The hotel industry needs more Black leaders.

This is a direct quote from a Black American hospitality management student: “I love working in hotels, and before the pandemic I had been at my property for three years. I am also about to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree, but honestly, even before the pandemic I was worried about my career and my plans for the future. I started this journey wanting to become a hotel general manager. But I’ve never worked for a Black GM. And in all my classes, I have never once had a Black GM guest speaker. Why don’t any of them look like me? Does this mean I can never reach this goal?”

The history of Black Americans in the hospitality industry has been fairly consistent with the history of the Black experience in America as a whole. In a time when it was complicit in the discrimination of patrons, the hospitality industry also served to discriminate against Black employees in the form of lower wages and lesser positions and opportunities. While we have come a long way from the Negro Travelers' Green Book*, the statistics are still very telling in regards to the Black hospitality employee experience.

The most current numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate that 1 in 5 people working in the hospitality industry is Black. This proportion, however, is not reflected at all organizational levels. A June 2020 report from The Castell Project revealed some disturbing statistics. After reviewing 630 hotel company websites, it was found that 84% did not show any Black executives, with only 102 showing Black employees at or above the director level. This puts them at 12.5 times below their proportionate share of hospitality industry employment.

Of further concern is that 5% of executive positions across all industries in the U.S. are held by Black employees, as compared to 1.5% in the hospitality industry. Our industry clearly has some work to do. It should also be noted that there do seem to be commitments by hotel companies to improve the situation, including IHG Hotels & Resorts' commitment to ‘Listen & Learn, Advocate and Act’ and the creation of the Choice Hotels Owners African American Alliance (CHOAAA) by Choice Hotels International.

According to a recent study out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Black hospitality students continue to experience high levels of discrimination while working in the industry, understandably resulting in poor career satisfaction. This may certainly speak to one answer as to why we are seeing such a paucity in Black hotel general managers and up, but is undoubtedly just one of several pieces to the puzzle.

It is well-documented that multiple benefits exist when there is a diverse workforce, including but not limited to increased creativity and efficiency in problem solving and decision-making; increased profits and productivity; boosts in employee engagement, retention, and job satisfaction; and positive impacts on company reputation. Further, diversifying your leadership team can allow the organization to tap into new markets.

Many hotel owners and management companies now understand the importance of having a diverse workforce and want to hire Black general managers. An important aspect to a commitment to hiring Black managers is to know where the Black general manager candidates are before the need arises.

Black department managers possess the knowledge and capabilities to be excellent general managers. Many learn the hotel business from the ground floor in entry-level positions. This allows them the opportunity to learn the importance of each job and have an intimate understanding of what makes each department click on all cylinders. They often advise general managers in the day-to-day operations of their hotel, solve problems without the general manager's awareness and gain experience through working manager-on-duty assignments. Within a short time frame, your well-deserving and qualified department manager will become a successful general manager.

Career placement experts have excellent relationships with management companies and ownership groups, as well as individuals they are attempting to place in general manager positions. They have a unique understanding of candidates’ skill sets and the corporate desire to locate Black managers. Building and maintaining positive relationships with them will benefit everyone.

Many historically Black colleges and universities have hospitality and hotel management programs with alumni bases dedicated to seeing graduates excel in leadership positions. Professors from HBCUs maintain strong relationships with their students after graduation, and are a tremendous source for locating Black managers. In addition to HBCUs, educators at predominately white universities are mindful of the recent corporate commitments toward Black hiring. Hospitality management program leaders are an excellent referral source for Black hotel management graduates.

Current Black general managers are a great referral source. These individuals know other Black professionals that want to pursue new opportunities within the hotel business and others that have previous industry experience that want to return to hotel management. In our social media age, the most effective contact method for developing relationships with Black managers is through professional business networking sites. When you see their profiles and interactions on these websites, don’t take it lightly. This is a prime networking opportunity. Even if you don’t benefit immediately, you have taken the first step toward a successful business relationship.

