BERLIN — The makeup of hotel companies, on-property teams and executives in a global hospitality industry is not as diverse as it should be.
Panelists on a diversity, equity and inclusion panel at last week's International Hotel Investment Forum emphasized the importance of diverse hiring and avoiding bias among hotel companies and employee teams at the property level. The fact of the matter is the hotel industry is far from being as diverse as the guests who travel and stay at hotels around the world.
“We are working for a very diverse public, so why is that not reflected in the hotel firm itself?” said Johanna Wagner, an ESG senior adviser for Extendam and a lecturer at ESSEC Business School. “Diversity is only going to increase.”
Andrea Belfanti, CEO of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants, said the industry knows a diverse workforce is both the right thing to do and makes business sense.
Hotel companies say all the right things, such as promoting diversity initiatives prominently on their websites, but Belfanti said the "about us" or leadership pages of those companies aren't diverse enough.
Eric-Michel Omgba, founding partner, Alboran Hotels & Hospitality, which has 20 hotels, said bias is in everyone, but diversity allows teams to be more educated and experienced.
“We are who we are, so we therefore need to change our attitudes. Stop having blinders,” he said.
The Hiring Phase
Growing diversity in a company organization begins in the job descriptions for open positions, Wagner said. She added more accuracy and transparency are needed in job listings, benefits, employment packages and maternity policies, among others.
“Jobs need to make sense for both genders. I know that it still happens that students are asked if they want to start a family,” she said.
Be aware of the bias that can creep in when reviewing applicants, too. Wagner said men with Arabic surnames or Arabic-sounding surnames statistically have the least chance of getting an interview.
“Recruitment companies also need code of ethics. If you see wrong, go to social media and make sure the world knows. Yes, that can be bold. You can fight against bias, but if you see it, would you wish to work there?” she said.
Wagner, who has a background in finance and sustainability, said the hotel industry has a habit of hiring from a pool of candidates with master’s degrees or those who have entered via apprenticeships.
“Very bad habits are being perpetuated. Young people are acutely conscious of problems, or their place in that problem. Do not wait until you pick up those bad habits,” she said of hotel management.
Mentorship programs for young employees are also essential for instilling diversity in a company's identity, Omgba said. He advised giving female employees mentors from both genders in order to better develop their experience.
“Do not confuse advancement with movement,” he said.
In time, a focus on diversity can yield amazing results, Omgba said.
“Seventy percent of our general managers are female, and that is not ticking a box. It is just that they are the right people for the roles,” he said.
Inspiring Change
Employees should not be afraid to speak up.
“Ask yourself what I can question politely and respectfully. If the manager is smart, she or he will not blame you for asking. The more people question, the more likely there will be change and for behavior will change,” Wagner said.
Change will come more easily if the company's leadership culture is invested in taking action in diversity, Omgba said.
“There should be processes, rather than best practices. Formulate a vision of shared values, and if you have that, your decisions are aligned and make sense. What our guests expect is the same as what our staff expect,” he said.
Hotel executive committees can help deploy this vision, Belfanti said.
Omgba said he believed smaller companies can attract more diversity. Managers often just need to execute, not inspire, he added.
“It is the culture. Again, it is easier for smaller companies,” he said.
Hotel companies should regularly revisit their DEI strategy, Omgba said. That includes soliciting feedback from employees and hotel guests on areas for improvement.
“We do a questionnaire every year, and two reviews per year. Once any firm gets to the top of the [diversity] league ladder, then a setback is possible,” he said.
Despite the political noise on DEI in some parts of the world, panelists said diversity issues are important to the next generation of hospitality employees who are currently students.
Globalization trends are down, and the years lost during the pandemic are largely to blame. In the long run, that trips up the progress the hotel industry has made on the diversity front.
“It has limited international internships, and there are more and more educational programs online. I do not think those are the best outcomes,” Wagner said.