Sunday March 8^th was international Women’s Day. A day where people all around the world promote women’s rights and the promise for equality. For years, there has been a large disparity between working men and women, with the majority of the 1.3 Billion people who are absolutely poor being female as well as women on average receiving 30-40% less pay than men for the same amount of work. Women are also very often victims of abuse from men, as deaths or injuries of women are often the result of rape and domestic violence.

In the spirit of International Women’s day, we will talk about women who work in the hospitality industry and some tips on how they can manage themselves better in their line of work.

So to start off, what merits do we need to have as a woman in the world of hospitality? A woman’s salary doesn’t differ that much from that of a man’s salary in the hospitality industry Women working in the hospitality industry also gets equal opportunities as men do in the workplace, with many women taking high positions in the corporate hierarchy.

While working hard and working smart is a merit that any employee in any industry should have, an important merit to have while working in the hospitality industry is a good attitude. Hospitality is all about making a good lasting impression on their guests and clients, so having a good attitude will immensely help in making that happen.

Determination is another good merit to have, and even more so as a woman. Things can be unpredictable in the hospitality industry, sometimes more so than other jobs. A guest might have gotten lost in the city, the weather might have taken a turn for the worse for your tour, a sudden virus epidemic might pop up, and your job is suddenly that much more difficult. However, any problem can be solved with determination and a little creativity, as you only ever truly fail when you give up. The hallmark of any good service is to go above and beyond what is expected of them even during difficult times.

How should mothers manage their time in between their careers and their family? It can be difficult if you spend most of your time at work only to come home exhausted and to have your child waiting for you with their needs. Just raising a child can be very physically and emotionally draining, but doing that while being a career woman can feel like an impossible task at times.

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed trick in managing your time in between your family and your work, as many families and mothers live under many different circumstances. However, there is one really useful tip on how to be a working mom and still make time for your family: Never bite more than you can chew. That is, never take on more work than you have to. Always conserve your energy because you’re still going to need some once you get back home. If you can, delegate some of your work to your co-workers or subordinates and don’t be scared to ask for help.

What kind of qualities should a woman have as a leader? As a woman, the two most important things are charisma and competence. As women, we need to have a target to strive towards. To chase our dreams, and to not stop there once you reach it. Good leaders will find ways to not only to chase after their dreams and goals, but to share those dreams with those who work under you. To have the charisma and the ability to motivate your employees while leading by example. It’s a very difficult thing to do and admittedly not everyone can do it, but can be very rewarding to see yourself as well as your subordinates motivated and moving towards a common goal or dream.

For many decades, there has been sexual discrimination in the workplace where it is deemed that a woman is an inferior employee or is undeserving of the salary of a man. With International Women’s day, we’ll raise awareness and help change the injustice that has been done unto women. If a man can do it, a woman can do it too!

Written by: Edwin Soewono – Student of Hospitality and Tourism Business 2015