Udita Shroff – Regional Head of Marketing and Digital Sales – South Asia, Middle East, and Africa informs that Cathay Pacific’s 30% of workforce in India are women and 19% of them are in leadership roles. Moreover, Cathay Pacific is part of the IATA “25 by 2025” initiative to increase the female leader numbers at General Manager and Director level by 25% by 2025.
How important is IWD for you and why?
International Women’s Day means different things to different people. Over a period, women have collaborated and led purposeful action to redress inequality in the hope of a better future for their communities, children, and themselves. As an individual and a professional associated with Cathay Pacific, celebrating the achievements of women, raising awareness, and encouraging others to advocate for gender equality is something that has been important to me and is not limited to only a specific day, but through the year.
Do you really think that women, in a fast-changing technology and modern age, need empowerment? How did you develop confidence in yourself?
The advent and spread of technology have definitely become a vital part of all our lives, irrespective of gender. The world of digitalization is steadily moving to become more inclusive of women in its ecosystem, which was not the case a few years back. I am positive with initiatives are undertaken by various organizations and women leaders, help ignite meaningful conversations on gender diversity, and drive impactful action to support our female community.
Working for Cathay Pacific in the last six years has contributed to my confidence levels. The open culture within the company, Cathay Women’s network – a platform that focuses on bolstering women in leadership roles, enabling dialogue through talks, workshops as well as constantly upskilling, engagement and working closely with strong women peers across the globe have all added to my growth as an individual.
While women constitute 54% of the workforce in the global travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. This percentage is abysmally low at the top level?
Women accounted for almost 70% of the workforce in the tourism and hospitality sector in the world. Regardless of this number, women in this segment, unfortunately, do not always receive the same benefits and opportunities as men. They hold less than 40% of all supervisory positions and less than 20% of general managerial positions.
The Indian hospitality and aviation segment is still largely male-dominated. However, we have seen positive advancements to make the industry more diverse. Many organisations have actively been taking measures to offer safer and more progressive working environments for women. Already existing women leaders and male allies have been working towards welcoming and empowering women. In my opinion, the future for women seems very positive, and I am looking forward to seeing them progress and make powerful strides across all industries.
At Cathay Pacific, diversity has always been our strength as it helps us conduct our business efficiently, and truly connect with our customers all over the world. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Currently in India, 30% of our workforce are women, while we have 19% in leadership roles. Moreover, we are part of the IATA “25 by 2025” initiative to increase our female leader numbers at General Manager and Director level by 25% by 2025. Our aim has been to create and sustain an inclusive culture. Our Diversity and Inclusion agenda is making sure every single person feels safe, respected, and included when they come to work, while also building a high-performing environment by championing equality and individuality.
What sort of challenges do you face at the workplace as well as balancing work-family life?
Challenges exist in every aspect of our lives; it’s how we perceive them and overturn them to flourish both professionally and personally. For me, every challenge is an opportunity or a springboard and has allowed me to think differently and deliver my best.
Balancing professional and personal life harmoniously is critical. Sometimes, our desire to succeed professionally can push us to set aside our own well-being. However, COVID-19 has fueled conversations about mental wellness and placed the required importance on having a work-life balance. Fortunately, Cathay Pacific places great focus on the wellbeing of its people and values their contribution. Programs such as Work Your Way, flexible working hours a healthy annual leave quota have helped me give my best at work and contribute to my personal life too.
One school of thought suggests that women themselves are one of the hindrances in the growth of women. What is your take on this?
I would say this thought is exactly what we need to break through, especially with the IWD theme of 2022 #Breakingthebias. Women leaders and peers have been striving to create a more inclusive environment for themselves and this shines through with all the diversity initiatives undertaken by women groups in the corporate environment today. I can confidently say that I have been around women who have always supported and encouraged each other.
What are your suggestions to a younger generation?
Gen-Z and the millennials of today have access to a wealth of information and the infrastructure for growth. Having the right mindset and looking for opportunities in every situation will not only help adapt but also grow into a stronger professional as well as an individual, and don’t let any gender bias deter you along the way.
