Exploring Working Conditions and Well-being of Young Women in the Hospitality Industry: A Social Justice Perspective

What more could be done for social justice? Behind the smiles and customer service expected in hospitality work, many young women experience low pay, job insecurity, emotional exhaustion and workplace inequality.

The discussion paper aims to explore the experiences of young women working in the hospitality industry, to examine the relationship between working conditions and well-being for young female workers and gender inequality within the sector. To apply a social justice framework to these issues and identify implications for policy and industry.


Introduction

The hospitality industry is one of the world’s largest employers, providing work across hotels, restaurants, bars and tourism services (Pizam and Shana, 2009). Young women form a significant part of the workforce, particularly in customer-facing roles that are often characterised by low wages, emotional labour, long hours and insecure employment (Mooney, 2018). Although hospitality is frequently promoted as offering flexibility and career progression, many young female workers continue to experience workplace inequalities, harassment and poor work-life balance (Santero-Sanchez et al., 2015). In the tourism and hospitality industry, workplace structural inequalities disproportionally affect young women. (Sagovia-Perez et al., 2019). Examining the experiences of young women in this context is essential for understanding issues of labour rights, gender equality and worker well-being.

Social Justice in Tourism

Social justice focuses on ensuring fair treatment, safe working environments, equal opportunities and protection from discrimination and exploitation (Im and Chung, 2023).

Young women are often concentrated in lower-paid customer service roles where they may experience emotional pressure, insecure employment and vulnerability to harassment (Poulston, 2009). A social justice approach, therefore, challenges unequal labour practices and encourages businesses and governments to prioritise worker rights alongside economic growth.

Poor working conditions and worker well-being

Poor working conditions remain one of the biggest challenges facing young women in hospitality. Employees commonly experience irregular schedules, long hours, low wages and insecure contracts such as temporary or zero-hour agreements (Mantouvalou, 2022). While employers often present these arrangements as flexible, they frequently create financial instability and uncertainty for workers.
Long and unsociable working hours can also damage physical health, personal relationships and work-life balance (Curran, 2021). Worker well-being is often treated as an individual responsibility rather than a structural issue caused by workplace conditions.
Low wages are another major issue. Roles such as waitressing, housekeeping and reception work are often undervalued and underpaid (Walmsley et al., 2019). Emotional labour, where employees are expected to remain calm, friendly and professional regardless of difficult situations, places additional psychological pressure on workers (Taylor, 1998). Young women may experience further pressure due to gendered expectations surrounding appearance and behaviour (Zhong, 2025).

Inequality

Young women are often concentrated in lower paid positions, while leadership roles are more commonly occupied by men, according to Mooney (2018). Power imbalances between employers and employees further reinforce inequality. Managers often control shift allocation, promotions and contract renewals, leaving workers with limited bargaining power (Ram, 2018).


Barriers to change

Despite growing awareness of these issues, several barriers continue to prevent meaningful change. The hospitality industry is heavily profit-driven, and many organisations prioritise reducing labour costs over improving worker well-being (Jang, 2011). This can result in understaffing, low pay, insecure employment and excessive emotional demands on employees. Weak labour regulation and limited enforcement also allow exploitation to continue within some workplaces (Fine and Gordon, 2010).


Recommendations and conclusion

There is a growing awareness within the industry of inequality and poor working conditions, but significant barriers continue to prevent meaningful change for young women in the industry. Training and career development opportunities can allow more women to progress into leadership positions. Governments and tourism organisations must also promote ethical employment practices that prioritise equality, dignity and worker rights alongside economic growth. Overall, advancing social justice within hospitality requires a human-centred approach that places worker well-being at the centre of a sustainable tourism industry.





Three key references:

Zhong, Y., (2025) Investigating women’s work experience in hospitality with the job demands-resources theory. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 8(3), pp.830-848

Segovia-Pérez, M., Figueroa-Domecq, C., Fuentes-Moraleda, L. and Muñoz-Mazón, A., (2019) Incorporating a gender approach in the hospitality industry: Female executives’ perceptions. International journal of hospitality management, 76, pp.184-193.

Santero-Sanchez, R., Segovia-Pérez, M., Castro-Nuñez, B., Figueroa-Domecq, C. and Talón-Ballestero, P., (2015) Gender differences in the hospitality industry: A job quality index. Tourism Management, 51, pp.234-246.

Key words:
Workplace inequalities, job insecurity, gender, hospitality, working conditions.

This paper examines social justice for young women in hospitality, with a focus on lower pay, vulnerability to harassment and job insecurity as key issues. The paper effectively highlights inequalities that affect young women in hospitality, however these issues also extend beyond hospitality into the wider events industry. Although women make up a significant proportion of the events workforce, they remain underrepresented in senior leadership positions, demonstrating that representation within a workforce does not necessarily translate into equality or power (Mistry et al., 2024).

A strength of this paper is the way that it discusses structural rather than individual problems, as well as establishing a connection between workers well-being to the wider sustainability of the tourism industry. By linking social justice to industry sustainability, the paper presents equality as both an ethical and organisational issues, strengthening its overall argument.

However, the discussion focuses heavily on frontline hospitality work and could further explore inequality within the wider tourism and events industries. For example, the ‘glass slipper’ effect within the events Industry that describes how women feel as though they don’t fit the norms surrounding senior leadership positions within the events industry, something which men don’t recognise or have to think about (Dashper et al., 2023).

References:
Dashper, K., Gross, K. and Xie, G. (2023) ‘I’m just so used to seeing men succeeding’: gender inequality and the glass slipper of success in the events industry. Event Management, 28(2). Available from: //doi.org/10.3727/152599523x16907613842282 [accessed 29 May 2026].
Mistry, T.G., Wiitala, J. and Clark, B.S. (2024) Leadership skills and the glass ceiling in event management: a social role theory approach. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(9). Available from: //doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-07-2023-0927 [accessed 29 May 2026].