DISHING UP DIVERSITY

Change is needed to increase female leadership in the female-dominated industry of hospitality

Karen Barnaby, product development chef at Goodly Foods, was the rst woman to receive the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s prestigious Back of the House Award • SUBMITTED

HAYLEY WOODIN

For many customers, restaurants offer more than great food. They deliver an opportunity to travel or to be transported through culinary experiences; on the menu may be nostalgia, ambience and comfort.

Restaurants are the setting for first dates, wedding receptions and family reunions; the backdrop for everything from casual business meetings to special occasions, and a backbone of B.C.’s services economy.

But the reality of many restaurants varies greatly depending on whether you are dishing up or dining out. And among those who staff restaurants – the chefs, line cooks, servers, hosts, sommeliers and bartenders – experiences on the floor and in the kitchen can vary depending on your sex.

“Restaurants are horrible places,” says Karen Barnaby, an award-winning chef and cookbook author who has been active in the industry since 1977.

“A lot of restaurants chew people up,” she

says. “It’s just not conducive to having a wonderful life.” There are challenges to working in hospitality, and in restaurants, specifically: The pay can be poor, the shifts long and the hours late. For many women, restaurants remain an “old boys’ club,” as Barnaby puts it, and more than 70 per cent of female restaurant workers report having been sexually harassed by customers, co-workers and superiors, according to a survey by the U.S.-based organizations

One Fair Wage and Social Science Research

Solutions. There is an advancement issue: The latest census figures for B.C. and Canada show that women account for nearly half (48.2 per cent) of tourism sector jobs. When broken down WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS BECOMING A RALLYING CALL OF THE INDUSTRY ˆ Joanna Jagger Founder WORTH Association

further, women in B.c . account for 58 per cent of food and beverage services positions. But representation fades at the top. Just nine per cent of hospitality leadership roles are held by women, according to a 2022 report by the c astell project.

There is also a pay gap issue and a lack of pay transparency across the hospitality industry. For example, female accommodation managers in metro Vancouver earn $0.77 for every $1 earned by a male counterpart, according to research by Tourism hr c anada and Wor Th (Women of r ecreation, Tourism and h ospitality) Assocation.

Biases, harassment and pay unfairness aside, restaurants also typically involve demanding work that is not necessarily conducive to having a family or leading a balanced life, says Barnaby, who was the first woman to receive the British c olumbia r estaurant and Foodservices Association’s Back of the h ouse Award. s he currently works as a product development chef at Goodly Foods.

“you’re going to be judged by the amount of hours you put in. o r, you can just go, ‘s crew that! i’m going to find something else,’” she says.

At present, the hospitality industry is struggling through one of the most severe labour shortages in history. Adding to that pressure are the workforce and workplace expectations of a younger generation of workers who may be deciding whether they want to fill some of the 144,000 accommodation and foodservices jobs s tatistics canada says remain vacant across the country (as of July).

“Work-life balance is becoming a rallying call of the industry,” says Joanna Jagger, president and founder of Wor Th Association, who credits younger workers’ values and expectations for some of the shifts underway.

“c ulture has to change and is changing as a part of that group coming into the workforce,” she says. Founded in 2018, Wor Th is the only society in British c olumbia dedicated to advancing women in the recreation, tourism and hospitality industries. in August, the organization hosted its second yes shef event, which was designed to feature established and emerging female chefs. Five chefs – including Andrea c arlson of Burdock & c o., one of BIV’s BC500 most influential business leaders in B.c ., and Tia Kambas of c hambar, which was the venue for the event – prepared a multi-course meal with five female apprentices from

Vancouver c ommunity c ollege. Female sommeliers and a female bartender offered wine pairings and drinks to the 80 guests in attendance. e ach of the student protégés received a $1,000 scholarship, and now have the opportunity to remain in contact with the women they worked with during the event. Wor Th offers other mentorship opportunities for women at various stages of their careers. Jagger, who started her career as a cook, says such opportunities can make a big difference.

