Striking a Balance: The Future of Work and Family Issues in the Hospitality Industry

SUMMARY This chapter reviews previous literature related to men and women in the hospitality workforce and summarizes the challenges they have confronted as they strive to develop careers while maintaining family commitments. Current trends such as globalization, diversity, and technology are described and their impact on the hospitality workplace assessed. Specific actions that progressive hospitality organizations have taken as they address the need for a more responsive and flexible workplace are presented. Finally, suggestions are proposed for how educators and practitioners might work together to assist employees in increasing their quality of life and in achieving family and work balance. It seems likely that fundamental shifts in the basic assumptions affecting employee policies are necessary before organizational attitudes and practices will result in greater work and family balance for service employees.