This Women’s Day, meet the trailblazers shaping the future of corporate travel. At Corporate Traveller, we're proud to support the success of women in leadership. Their vision, passion and perseverance are driving innovation and excellence in our industry.
The travel industry had to really hustle and adapt the past couple of years, way more than any other sector. Those leading in travel had to step up and guide their teams through this crazy time. And like travel has been changed forever, so have the skills needed to be a modern leader.
“As Women's Day in South Africa celebrates the achievements of women, it's important to recognise the valuable insights and advice shared by female leaders in the travel industry. The past few years of change have reshaped the fabric of leadership, requiring adaptability and a deeper understanding of human dynamics. To succeed in this new reality, leaders have to be good at handling change, bringing their teams together, and being emotionally aware in tough times,” says Bonnie Smith, GM of Corporate Traveller.
We take a look at some of the key skills leaders need now and what it means to be an effective woman leader today, according to leadership teams at Corporate Travel.
Essential leadership skill #1: Embracing diversity and inclusion
The need to be adaptable in business, processes and client engagement has underscored the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership. Alzeth De Aveiro, Head of Technology Product, emphasises the significance of having a team with diverse backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities to foster new perspectives and innovative problem-solving.
“Surrounding myself with talent from different backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities allows me to broaden my view on leadership. I encourage an environment that enables my team to learn and grow from one another, where everyone has a voice to share their thoughts or ideas. This fosters an inclusive atmosphere, empowering every team member to bring their best selves to work,” she says.
According to Anneke Bornman, Head of Onboarding at Corporate Traveller, the travel industry has been actively working towards diversity and inclusion. They are ensuring that women from all backgrounds have an equal chance to access travel opportunities. She says this commitment is evident in their marketing campaigns, employment practices, and the services they offer.
“As a black South African woman, diversity and inclusion are central to my leadership style,” adds Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller. “I promote these values by ensuring diverse hiring practices, encouraging mentorship programmes, and talking about unconscious bias and inclusion.”
To promote diversity and inclusion, Bornman says leaders can:
- Establish an inclusive culture from the top, where diverse voices are valued.
- Practice diverse hiring and provide equal opportunities for candidates from different backgrounds.
- Offer training to raise awareness of biases and promote understanding among employees.
- Involve diverse perspectives in decision-making for better outcomes.
- Hold leaders and employees accountable for promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Implement flexible policies to accommodate diverse needs, like remote work or parental leave.
- Seek out diverse suppliers and vendors for the organisation.
- Measure progress and regularly assess diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Communicate the organisation's commitment to diversity openly and involve employees in shaping the strategy.
Essential leadership skill #2: Adaptability and flexibility
Traditional work dynamics have changed, and one of the biggest newcomers is the concept of "workation" – a blend of work and personal life to find balance and efficiency. The rise of remote work and nomadism in the digital age has allowed more women to combine work and travel, says Bornman. “Work flexibility has opened up opportunities for extended travel experiences without sacrificing professional growth.”
She continues that women in leadership roles can help drive change and advocate for work-life balance initiatives and policies that support their employees' well-being. "They understand the challenges of balancing work and personal life and strive to create a healthy and flexible work environment," she says.
Wendy Tshabangu, Head of Customer Success at Corporate Traveller, believes the focus of every organisation should be employee well-being, which has been proven to reduce stress and increase employee productivity. “This is even more important for women, as it allows them to balance work and home life, resulting in reduced mental fatigue and burnout," she says
Considering the needs of female business travellers is also vital in the context of travel policies, adds De Aveiro. "Single parenting and gender roles in the home are still a reality, and a travel policy that is built around flexibility and supporting women to allow them the time to prepare and plan to be away from home is essential,” she says.
Essential leadership skill #3: Empathy and emotional intelligence
Empathy and understanding became crucial as employees faced unique challenges during remote work and uncertain times. The take-out? Michelle Compton, National Sales Leader at Corporate Traveller, says the most important skills for leaders to focus on now are: managing change effectively, building a solid team culture, and being emotionally aware of handling complex situations with skill and sensitivity.
Lebogang Ntoagae, Corporate Supply & Distribution Director at Corporate Traveller, stresses the importance of leading oneself first. “Taking care of one's well-being and growth before leading others enables leaders to be more effective in guiding their teams”, she says.
‘Empathy’ is a value that should be incorporated into travel policies, adds Bornman: “Travellers' needs and concerns have shifted. Leaders must demonstrate empathy, understand their customers' changing expectations, and prioritise their safety and well-being.” How to do so?
“To create a more empathetic environment for women travellers, travel policies should focus on safety through comprehensive risk assessments, consider the option of travel companions for added comfort, offer post-travel flexibility to accommodate home obligations, and establish effective communication channels with access to emergency support,” says Kerry-Lee Bovey, Financial Controller (Accounting Operations) at Corporate Traveller.
The insights shared by leaders from Corporate Traveller leadership reveal the importance of diversity and inclusion, adaptability, empathy, crisis management, and work-life balance in driving success – something that we can learn on Women’s Day, but action every day, says Smith.
"By embracing change and giving power to your workforce, modern leaders can set the stage for a successful future," says Smith.