Exploring Gender Issues Exist in Chinese Tourism Workplaces
Author: Chenge Wang
1 Commentries
Abstract:
This paper will discuss the main gender issues women practitioners may face in Chinese tourism industry, and put forward some recommendations.
Keywords: Gender Issues, Stereotype and Gender Discrimination, Gender Segregation, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Violence.
The tourism industry does offer more employment opportunities for females, with women practitioners representing over half of the global tourism industry, but women still have to face gender issues in the workplace. In China, women staff constitute over 60% in the industry, but only over 30% of management positions are held by women, and female employees generally earn less than men (Ctrip, 2023). The three main gender issues can be stereotype and gender discrimination, gender segregation, and sexual harassment and workplace violence.
Stereotype and gender discrimination is the most important issue and it seems to be the source of other gender issues as well. The historical and cultural tradition, represented by Confucianism, can be a major contributor (Fan et al., 2021). It dictates that men and women play different roles in the family and society. The ideal image of women is often described as gentle and submissive, and their main area of activity would happen within the family, while working outside the home is the responsibility of men. This ideology was passed down over 2,000 years and still has an influence on Chinese values, family culture, and social values, so women in the workplace are more likely to encounter conflicts between work and family. The constraints of traditional thinking and the pressure of social opinion can exacerbate this issue.
Therefore, gender discrimination practices would occur in the tourism workplace. Women may have restrictions of accessibility to the industry. As the nature of work and the open environment of the tourism industry can be at odds with traditional perceptions of the scope of women's activities, women may have obstacles to entering the industry, and it is more likely to occur in the conservative rural areas. Additionally, the physical characteristics of women also make tourism companies more willing to hire male employees and give them more opportunities (Wang, 2021). Especially since the introduction of the pro-natalist policy, tourism companies have shown more caution in hiring female staff. And women are also more likely to be laid off during the downsizing process of tourism companies due to Covid-19.
Stereotypes and sexism can trigger gender segregation. Horizontal segregation includes the differences between male and female staff in income and position, and vertical segregation can be unequal opportunities for promotion. Women in the industry are generally less educated than men. Although this is changing, it has become a stereotype that women are less competent and less professional, resulting in working in lower-skilled, lower-paid positions and having difficulty getting promoted. Besides, customers also show greater trust in male staff, believing that they can provide more professional services. Additionally, female leaders are perceived to be more cautious, conservative and less decisive, which may be detrimental to the development and expansion of a company. More importantly, when faced with the conflict between family and work, women might be inclined to choose family, which means they are less loyal to work than men. So, if male and female employees have comparable qualifications, companies often tend to promote male employees and provide more training opportunities for males (Wang, 2021). Facing promotion dilemmas, 51% of female employees suffer from age anxiety, as the gap and difficulty in promotion may increase with age (Ctrip, 2023).
Sexual harassment and workplace violence is another issue caused by stereotype and gender discrimination. The weak, submissive and vulnerable image of women might make them more vulnerable to sexual harassment and workplace violence than men. Sexual harassment is more likely to occur in travel agencies and hotels, mainly by customers against female employees, due to the nature of the work and the working environment. Sexual harassment from colleagues and superiors can also happen in workplaces. Workplace violence may occur in the form of physical and emotional bullying by superiors against subordinates, between colleagues, and by subordinates against superiors. Female executives have a high possibility to experience workplace violence from subordinates because they are thought lacking authority compared to men.
Therefore, female practitioners, enterprises and the government are expected to make improvements from different perspectives to reduce the influence of traditional gender concepts, help women to get more training opportunities to enhance their working ability, provide equal employment and promotion opportunities, and guarantee their rights and interests with policies and laws to alleviate the conflict between family and work.
References:
Ctrip (2023) 2023 Research Report on Women in the Tourism Industry. Shanghai: Ctrip.
Fan, X., Im, J., Miao, L., Tomas, S. and Liu, H. (2021) Silk and Steel: A Gendered Approach to Career and Life by Upper Echelon Women Executives in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in China. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 97, 103011.
Wang, Y. (2021) An Analysis of the Obstructive Factors of Female Professional Development in Tourism Industry from the Perspective of Human Resources Development. China Journal of Commerce, 09, 114-119.
