Female employment in hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates: barriers, enablers and experiences of work

摘要

The purpose of this study was to explore barriers to work, enablers for work and work experiences of women employed in the hotel sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research contrasts experiences between participants, to explore the similarities and differences between them. A particular aim of the study was an investigation of the issues for women, particularly those with caring responsibilities, in finding and maintaining employment, and any policies/practices that support them. The study collected primary data through a survey, and in-depth interviews that were conducted during fieldwork in KSA and UAE. The study sampled 385 female employees working in various roles in hotels, and 45 subsequently participated in one-to-one, and small group interviews. The sample group included citizens of each country, Arab and non-Arab expatriates, with and without caring responsibilities for children or adults. The analysis of the survey and interviews found that women with caring responsibilities were more likely than women without those responsibilities to report conflicts between professional and personal responsibilities. A further finding was that women, and KSA participants in particular, were positive about flexible employment practices, perceiving them as a way to ease employment constraints. Regardless of country or nationality, women with children were found to suffer an earnings penalty. An additional insight was that KSA citizens claimed to have better prospects for career progression than expatriates although the former were less satisfied in their work. A number of barriers to employment and causes of job (dis)satisfaction were identified and these were found to vary, dependent on the country. There were also differences between the working experiences of national and expatriate women.