Abstract
In this research, several aspects of the hospitality industry dominate the discussions. The first is the passion that the women chefs express and the desire to achieve in all their life roles. The second is the transformation necessary to improve the workplace environment for all employees, not only women. The hospitality industry is known for employing more women than men, yet men predominantly occupy most managerial roles. While ample literature advocates for gender balance in leadership, there is a noticeable gap in addressing other aspects like women's unpaid work (household chores), wage disparities between the genders and noticeable differences in mentoring and promotional opportunities. Existing literature touches on work-life balance but provides limited guidance on how women can enhance this equilibrium while juggling their professional and family duties. In addition to managing these dual roles, women must also allocate time for self-care. This becomes incredibly challenging given the industry's demanding nature, characterised by shifts, long workdays, and physical exertion. These negative aspects of the industry also contribute to job dissatisfaction and hospitality’s high employee turnover. Acknowledging the pivotal role of human resources in hospitality, management must prioritise employee well-being. With the abovementioned, the research questions explored the lived experiences of work-person-life balance among women chefs in the hospitality industry. With the aim to develop a conceptual framework and formulate strategies to transform and improve the workplace.
This constructivist grounded theory (CGT) study examined the work-life balance of women chefs in the hospitality sector through three sets of collected data. Women chefs with a minimum of two years of kitchen experience were invited to participate by approaching various hotel groups and the South African Chefs Association. Thirteen electronic diaries were kept for two months, and six in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. The third data set came from various hospitality experts using the Delphi technique. The qualitative data was managed and organised using Atlas.ti, with the researcher coding the collected data, identifying key themes from the findings and the co-creation nature of CGT, categorising three critical aspects in a woman chef's life: 1) the internal conflict with personal, work and life roles, 2) career crafting and workplace
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transformation and third, the necessity of support structures. The women chefs want to contribute by being valuable team members in the kitchen, fulfilling roles as mothers, partners, and community members, as well as addressing personal responsibilities, encompassing both mental and physical well-being.
From these themes, four strategies were identified: 1) to empower personal growth, 2) to improve diversity, equity and inclusion within the organisations, 3) to transform organisations, work cultures and environments, and last, 4) to empower women chefs into leadership roles. Guided by Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach’s (1968) survey list, the conceptual framework was developed. Collectively the strategies reinforce the need for women in the industry to engage in intentional self-care activities and deliberately surround themselves with supportive contributors in various aspects of life. Using the Delphi technique, strategies were evaluated by hospitality industry experts to determine their feasibility and desirability. Implementing these strategies would result in a harmonious work-person-life balance, which is crucial for the well-being and success of women in the hospitality profession.
Keywords: constructivist grounded theory, DEI, gender differences, hospitality human resources, self-care, women chefs, work-life balance