Issues in Human Resource Management

Issues in HRM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Selection of articles and analysing contemporary issues together with emerging trends that
are associated with HRM in Hotel Industry and presenting self reflection............................1
2. Designing as well as developing job description addition to person specification for one of
supervisory position in the hospitality industry......................................................................4
3. Demonstrating contemporary knowledge along with understanding for approaches to
people development as well as performance management.....................................................7
4. Developing training material for newly hired HR manager on human resource practice of
Talent management..............................................................................................................10
Covered in Leaflet................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
The organisational department that focuses towards managing human capital in structured
and scrupulous mechanisms is defined to human resource management. In modern era, this is
also termed as personnel management as it covers workings concerned with hiring people,
managing their performances, retention, change management, setting pays and perks. It fulfils
objectives of management that is providing along with deploying human resource and greatly
focuses on activities such as planning, directing, monitoring and controlling. Main purpose of the
department or function is to ensure all corporate objectives are attained successfully through
people. The present portfolio is prepared on Holiday Inn Hotel that is situated at Camden Town,
UK (Holiday Inn Hotel, 2020). It offers modern facilities in terms of rooms, dining, kids playing
and so on that gives visitors or guests favourable experiences. The hotel is versatile for
attractions and destinations around the city. It provides facilities including business services,
health and fitness, internet services, entertainment and recreation, housekeeping and laundry. It
also offers flexible options for packages that can be changed as per the plans of customers.
The portfolio includes detailed explanation about emerging trends and current challenges
or issues that human resource management goes through in hotel industry. It also includes job
description and person specification for hospitality supervisory job. Further, tools related to
performance management and people development are demonstrated that are used in four star
and five star hotels. At last, training material is developed for new HR manager on practice of
Talent management.
MAIN BODY
1. Selection of articles and analysing contemporary issues together with emerging trends that are
associated with HRM in Hotel Industry and presenting self reflection
As per Armstrong and Taylor (2020), Human resource management covers in-dept areas or
functions including learning and development, employment law, performance management and
employee relations. It is comprehensive approach that assists professionals to manage internal
people, environment and culture of workplace. The function also designs and implements
employee programs that impacts business positively and these programs demonstrates values
which motivates workforce to execute tasks with huge efficiency to make desired productivity.
In the business concern, human resource management plays essential role in planning, executing
1

and overseeing policies that makes expeditious usage of available manpower. It builds and
manages desirable working relationships with entire members of company and spotlights on
maximum individual development. The working of human resource management is more in
demand in hotel industry. However, changes in external business environment are resulting in
various issues and challenges for human resource management in the industry. Along with this,
wide emerging trends are also important for human resource management to adopt within the
hotel sector so that all practice is implemented as per the desired objectives. In context to this,
certain issues and emerging trends concerned with HRM within hotel industry are underneath:
Issues with HRM
In accordance to Lye (2007), Various organizations in hospitality industry have
complexities of issues in understanding their people and fulfilling obligations attached with
employment relations in the country or nations they operates. In diverse cases, hospitality
industry in considered as more complex as compared to other sectors. The main issues that are
concerned with management of human resource in the industry are described below:
Induction process: It is essential for human resource management to structure the entire
induction process in proper format. In induction process, new employees are taken through
business objectives, procedures, policies and manual in formal aspects. However, changing
requirements of hotels and employees creates it more challenging for the department to prepare it
effectively. In case with Holiday Inn Hotel, human resource management faces the issue of
preparing induction process for all new employees. It is because the company hires people for
different job position and requires different induction process (Altman, Larsen and Buchanan,
2018). This creates huge issues for human resource managers to prepare different induction
processes.
Reward and recognition: Human resource management provides rewards and
recognition as per performances and contributions made by workforce towards objective
attainment. In context to Holiday Inn Hotel, due to huge workload, it becomes cumbersome
difficult for the managers to prepare day to day sheets about the performances of manpower and
circulate them to human resource department. When the departments did not get data or
information about the additional workings then they are unable to set proportion of rewards and
recognition for staff members and this result in issues with them (Bhattacharyya, 2019).
2