A structured general manager training program that covers all areas of hotel management benefits the organization and individuals. This preparation will allow your managers to begin their new leadership positions with confidence. Well-trained managers in waiting also give you an internal candidate pool for future GM openings. As with any well-run training program, mentoring relationships and advocates will develop. Including Black employees in this general manager training program demonstrates a clear pathway for advancement.

A management track program is ideal for line-level employees who wish to begin careers as department leaders and managers. Associates will rotate throughout all hotel departments, including but not limited to: accounting, front desk, food and beverage, housekeeping, and human resources. This first-hand exposure will give those interested the information to have a fruitful conversation with you regarding their initial career aspirations. After becoming a successful manager in their selected department, the employee would become eligible for the general manager training program. Obviously, a diverse management track program will include Black members.

Many Black professional associations and organizations exist at the national and local levels. Hotel owners and management companies can utilize these organizations to locate Black talent in other professional career fields with transferable skills — either in someone who left the hospitality business, or someone with the appropriate skill set to succeed in hotel management. Both of these recruits will need training, which you offer through the aforementioned management track and general manager training programs.

Anybody in a new position must feel comfortable and receive proper training. This rings true especially for Black employees in leadership roles, including general managers. Everybody this person communicates with must embrace diversity, particularly departments within the management company. Your general manager will most likely communicate with you more than others in the organization. However, if your Black general manager doesn’t feel supported and welcomed by those in support roles — e.g. accounting, human resources, technology — the general manager will not have an overall good experience, which may lead to job dissatisfaction.

Instead of assigning a mentor, allow these relationships to develop naturally. Communication and trust build over time. This is accomplished much more quickly when done organically. You general manager will be much more likely to rely on allies they trust than those forced upon them. This relationship doesn’t have to be within your company. Your general manager may meet someone outside your organization who is perfectly suited for this role.

As humans, we all have different perspectives driven by numerous factors, race being a major one. When your Black general manager presents ideas, take the time to fully understand their perspective. Immediately dismissing them destroys their confidence, preventing them from speaking up in the future. Then you give them a low communication score on performance reviews because they don’t present ideas. Remember, one of the reasons you hired a Black general manager was to bring new ideas and perspectives to your company.

In the current racial climate, you must accept that your Black general manager has a heightened level of concern for their families, friends and loved ones. When situations of racial injustice are publicized in our country and more specifically in a city that your Black general manager has a connection to, it affects him or her in a variety of ways. Every manager will process and respond differently. Some may need to spend time with family or have more frequent communications with them. Your Black general managers might be a support base for Black employees and their families. If yours serves in a leadership role in a community-based organization or church, expect your general manager to be called upon to help others emotionally manage the crisis. Although you may not understand their feelings, it’s important for you to respect them.

Leon Thomas is President of Leon Thomas & Associates.

Dr. Miranda Kitterlin-Lynch is an Associate Professor and Coca-Cola Endowed Professor in the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University.

This article is based on academic research, submitted in partnership with STR’s SHARE Center, which provides support and data resources to professors and students in hotel and hospitality fields of study at colleges and universities worldwide. The assertions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concerns.

* The Negro Travelers' Green Book was a travel guide series published from 1936 to 1964, intended to provide African American motorists and tourists with the information necessary to board, dine, and sightsee comfortably and safely during the era of segregation.

References

Barr, K. (2020, June 30). A time for action: Creating an inclusive culture. Hospitalitynet. Retrieved from https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4099429.html

Castell Project, Inc. (2020, June). Black Representation in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2020. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c886e36c2ff61063923506b/t/5efb523a168f1227d36dc0bc/1593528891796/Black+Representation+in+Hospitality+Leadership+2020+final.pdf.

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (2020, December 9). Choice Hotels continues focus on increasing diversity across hospitality industry by creating one-of-a-kind Choice Hotels owners African American alliance. Cision PR Newswire. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-continues-focus-on-increasing-diversity-across-hospitality-industry-by-creating-one-of-a-kind-choice-hotels-owners-african-american-alliance-301189481.html

Shum, C., Gatling, A., & Garlington, J. (2020). All people are created equal? Racial discrimination and its impact on hospitality career satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 89, 102407. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278431919304888