Every March , the hospitality industry celebrates its female leaders as part of Women ’ s History Month . On LinkedIn and other channels , stories and photos feature extraordinary women . If only for March , one might conclude that women have achieved the goal of gender parity in the hospitality industry . Though recognizing overall hospitality industry advancements is important , March is not reflective of the realities in the industry today . Still , there is much to celebrate . Women are advancing across all segments of the industry , including many places where they have traditionally been underrepresented . Many companies are evaluating the composition of their leadership teams and boards and setting benchmarks for achieving greater diversity .
Those truly dedicated are creating programs that prove their commitment . Conference organizers , likewise , are setting out to intentionally achieve greater diversity across panels and keynotes . Importantly , many of these speaking
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opportunities now showcase women , as the subject-matter experts that they are .
Sponsors are being more intentional in their roles at conferences , too . Men are proudly serving as allies and champions , with many women noting that their greatest mentors and advocates have been men .
Organizations committed to elevating women in hospitality are offering networking events , conferences , mentorship programs , scholarships , podcast opportunities , training materials , board volunteer opportunities and other resources to help support those who are investing in themselves . Proudly , 31 of these organizations collaborate as part of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance to maximize their efforts to hopefully move the needle farther and faster .
The National Women ’ s History Month ’ s theme for 2024 celebrates “ Women Who Advocate for Equity , Diversity and Inclusion .” That theme runs consistent with the efforts of formal organizations and rings true anecdotally : Many
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women can ’ t recall a greater time of support and advocacy for one another .
There is a lot of momentum and a very public narrative that is driving awareness and generating results . But there is more to be done . Women don ’ t just want to talk about a seat at the table ; they want and deserve a seat at the table . There is no question that diversity of thought and leadership drives business results . For some time now , there have been more women in mid-level roles , yet there continues to be barriers into executive leadership roles and the C-suite .
Some of these obstacles are societal ; some are ingrained within current leaders / decision-makers ; others our own internal dialogue . On boards , at conferences , throughout organizations , in trade publications — it will take the collective industry to get there .
Companies and recruiters need to think differently when hiring , and then further identify and develop top talent . Conferences need to attract more female attendees and media need to source more
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women as subject matter experts . It is also incumbent for women to seek out career opportunities , learn and advocate : Am I doing all I can to advance gender equality in the hospitality industry ?
The hospitality industry is incredible and a career in it impacts people ’ s lives daily . Of course , there needs to be female representation at all levels to reflect the diverse communities served .
People often ask : When will be the time when there no longer needs to be features written specifically about women because there will be a point of gender equilibrium ? It ’ s a fair question . I hope someday — it ’ s just not today . And when it happens , I hope we never stop celebrating one another across the industry — regardless of gender .
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May / June 2024 hotelsmag . com 45 |