While diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) regulations are widely accepted in the hospitality and tourism sector, new research shows applicants may still encounter barriers to securing roles because of automated processes on job sites.
Focusing on US recruitment sites, a new study by Flinders University researcher Associate Professor Ashokkumar Manoharan and overseas colleagues comes as a timely reminder that potential continues for employers to pay lip-service to diversity management and inclusiveness in their recruitment practices.
The new article in the International Journal of Hospitality Management stresses that a diverse workforce provides the best service to guests and customers, and the best organisational results.
"While many firms openly communicate their willingness to embrace diversity, equity and inclusiveness in recruiting a diverse workforce, not all organisation practice what they preach," says coauthor Dr Manoharan, a senior lecturer at Flinders University's College of Business, Government and Law.
"Social washing, or the use of organisational statements or policies to create a false impression of social responsibility, is commonly seen in the hospitality industry," says Dr Manoharan, Associate Professor (Event Management and Tourism), who researches diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in hospitality and tourism.
"Employers need to be 'transparent and honest' in their job-seeker communications and allocate adequate resources to meaningful efforts - rather than just lip-service promotions of their inclusive policies."
The research analysed data collected from more than 100 companies using the US employment site, Glassdoor, finding incongruences in inclusive cues in advertising and selection. Most hospitality firms showed inconsistencies between stated inclusivity and employee ratings.
Associate Professor Manoharan - with coauthors Dr Yunxuan Carrie Zhang (Faculty of International Tourism and Management at City University of Macau, China) and Dr Cass Shum (from the William F Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, US) - says government support or recent resistance to promote DEI policy is underpinning the way companies respond to either over-deliver or under-deliver DEI initiatives.
"Although our sample was collected in the US - one of the most diverse countries in the world - the implications extend around the world and to other industries," says Associate Professor Manoharan, a Young Tall Poppy of Science 2025 in South Australia.
"With some pushback against DEI, it is important we do not leave it to just the 'true believers' who genuinely implement DEI practices to continue to effectively promote inclusive cues at the organisational level, and in job markets."
Associate Professor Manoharan, a member of the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University, is co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Management in the Hospitality Industry.
The article, 'Woke washing won't work: The effects of inclusive cues on online employee review sites on job seekers' application intentions' (2025) by Yunxuan Carrie Zhang (City University of Macau), Cass Shum (University of Nevada Las Vegas) and Ashokkumar Manoharan (Flinders University) has been published in International Journal of Hospitality Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104414.