“i really didn’t have at the time a recognizable role model in the industry in terms of women in culinary,” she says. “That’s changed a little bit.” The yes s hef event also models how a collaborative and supportive kitchen environment can lead to successful outcomes. Through resources, training, networking opportunities and mentorship, Jagger says the industry is moving away from the British chef “Gordon ramsay culture of kitchens,” replete with yelling, name-calling and toxic masculinity. Tourism hr c anada and Wor Th Association research found that 84 per cent of men and 70 per cent of women agree that women entering hospitality companies today have more opportunities for upward career mobility into executive positions than past generations. But there is more to be done. e verything from harassment and toxic workplace cultures, to the fact that many industry networking events feature activities that are more popular with men, create barriers to success, explains Jagger. Though women are drawn into hospitality in strong numbers, and many are passionate about their work, a large number decide to change or pivot their careers in their 20s and 30s because of what they experience.

“i always say it’s a female-dominated industry where women are not always dominating,” Jagger says. “We’re not doing enough and the numbers reflect that we’re not doing enough.”ç

WORTH Association’s Yes Shef event brought together 80 guests to enjoy and recognize the talents of local female

chefs • VISION EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

MORE WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE BENEFITS US ALL

Women need support navigating a workforce and economy that weren’t created for them

AMY ROBICHAUD

The world of business wasn’t designed to favour women. The financial, systematic and organizational structures that continue to dominate how the workforce and economy are organized were created without women’s participation and without women in mind. i don’t say this to be controversial, or to shock, but because these are simple facts. Today, the physical and cultural shape of business can range from downright hostile to women’s participation, to full of minor inconveniences and hidden hurdles that women have to navigate to succeed – glass ceilings and maternal walls, to name a few. For example, it is rare for childcare to be provided by employers. While it is now common for offices to have sufficient washroom facilities for all genders, menstrual products are seldom offered. While it is typical for prescription medication coverage to be offered by employers, coverage restrictions mean that Viagra is often included, and most forms of birth control are not. l ess straightforward examples include: Workplace thermostats set to a temperature based on the comfort of male bodies; dress codes that are based primarily on male clothing; the tendency for leaders (who are statistically more likely to be men) to select same-gender mentees. more women in the workforce matters for at least three reasons. First, the economic bottom line. According to the international l abour o rganization, more women in the workforce and, in particular, management positions, results in a tangible increase in profits. more profitable companies help us grow the economy. s econd, the children of employed women are more likely to be employed themselves, earn more and be happier.

Generationally, more women in the workforce leads to greater prosperity. Third, a resilient and inclusive workforce is critical to attracting immigrant talent. British c olumbia, like all of c anada, relies on immigration to sustain and grow its population and economy. if we are to succeed in the global competition for talent, we need to ensure that everyone who wants to contribute to our economy is able to do so at their highest level.

so what can we, as individuals and organizations, do about it? h ow do we increase women’s economic participation and presence in the workforce? We invest in preparing women to navigate the current business world, while at the same time moving to a place of greater equality and accessibility. This work is going to take many hands, including those of business leaders, policymakers and community-level organizations. i belong to the latter of these as the executive director of d ress for success Vancouver. since 1999, the organization’s work in Vancouver has focused on building the pipeline of women entering the workforce, and equipping them to navigate the economy and the workplace. We offer women the tools to achieve their highest potential through social and economic mobility. d ress for s uccess Vancouver has served over 34,000 women in the l ower mainland who are experiencing social and economic marginalization. We’ve equipped them with the tools and support they need to find, keep and grow their employment opportunities through personalized support in their job search, interview preparations and help accessing government services. We also provide our clients with interview-appropriate attire and the confidence they need to overcome the hurdles in their way.

From a business perspective, this work has been worth over $1 billion in wages – a potential economic engine that otherwise would have remained untapped or under-tapped. in terms of return on investment, this is a 13,643.13 per cent return for every charitable dollar donated to d ress for s uccess Vancouver since 1999. my staff and i are continually astounded by the strength and resilience of the women that come through our doors. We are consistently reminded why we do what we do, raising valuable funds to provide support, mentors, dressing appointments and professional growth workshops. We’re driven by a lean staff and volunteers that make our mission possible. We’re inspired by every woman who comes to our organization facing hurdles and persevering to achieve their employment and personal dreams. o ur work contributes significantly to increasing the participation of women in the workforce, in B.c . and around the world. o ur economy needs women to move forward and we’re seeing that happen every day, one woman at a time. ç

Amy Robichaud is executive director of Dress for Success Vancouver. Learn more at dfsvancouver.ca.

THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL SHAPE OF BUSINESS CAN RANGE FROM DOWNRIGHT HOSTILE TO WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION, TO FULL OF MINOR INCONVENIENCES AND HIDDEN HURDLES