Marriott hotels aim for gender diversity, to hire more women for senior roles

While on one hand, Maryland-based hotel chain Marriott International is working on its over $12 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels so that it can attain the position of world's biggest hotel chain, there is one more agenda that is being silently being worked upon, that of gender diversity.

It was last year that the company introduced its diversity and inclusion goals in India, and now, hotel-specific targets have been allotted to its HR leaders in India so that they increase the percentage of women employees accordingly. Moreover, these women are being hired for senior level as against the typical restricted roles in front office, spa operations and communications. Some such posts include the director of operations at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, market director of sales and marketing at Bengaluru and NCR.

As of now, there are over 1200 women employees working for the company across India, out of which 25% are managers.

"In the last two years we have consciously shifted our focus in enhancing our efforts to acquire and retain women. We have educated our workforce to sensitise them towards diversity. This year, we have launched a practice to create mentorship relationships for high potential women leaders to provide adequate support to them personally and professionally," Gurmeet Singh, area director of human resources, India subcontinent, Marriott International, told ET.

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