This paper will discuss the main gender issues women practitioners may face in Chinese tourism industry, and put forward some recommendations.
Keywords: Gender Issues, Stereotype and Gender Discrimination, Gender Segregation, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Violence.
The tourism industry does offer more employment opportunities for females, with women practitioners representing over half of the global tourism industry, but women still have to face gender issues in the workplace. In China, women staff constitute over 60% in the industry, but only over 30% of management positions are held by women, and female employees generally earn less than men (Ctrip, 2023). The three main gender issues can be stereotype and gender discrimination, gender segregation, and sexual harassment and workplace violence.
Stereotype and gender discrimination is the most important issue and it seems to be the source of other gender issues as well. The historical and cultural tradition, represented by Confucianism, can be a major contributor (Fan et al., 2021). It dictates that men and women play different roles in the family and society. The ideal image of women is often described as gentle and submissive, and their main area of activity would happen within the family, while working outside the home is the responsibility of men. This ideology was passed down over 2,000 years and still has an influence on Chinese values, family culture, and social values, so women in the workplace are more likely to encounter conflicts between work and family. The constraints of traditional thinking and the pressure of social opinion can exacerbate this issue.
Therefore, gender discrimination practices would occur in the tourism workplace. Women may have restrictions of accessibility to the industry. As the nature of work and the open environment of the tourism industry can be at odds with traditional perceptions of the scope of women's activities, women may have obstacles to entering the industry, and it is more likely to occur in the conservative rural areas. Additionally, the physical characteristics of women also make tourism companies more willing to hire male employees and give them more opportunities (Wang, 2021). Especially since the introduction of the pro-natalist policy, tourism companies have shown more caution in hiring female staff. And women are also more likely to be laid off during the downsizing process of tourism companies due to Covid-19.
Stereotypes and sexism can trigger gender segregation. Horizontal segregation includes the differences between male and female staff in income and position, and vertical segregation can be unequal opportunities for promotion. Women in the industry are generally less educated than men. Although this is changing, it has become a stereotype that women are less competent and less professional, resulting in working in lower-skilled, lower-paid positions and having difficulty getting promoted. Besides, customers also show greater trust in male staff, believing that they can provide more professional services. Additionally, female leaders are perceived to be more cautious, conservative and less decisive, which may be detrimental to the development and expansion of a company. More importantly, when faced with the conflict between family and work, women might be inclined to choose family, which means they are less loyal to work than men. So, if male and female employees have comparable qualifications, companies often tend to promote male employees and provide more training opportunities for males (Wang, 2021). Facing promotion dilemmas, 51% of female employees suffer from age anxiety, as the gap and difficulty in promotion may increase with age (Ctrip, 2023).
Sexual harassment and workplace violence is another issue caused by stereotype and gender discrimination. The weak, submissive and vulnerable image of women might make them more vulnerable to sexual harassment and workplace violence than men. Sexual harassment is more likely to occur in travel agencies and hotels, mainly by customers against female employees, due to the nature of the work and the working environment. Sexual harassment from colleagues and superiors can also happen in workplaces. Workplace violence may occur in the form of physical and emotional bullying by superiors against subordinates, between colleagues, and by subordinates against superiors. Female executives have a high possibility to experience workplace violence from subordinates because they are thought lacking authority compared to men.
Therefore, female practitioners, enterprises and the government are expected to make improvements from different perspectives to reduce the influence of traditional gender concepts, help women to get more training opportunities to enhance their working ability, provide equal employment and promotion opportunities, and guarantee their rights and interests with policies and laws to alleviate the conflict between family and work.
References:
Ctrip (2023) 2023 Research Report on Women in the Tourism Industry. Shanghai: Ctrip.
Fan, X., Im, J., Miao, L., Tomas, S. and Liu, H. (2021) Silk and Steel: A Gendered Approach to Career and Life by Upper Echelon Women Executives in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in China. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 97, 103011.
Wang, Y. (2021) An Analysis of the Obstructive Factors of Female Professional Development in Tourism Industry from the Perspective of Human Resources Development. China Journal of Commerce, 09, 114-119.