Not too long ago, most women venturing into the hospitality sector would take up roles selective domains, including front desk, guest relations, F&B, sales, marketing or housekeeping. They believed that these groups would put them on the fast track for growth, and companies too felt that these divisions were well-suited for their soft power. Few women contemplated positions in room management, IT, finance, procurement or security divisions.
Of course, there is no definitive framework of what constitutes conventional vs non-traditional career roles for women in this industry. More often than not, it is defined by perception and cultural norms rather than structural barriers that discourage women from taking up distinct profiles.
However, things have changed significantly over the past few years and more ladies are pursuing these presumably unconventional roles. A case in point is Roopa Singh, Director of Rooms at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa. She started her career in 2008 as a Front Desk Agent with Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, New Delhi and was associated with Double Tree by Hilton, Goa and Eros Hotel, New Delhi, as Front Office Manager.
As Director of Rooms now, she is responsible for smooth running of hotel operations, guest service standards and initiatives, product quality, inventory management and cost controls, budgeting and forecasting, department management and meeting participation and facilitation. She is in charge of maximising hotel revenue by controlling room inventory, group blocking packages, up selling, reinforcing the late charge policy to maximize REVPAR.
Singh also prepares the annual budget and manning guide within set budgetary guidelines. She has definitely a long way from her erstwhile position as Front Office Manager and equipped herself with several skillsets along the way.
WALKING THE TALK
Singh is delighted that many of her female peers are no longer sticking to tried and tested job opportunities in the sector, but are taking different paths to climb the ladder of corporate success. This, in turn, is driving gender diversity across all core departments of hotel operations.
While women associates are driving this change, hotel companies play a pivotal role in improving gender inclusion across the board. The best way an organisation can bridge the gender disparity gap is by treating every individual as an equal, irrespective of their gender, culture or any other characteristic. This exudes a sense of belongingness, which will result in optimum satisfaction for all.
Singh is proud that Marriott International has always been on the forefront of gender and cultural diversity. “Advocating the cause of gender diversity, JW Marriott Mussoorie recently launched the ‘Queen of the Hills’ venture. This is an ode to all our women associates who keep the brand’s flag flying high in terms of operations and guest experiences,” she revealed.
WORKING SMART, NOT JUST HARD
The hospitality industry is associated with long hours, which can lead to many a challenge in managing a work-life balance. However, it is possible to cope with this by combining hard work with smart work.
This is something women are adept at doing. To begin with, multi-tasking comes naturally to them. “The working hours in our industry are long, but not erratic. For a smart worker, there is always ample of opportunity to enjoy what they do rather than dragging yourself to your workplace every day,” Singh pointed out.
Difficulty in managing work-life balance can impact a woman professional’s career advancement. However, reputed hospitality brands give lots of career progression opportunities to their female associates.
Citing her own example, Singh said that her journey with JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa has been an enriching one. “Sometimes in our bid to prove our detractors wrong, we forget to enjoy what we do. I think the trick is to leave these worries aside and strive towards your goal with determination. Ultimately, this holds the key to success,” she claimed.
Hotels can also help women professionals rise up the corporate ladder by offering them better options for managing the demands of work and home life. The first step in this direction is being empathic and considerate. Next is equal treatment to all, which means giving out bouquets and brickbats irrespective of gender.
“They should give more responsibilities and accountability of tasks to women. At the same time, they should also praise them on successfully completing a task,” Singh suggested. Boosting employee morale will always help a hotel achieve peak employee engagement across all operations.
AN EAR TO THE GROUND
Most hotel organisations are augmenting their talent strategies to reflect contemporary trends and become more gender diverse. And this is comes to fore in unusual ways.
This year, JW Marriott Mussoorie hosted an all-woman management training group for the Marriott International’s Voyager talent programme. This exclusive learning course gives aspiring hospitality students a chance to excel in the business. It prepares them for the future by equipping them with in-depth knowledge about the various aspects of industry. And to have an all-woman group of the next generation of hoteliers is indeed a feat.
The hotel also has a woman chef centric group called S.H.E.F.S, where the women discuss their professional and personal challenges, concerns and triumphs. Singh stated that this peer-to-peer connection has boosted everyone’s morale tremendously.
As companies try to embrace a more holistic approach to diversity, they need to start providing women workers with transparency in processes coupled with strategic support; both formal and informal. Life and family care options is a good start. As they look deeper into their processes, they are bound to find more ways to become women-friendly.
