Harassment of workers in hospitality workspaces: An explanatory approach

Harassment, encompassing various forms like sexual harassment, bullying and violence, is a pervasive phenomenon in hospitality workspaces, reflecting broader social inequalities and power dynamics within these spaces. This article aims to provide an understanding of the institutional mechanisms and spatial–relational dynamics that lead to the high prevalence of harassment in hospitality workspaces. The research undertook a two-stage qualitative approach, including interviews with industry professionals and front-line workers. The findings reveal that in hospitality workspaces, the obligation to maintain a hospitable demeanour, combined with the risk distribution produced by spatial segregation, coerces workers into tolerating abuse. Intra-organizational dynamics contribute significantly, with harassment often linked to hierarchical kitchen cultures and managerial practices that exploit workers. Finally, the institutional context demonstrates fragmented efforts from various agencies and a regulatory gap. The article argues that harassment is not merely a series of isolated incidents but is facilitated by the spatial and relational organization of hospitality workspaces. These vulnerabilities are further entrenched by the limitations of the intra-organizational and institutional contexts, which disproportionately burden vulnerable workers such as women, migrants and young individuals.