“Let’s make it years not decades,” a report detailing the results of a survey of 10,442 companies, created in collaboration with PwC, WiH2020 and UKHospitality, recently found that men still hold most of the top jobs in HTL (hospitality, travel and leisure). The current pay gap is 7.6 percent compared to 8 percent last year.
According to the report, the gender gaps reflect the fact that there are far more men than women in the best paid senior positions (CEO and CFO in particular) and technical roles (e.g. airline pilots) and far more women in low paid and unskilled jobs in HTL (e.g. housekeeping). These are also sectors with high staff turnover and a prevalence of insecure seasonal work.
The report says that at the current slow rate of progress, many talented women will be deterred from taking up careers in HTL or become frustrated and leave. The publicity surrounding gender pay gaps can also damage the brand among customers as well as employees.
Just in hospitality, the mean pay gap is 11.4 percent and the mean bonus gap 25.4 percent.
The good news from the study is that it has helped bring attention to compensation gaps and prompted companies to act. Said one executive: “It has really helped us analyze our demographic and identify where we need to focus our strategy.” Of course, that company should have known all along about its compensation disparity.
Too Many Women in Low-Paying Positions
Why do differences in compensation remain? The report states: “Some of the causes may be common to businesses in all sectors such as unconscious bias in recruitment and selection. Yet some are specific, or at least more pronounced, within HTL. This includes the preponderance of women in low paid and entry level positions, while men still make up the bulk of the board.”
“Typically, women take up roles in the lower quartile pay bands to allow for greater flexibility in their working hours,” the report adds. “These positions often offer little scope for career progression.”
Where women are in senior positions, many remain clustered within support functions such as HR, rather than frontline profit & loss (P&L) drivers. Bonus payments are more prevalent within these P&L driving functions, which is reflected in the 29.4 percent mean bonus gap in HTL. In travel and leisure, it is more than 35 percent.
Among the action steps companies are taking to address compensation differences:
- Introducing unconscious bias training;
- Setting up gender pay forums;
- Implementing flexible work policies and practices;
- Setting up a network to discuss the issues blocking promotion within their organization;
- Launching a personal and professional development program, designed and delivered by women for women; and
- Forming a Global Women’s Leadership advisory board to act as an internal strategic partner and advisor for benefits, talent and development of women.
The survey report concludes with five key pillars for accelerating progress:
- Align diversity with your business strategy.
- Set realistic objectives and a plan to achieve them.
- Be honest: Tell it as it is.
- Drive accountability from the top.
- Use data: What gets measured gets done.
To access a copy of the survey report, click here.
Green Lodging News Welcomes Majestic International to Product Directory
Green Lodging News welcomes Majestic International to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Linens & Towels and Robes & Slippers categories. Majestic International offers an eco-friendly robe and towel program that requires less detergent, saves 20 percent in drying time and reduces water consumption by 30 percent. The products are 100 percent natural and biodegradable yet thick and thirsty and luxurious. The biodegradable slipper made from jute will reduce landfills yet pamper guests. Call (203) 373-1853 or e-mail Wendy Thompson at w.thompson@majesticinternational.com for more information.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, announces the launch of Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 21,401 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2019 or 2020?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2019 and 2020. Many excellent spots are available on our new website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2019 or 2020 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 21,358. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,816 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 939 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Green Lodging News Welcomes Majestic International to Product Directory
Green Lodging News welcomes Majestic International to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Linens & Towels and Robes & Slippers categories. Majestic International offers an eco-friendly robe and towel program that requires less detergent, saves 20 percent in drying time and reduces water consumption by 30 percent. The products are 100 percent natural and biodegradable yet thick and thirsty and luxurious. The biodegradable slipper made from jute will reduce landfills yet pamper guests. Call (203) 373-1853 or e-mail Wendy Thompson at w.thompson@majesticinternational.com for more information.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, currently offers the Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 21,358 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2019 or 2020?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2019 and 2020. Many excellent spots are available on our new website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2019 or 2020 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 21,358. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,816 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 939 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
