both men and women (People 1st,2017,5). There are several case studies which proof men are over-represented in preferred positions that pay better (Baum, T, 2013,12)
When asking did she feel it took her more time to reach the position where she is now because she is a woman the answer was yes. And she did not even think about it. At the time she was front office manager some of her men colleagues were managing the whole region already even though they started to work at the same time and started from the same position. She noticed that men have some advantages even though the company does not favour men, but she could not say why they promoted so quickly to managerial jobs and even better than hotel manager.
Reference
People`s First (2017) Performance trough people. Women in tourism and hospitality report. Available from https://blackboard.lincoln.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2346806-dt-content-rid-3968702_2/courses/TOU3098M-1819/People%201st%202017%20Women%20in%20tourism%20and%20hospitality%20report.pdf
Baum, T.; Cheung, C. (2015) Women in Tourism&H Hospitality: Unlockin the potential in the Talent Pool. Available from https://www.diageo.com/pr1346/aws/media/1269/women_in_hospitality___tourism_white_paper.pdf
Baum,T (2013) International Perspectives on women and work in hotels, catering and tourism. International Labour Office- Available from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@gender/documents/publication/wcms_209867.pdf
Keywords: hotel manager, tourism industry, salary, promotion
Summary:
Tourism business is one of the largest business industries and woman worldwide make up 55.5% of the labour force but for example only 15.8% of women are board members in the UK`s leading tourism companies. These companies are international tour operators, hotel groups, cruise operators, airline carriers and international professional associations and certification bodies (Equality in tourism, 2013, 3). When looking globally woman hold less than 40% senior managerial positions and only 5-8% are the board members (Baum; Cheung, 2015, 5). Even women are playing major role in tourism business it is bright and clear that they are not equal with men when looking managerial position or board members. Women are more likely to been working in lower positions for example as a receptionist or housekeepers in hotel (People`s first, 2017).
There was an interview with Hotel Manager from one of the hotels in Helsinki central. She is my boss. I have been working four years as a receptionist at the hotel and I have had the same Hotel Manager the whole time. Hotel chain itself is one of the leading hotel chains in the Nordic countries. They have hotels in six European countries; Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Germany and our head office are in Stockholm.
Reason this interview was held is because it was interesting to have someone`s own opinion how is it to be a woman and being in managerial position in tourism business. And in her opinion is there any difference to get a managerial position if you are a men or a woman.
There were ten questions about her work background and how it feels to be a woman in managerial position in tourism business and was it a difficult to reach the position where she is now because she is a woman. The questions based the articles that have been read before the interview about the women in managerial position in tourism business.
In 2017 over 65% of women employees had part-time contract in tourism industry and in hotel business the number was 72%. Many women work in the tourism business as a second job. Business are taking seriously these numbers and doing their best to offer different kind of career opportunities. For example business are taking these approaches: redesigning job roles to increase hours and responsibilities, identify career opportunities across the business progression and offering sharing opportunities at supervisor and management position (Peoples first, 2017, 4).
She did not feel she had to prove herself more than men when seeking a promotion. She added that actually she was offered the hotel manager job so she did not even apply for that. She added also that she has had really lucky when it comes to employer. The hotel chain where she has been working over 14 years do not offer “better” positions only for men but to women too. She added that the company is only interested how good are you with your job and they do not care if the employee is women or men. Of course this might not be the case other companies in tourism business. But she did not have any examples for that.
But still women earn less annually than men. For example the annual wage gap for cooks are 4,358 pounds and receptionist 1,165 pounds. The same is when comparing managerial positions. For example the gap is 13,640 pounds for hotel and accommodation managers (Peoples 1st,2017, 5). When comparing catering and restaurant managers the wage gap is huge, almost 34,464 pounds. But many business in tourism is trying to fill the gap and trying to get equal salary to both men and women (People 1st,2017,5). There are several case studies which proof men are over-represented in preferred positions that pay better (Baum, T, 2013,12)
When asking did she feel it took her more time to reach the position where she is now because she is a woman the answer was yes. And she did not even think about it. At the time she was front office manager some of her men colleagues were managing the whole region already even though they started to work at the same time and started from the same position. She noticed that men have some advantages even though the company does not favour men, but she could not say why they promoted so quickly to managerial jobs and even better than hotel manager.
Reference
People`s First (2017) Performance trough people. Women in tourism and hospitality report. Available from https://blackboard.lincoln.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2346806-dt-content-rid-3968702_2/courses/TOU3098M-1819/People%201st%202017%20Women%20in%20tourism%20and%20hospitality%20report.pdf
Baum, T.; Cheung, C. (2015) Women in Tourism&H Hospitality: Unlockin the potential in the Talent Pool. Available from https://www.diageo.com/pr1346/aws/media/1269/women_in_hospitality___tourism_white_paper.pdf
Baum,T (2013) International Perspectives on women and work in hotels, catering and tourism. International Labour Office- Available from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@gender/documents/publication/wcms_209867.pdf