Communication and Training in Hospitality Industry: Case Study of Hotel Hilton

Running head: COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Impact of Communication Skills Training and Development in Hospitality Sector: A Case Study
of Hotel Hilton
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Acknowledgement
Thank you to all of those who have helped listened and encouraged me throughout this study. I
am indebted to my supervisor ......................... whose guidance, advice and patience have
been immeasurable. My sincere thanks to all members of the............... [Mention your
university/college name], both staff and students, whose continuous support have made this
thesis possible.
I would like to thank all of the participants in the study: students, teachers and Local Education
Authorities, for the time and help given throughout. Without their participation, this research
would not have been possible. In this context, I am also thankful to them, whose research work
helped me to execute this paper well.
Finally, I thank my family, without whom this thesis would not have been started or completed!
Your encouragement and support have never faltered; thank you.

2COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Abstract
The aim of the research is to analyze the impact of communication skills training and
development in hospitality industry by considering the case of Hotel Hilton. Communication is
the key to successful customer service in the hospitality sector, as having excellent set of
communication skills enables the employees to fulfill the customer needs and demands. Issues
in terms of training and development for developing communication skills in the hospitality
sector has been encountered due to hectic schedules of the employees, dispersed workforce,
difference in the learning habits and lack of employee engagement. The employees are unable
to keep them updated and ensure continuous improvement of the communication skills that is
hampering the customer service for Hotel Hilton. Analyzing the impact of communication skills
training and development in the hospitality sector will help in identifying the potential issues that
hospitality sector encounters while providing training and development sessions for the
employees.
Positivism philosophy, deductive approach, descriptive design and survey research strategy has
been applied. Considering the application of survey research strategy, the researcher has
selected 50 managers of Hotel Hilton by applying simple random probability sampling
technique. Application of primary data collection process followed by quantitative data analysis
technique has been used. The analyzed data has been presented using graphs using MS-
Excel.
Data obtained from the data analysis infers that most of the participants feel that there will be a
positive impact on the training and development due to the increase in the communication skills.
The employees will be able to increase their skills and knowledge that will affect Hilton hotel in a
positive manner. The improvement in the communication skills will result in handling the
customers in a better way so that the level of efficiency can be increased to a great extent.
The hectic work schedules of the employees, dispersed workforce as the hotel has branches
around the globe, unable to consider individual learning habits, seasonal demands and
performance improvement requirement are the potential training and development encountered
while taking training and development sessions for the employees. The suitable
recommendations include avoiding face-to-face training, using virtual platforms and considering
learning preferences.

3COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..................................................................................................................5
1.0 Overview.........................................................................................................................5
1.1 Problem statement...............................................................................................................5
1.2 Research aim.......................................................................................................................5
1.3 Research objectives.............................................................................................................5
1.4 Research questions.............................................................................................................5
1.5 Research rationale...............................................................................................................5
1.6 Structure of the dissertation.................................................................................................6
1.7 Summary..............................................................................................................................6
Chapter 2: Literature review..........................................................................................................7
2.0 Overview..............................................................................................................................7
2.1 Conceptual framework.........................................................................................................7
2.2 Concept of communication skills..........................................................................................7
2.3 Concept of training and development..................................................................................8
2.4 Factors affecting training and development.........................................................................8
2.4.1 Process..........................................................................................................................8
2.4.2 Seasonal demands........................................................................................................8
2.4.3 Performance improvement requirement........................................................................8
2.4.4 Employee turnover rate.................................................................................................8
2.5 Significance of having excellent communication skills in hospitality sector.........................9
2.6 Necessity of communication skills training and development in hospitality sector..............9
2.7 Challenges faced while conducting communication skills training and development in
hospitality sector........................................................................................................................9
2.8 Strategies for mitigating the communication skills training and development in hospitality
sector.......................................................................................................................................10
2.9 Summary............................................................................................................................11
Chapter 3: Research methodology..............................................................................................12
3.0 Overview............................................................................................................................12
3.1 Method outline...................................................................................................................12
3.2 Research philosophy.........................................................................................................12
3.3 Research approach............................................................................................................12
3.4 Research design................................................................................................................12
3.5 Research strategy..............................................................................................................12
3.6 Sampling technique and sampling size..............................................................................13

4COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
3.7 Data collection process......................................................................................................13
3.8 Data analysis process........................................................................................................13
3.9 Ethical considerations........................................................................................................13
3.10 Accessibility issues..........................................................................................................13
3.11 Summary..........................................................................................................................13
Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis................................................................................................14
4.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................14
4.1 Demographic factors..........................................................................................................14
4.2 Variable analysis................................................................................................................16
4.3 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................21
Chapter 5: Conclusion and recommendations............................................................................22
5.0 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................22
5.1 Linking with objectives..................................................................................................22
5.2 Recommendations.............................................................................................................23
5.3 Future scope of the study..................................................................................................23
References..................................................................................................................................24
Appendix 1...................................................................................................................................27
Survey questionnaire...............................................................................................................27

5COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Overview
Communication is the key to successful customer service in the hospitality sector, as having
excellent set of communication skills enables the employees to fulfill the customer needs and
demands. Due to the distinctive nature of the customers, the companies in the hospitality sector
needs to train and develop the communication skills of the employees on a regular basis. As a
result, the hospitality sector ensures impeccable customer service that is beneficial as well as
highly recommended for the gaining competitive advantage (Jauhari & Bharwani, 2017).
The impact and significance of communication skills training and development is
investigated in this study by taking into account Hotel Hilton in Australia. Hotel Hilton is a
multinational chain of hotel operating globally over the years ("Hilton Hotel Sale - Hilton in
Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific", 2019).
1.1 Problem statement
Issues in terms of training and development for developing communication skills in the
hospitality sector has been encountered due to hectic schedules of the employees, dispersed
workforce, difference in the learning habits and lack of employee engagement. In spite of being
qualified and experienced, the employees are unable to keep them updated and ensure
continuous improvement of the communication skills that is hampering the customer service for
Hotel Hilton (Raina & Roebuck, 2016).
1.2 Research aim
The aim of the research is to analyze the impact of communication skills training and
development in hospitality industry by considering the case of Hotel Hilton.
1.3 Research objectives
The objectives of the research include:
 To understand the significance of communication skills training and development
 To analyze critically the factors affecting communication skills in Hotel Hilton
 To investigate the issues in communication skills training and development in Hotel
Hilton
 To provide suitable recommendations for improving communication skills training and
development in Hotel Hilton
1.4 Research questions
The questions of the research are:
 What is the significance of communication skills training and development?
 What are the factors affecting communication skills in Hotel Hilton?
 What are the issues in communication skills training and development in Hotel Hilton?
 What are the suitable recommendations for improving communication skills training and
development in Hotel Hilton?
1.5 Research rationale
Analyzing the impact of communication skills training and development in the hospitality
sector will help in understanding the significance of having excellent set of communication skills
in the hospitality sector. In addition to, this research will also help in identifying the potential