Interview: Onpoint Staffing’s Diamond Fares on staffing trends and opportunities for women in hospitality

How challenging was it to set up and run your own business?
As women entrepreneurs, we face a range of challenges, including feeling intimidated about talking business with male executives. These trends are changing and it’s encouraging to see more women standing up for themselves and launching their businesses, be it small or large.

Determination has played a key role in my journey. I founded my company in 2020 and have a full female team. It’s a great feeling to support other women as a female entrepreneur. Leadership and hard work have also helped me build my business in the direction I envisioned. I believe you can maximise opportunities with strong leadership, which in turn, leads to sustainable growth.

There has been an increase in hiring activities in hospitality. Tell us more about it.
After the pandemic, businesses changed their hiring process, with demand for part-timers in hospitality and entertainment increasing. Bigger companies switched to seasonal and occasional strategies to lower their expenses and control their budgets, substituting their full-timers with part-timers. In fact, we’ve connected more than 800 part-timers to suitable jobs in the market. Women, who constitute around 60 per cent of the workforce in the hospitality sector, are also benefitting from the demand.

What are some of the key trends you’re seeing in human resources in the region?
Recent years have seen rapid development in human resource management in the Middle East. Companies in the region are becoming more aware of the challenges they face and the solutions they must develop to retain staff and care for them. One of the biggest trends we’ve noticed since the last two years is the focus on the health and well-being of employees. Organisations have realised the importance of it following the pandemic, and it will continue to be an important priority.

The introduction of flexible working hours is another trend that has gained ground. This allows employees to work more efficiently – and at their convenience, resulting in increased productivity. Employee diversity and inclusion also continue to be a key trends. A diverse workplace introduces different perspectives, values and skill-sets that can benefit teams and the company.  The more you have it, the more people feel involved in the company.