Hospitality's gender pay gap increases for first time in three years

Hospitality’s gender pay gap increased for the first time in three years in 2020/2021, according to a report by WiHTL - Diversity in Hospitality, Travel and Leisure and professional services network PwC.

The report found that in hospitality the average mean gender pay gap had increased from 5.4% to 7.7%.

Data showed that of the highest paid 25% of positions across hospitality, travel and leisure, 58% are held by men. Among the lowest paid 25% of positions, 54% are held by women.

The report highlighted that as well as contributing to pay inequalities, this meant that jobs held by women were more likely to be casual and vulnerable to reactionary business decisions.

It is thought the cancelling of the 2019/2020 report, due to the Covid pandemic, may have contributed to stalling progress within some companies.

2020/2021 was the fourth year of mandatory gender pay gap reporting, however across hospitality, travel and leisure only about 60% of companies have disclosed the information. This compared to an average of 80% reporting across other sectors.

However, those that did partake reported a number of initiatives including a focus on people development, inclusive recruitment and improving education and awareness.

Tea Colaianni, founder and chair of WiHTL, said: “Whilst it is widely acknowledged that the impact of the pandemic upon the economy disproportionately affected both women and the hospitality, travel and leisure sector, it’s encouraging to see companies across the sector stepping up to be seen as transparent with their reporting and taking meaningful action.

“There is a noticeable commitment to attract, retain and invest in diverse talent pipelines, nurture a culture where everybody feels has the same opportunities to progress and celebrate differences. We have seen significant investment in developing a common language for inclusive leadership and a remarkable effort to support the promotion of talented female leaders at all levels.”

Photo: Shutterstock