I was not the only one to scoff at the cruel irony that International Women's Day also fell on Daylight Savings this year — a day celebrating women being only 23 hours long is very "75 cents on the dollar," don't you think?
I'll forgive the injustice because, in theory, women have the entire month of March to be celebrated as a part of Women's History Month, and March is one of the best months. Spring is here, in Houston at least, and around the corner for most of the rest of the country too.
More importantly, it's a time when hoteliers and the hospitality industry as a whole can think of ways to inspire support and celebration of the women in the business. But first, let's take inventory.
Last month, market research website Gitnux analyzed a bevy of reports related to diversity, equity and inclusion within the hospitality industry. Here are the three takeaways from the roundup of reports that pertain to women in the hospitality workforce:
- In 2022, female hospitality workers in the United States earned about $0.816 for every dollar their male counterpart earned, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, representing a gender pay gap of 18.4%.
- Women made up 52.3% of the total hospitality workforce in the U.S. in 2022, but only 28.7% of executive positions were held by women. This information comes from the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Diversity Survey. According to the Deloitte Hospitality Diversity Report, women held 22.1% of C-suite positions in major hotel chains in 2023.
- When factoring in other demographics like race, education or veteran status, the gap widens.
While these specific data points might be news to you, the sentiment is probably familiar. No matter the industry, there's probably some level of gender-based inequity in the workforce — tale as old as time.
But now that the data has set the scene, so to speak, how can companies take action? Unfortunately, this is also not new information; workforce development initiatives — specifically DEI-focused ones — are the solution. Ignoring the positive effects of properly rolled out DEI initiatives is the equivalent of putting your head in the sand. Again, I'll hit you with the data Gitnux pulled together.
- According to Cornell Hotel School research, guest loyalty rose 17.8% in DEI-certified hotels 2023.
- Per a J.D. Power hospitality survey, satisfaction scores from guests increased 15.2% in hotels with high DEI ratings 2022.
- McKinsey & Company reported that companies with strong DEI programs saw 19.3% higher employee retention in U.S. hospitality in 2023.
I won't begin to lecture anyone on what type of DEI initiatives to deploy — believe it or not, it's not my specialty — but I will join the countless women expressing what they want changed in the workforce. And that's, according to the 2025 Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey, leadership training and upskilling, paid maternity and family leave, flexibility in the workplace and other DEI-supported opportunities.
And specifically, not just suggesting that the company culture is "like a family," and instead making these changes at an institutional level. Also, it's 2026 — eliminate the wage gap, it's getting embarrassing, guys.
Next month, I'll be attending FORWARD/26 presented by the AHLA Foundation. I'm interested in connecting with the women powering the hospitality industry and grow my network of female business leaders. I look forward (pun intended) to connecting with people at that conference, as well as at the Hunter Conference next week. Atlanta, here I come!
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