Cosmos chief executive Giles Hawke discusses his role as a male ally for Women in Travel
The challenge around the recruitment and retention of talent remains a hot topic in our industry, as the effects of the pandemic, the mess of Brexit and the perceptions about travel as an uncertain career choice continue to linger.
Conversations abound on how we attract, develop and grow an engaged and productive workforce to meet demand as travel rebounds, even in the face of a cost-of-living crisis.
I have been thinking about this particularly in the context of my work as a male ally for Women in Travel, which works to support women – especially those who are marginalised, vulnerable or under‑represented – into jobs in travel.
The male allyship network – which is just one part of the social enterprise’s important work – is a mentoring programme that pairs senior male travel executives with women in the earlier stages of their careers.
The premise is that it’s a collective responsibility to uplift women in our sector, and that engaging men in the gender diversity conversation is key to building a fairer and more equitable industry. So when I was approached by Women in Travel (CIC) founder and MD Alessandra Alonso, I took the opportunity to play a part in this critical journey.
Many of us strive towards this on a day-to-day basis within our own businesses, but Women in Travel’s programme encourages us to support our wider industry colleagues.
Two-way conversation
I have been meeting my mentee Seema for over a year now, and it has been a brilliant two-way experience. Initially we talked quite generally about aspirations, motivations, happiness and wellbeing, but then we started to address more specific matters.
For example, we talked through the pros and cons of Seema moving jobs, looking at the team management and longer-term career progression opportunities that this would afford, to help her reach some conclusions about what she wanted and to work through the best approach.
I consider it a great privilege that Seema has shared her goals and aspirations with me and
that she has trusted me with that information.
I have tried to make our discussions as open and constructive as possible, and hope I have been a useful, independent sounding board for her. But what I found particularly striking is how much I learnt myself from our conversations.
Fresh perspective
We are all prone to getting caught up in the day-to-day of our own roles and companies and, like many of us, I tend to spend time with peers and associates who have been in the business for as long as I have, or who hold similar roles. To spend time working closely with someone young and vibrant, and who is in an earlier stage of their career, has been refreshing and given me a different perspective.
The process has taught me a few things that I will apply in my own working life, and has been a good reminder about the importance of listening, empathy and about staying engaged and connected with all levels of your business.
Women in Travel (CIC) is now approaching its second year of the male allyship programme, and I would actively encourage my male counterparts in the industry to get involved, and encourage women to come forward to participate.
We look around the industry and see so many brilliant, talented women, yet it’s still very male‑dominated when it comes to the really senior leadership positions. It’s getting better, and we have some fantastic women who have been leading the charge, especially during the pandemic, but we need to do more to bridge the gap and smash that glass ceiling once and for all.
The male allyship programme offers a very practical approach to this. And we can all learn from each other. We have so much knowledge, experience, passion and opportunity within this sector, and in better sharing that, we are building for a stronger, more resilient and fairer future. You can find out more at womenintravelcic.com.
More: Women in Travel welcomes more industry leaders to allyship programme