Walk into almost any hotel and you’ll find women at the heart of the guest experience, welcoming travelers at the front desk, managing events, leading marketing initiatives, and ensuring operations run smoothly behind the scenes. In fact, women make up more than half of the hospitality workforce.
Yet despite their impact, many talented women leave the industry due to rigid schedules and the challenge of balancing work with family responsibilities.
Walk into almost any hotel and you’ll find people at the heart of the guest experience, welcoming travelers at the front desk, managing events, leading marketing initiatives, and ensuring operations run smoothly behind the scenes. In fact, a significant portion of the hospitality workforce is made up of individuals in these roles.
Yet despite their impact, many talented professionals leave the industry due to rigid schedules and the challenge of balancing work with personal or family responsibilities.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) predicts a need to hire over 500,000 new hotel workers in the U.S. alone over the next three years to meet growing demand. As the hospitality industry continues to face staffing shortages, especially during peak travel seasons, there is a powerful opportunity to bring experienced women back into the workforce through both leave coverage and seasonal roles.
The Role Women Play in Hospitality
Women have long been a driving force in hospitality. Estimates show women represent between 51% and 58% of the hospitality workforce, making them the majority of employees across hotels, travel, and service organizations.
However, representation decreases at higher levels of leadership. According to a recent Forbes article, women only hold roughly 30% of hospitality leadership roles and only about a quarter of executive positions at major hotel companies. This gap highlights the need for more intentional pathways that support women’s long-term careers in the hospitality industry.
At the same time, many women—particularly mothers—step away from hospitality roles because of scheduling demands that can be difficult to balance with caregiving responsibilities. A 2023 survey from hospitality.net found that 83% of hospitality workers would stay longer in a job that offered flexible scheduling.
Supporting Women (and Mothers) in the Workplace
While flexibility can be tough for smaller hospitality chains to offer, one of the most powerful ways to strengthen the hospitality workforce and attract and retain skilled workers is through supporting women.
.This support can take many forms, like:
- Creating re-entry pathways for professionals returning from career pauses
- Building inclusive teams that recognize the value of experienced working mothers
- Mentoring women pursuing leadership roles
One of the most critical talent pipelines in hospitality isn’t joining the race to snag new graduates, it’s creating opportunities for experienced professionals returning to the workforce after a career pause.
Supporting caregivers can actually improve hospitality culture and guest experience.The same skills that make great parents - empathy, adaptability, and problem solving - are the skills that define exceptional hospitality professionals.
When organizations intentionally create opportunities for women to reenter the workforce, they not only support individual careers, they strengthen their teams and workplace culture.
Seasonal Hospitality Work: A Win-Win for MOMs
Seasonal hiring cycles are a reality in hospitality, from summer travel peaks to large conferences and holiday tourism. During peak season, hotel and restaurant labor demand can spike by 20–30%, yet many operators struggle to fill those roles in time.
Flexible staffing models can help hotels meet these demands while also creating opportunities for experienced professionals seeking a more even workload during peak periods.
Examples of seasonal or flexible hospitality roles include:
- Guest services and concierge support
- Event and conference coordination
- Marketing and social media campaign support
- HR and recruiting during hiring surges
- Administrative, finance, and operations support
- Short and long-term leave coverage
For many women returning to the workforce, these roles offer a chance to contribute valuable experience while maintaining balance with family life.
The Mom Project: Supporting Women in Hospitality Careers
At The Mom Project, we believe talented professionals shouldn’t have to choose between meaningful work and family responsibilities.
Mothers are already a significant force in the U.S. workforce. Today, about 74% of mothers with children under 18 are working or actively seeking work, representing more than 24 million women across the country.
Yet many experienced professionals step away temporarily when workplace structures don’t support caregiving responsibilities. When organizations create flexible or seasonal opportunities, they can tap into this highly skilled and motivated talent pool, bringing experienced professionals back into industries like hospitality where their skills can have an immediate impact.
By connecting hospitality organizations with experienced women seeking seasonal, temporary, and permanent opportunities, we help companies scale their teams during busy periods while opening doors for professionals ready to reenter or grow in the workforce.
When hospitality companies invest in flexible workforce solutions, everyone benefits; organizations gain access to skilled talent, and women gain opportunities to build fulfilling careers.
The hospitality industry thrives on care, connection, and community values women have helped shape for generations. By creating more flexible pathways into the workforce, companies can ensure talented women continue to play a vital role in delivering exceptional guest experiences.
If your organization is preparing for peak travel seasons, large events, or just needs leave coverage, The Mom Project can help connect you with experienced professionals ready to step in and make an impact. Contact us today!