Policies and procedures: In hospitality industry, human resource management set out
manuals that involve policies and procedures for upcoming durations that protect business when
implemented appropriately. In contrary, failures in putting into action all the laid out policies and
procedures results in issues for human resource management as they have responsibility to
administer entire implementations for all. In association to Holiday Inn Hotel, department of
human resource management find themselves in the issue of mired legal proceedings and
maintaining accurate policies and programmes for employees as well as taking correct action for
dealing with constraints.
Emerging trends with HRM
According to Willmore (2019), citizens are spine of entire hospitality industry. In this
field, more than 313 million people are employed at different job positions that makes it among
the largest economic sector in the globe. Searching and retaining suitable talent is grueling task
for human resource management in hospitality industry as level of employee turnover is more in
context to pooling of talents. Some of the emerging trends that are required by human resource
management within the industry are as follows:
Using people analytics: In hospitality sector, one of the trend pertaining is usage of people
analytics for tracking employee performances, training results and measuring retention rates that
provides relief to human resource management in managing entire responsibilities and proving
reports to different departments in time (Schermerhorn Jr and Bachrach, 2017). In context to
Holiday Inn Hotel, main emphasis of human resource management is towards using people
analytics that assists in connecting information to actionable results about employees and this
enhances performances. With this, actions are taken by the company to improve its competitive
edge and sustain for longer periods.
Emphasise soft skills: Today’s era is of digitalisation in which interpersonal skills are
more important and highly valued. Hospitality industry is growing towards tech-savvy
generation in which human resource management on companies working in it are working of
collecting likes on Facebook and Instagram (Boella and Goss-Turner, 2019). For this, managers
of Holiday Inn Hotel are anticipating requirements and implementing actions for soft skill
training that also engrosses creativity, time management, teamwork and interpersonal
communication for building highly effective cohesive teams.
3

Automated response systems: In dynamic world, adoption of technology is key for whole
hospitality industry. In this concern, human resource management of Holiday In Hotel has
implemented effective automated response system through which it searches required candidate
online and influence them to apply for specific job position. This reduces time in recruitment
process and also helps in reaching to potential contender across the world. Along with this, all
the working of the manager is streamlined with the systems.
As manager of human resource department in Holiday Inn Hotel, I perceived that
executing allotted workings in real situation are not easy. When I implement some policies or
practices in new ways then it causes huge issues in front of me. For instance, while implementing
people strategy with some changes in rewards and incentives that will develop employees and
motivate them for improving their efficiency. At same time, I also faced circumstances of
workforce planning and retention. I believe that hospitality sector in full of opportunities for an
individual as they plays necessary role in growth and expansion of the field. I also analysed that
changes in business world results in wide modifications in workings of hotels and other
organisation that results in emerging trends associated with maintaining equal diversity, flexible
working conditions and hence forth. Being on the leading position, I implemented various new
strategies to manage people that are stress management tactics, recruitment and selection and
succession planning so to retain potential human resources with the organisation.
2. Designing as well as developing job description addition to person specification for one of
supervisory position in the hospitality industry
Hospitality sector involves wide number of job positions wherein large quantity of citizens
is positioned to carry out activities successfully (Bradley, 2016). All businesses that work in the
industry devises job description for unfilled or open position in order to grab attention of large
pool of people for it. As per the job description, the next is preparing person specification which
includes eligibility criteria so that candidate that feels they are eligible for the position can apply
in the company. at some point of time, a position is unfilled in the company that influences
human resource management to contact with the department in which position is vacant and
collects information for developing job specification.
In association to Holiday Inn Hotel, it is well popular entity in the hospitality industry
across the globe. In recent times, it’s one of branch that is situated in Camben Town has vacant
position of Housekeeping supervisor as the old supervisor has resigned from the job. To fill the
4

position, human resource management has consulted with managers of the Housekeeping
department to collect information for preparing effective job description and person specification
that will attract wide candidates to apply for it (Neal and Hammer, 2017). Both are as follows:
Job description
A written narrative which states about general tasks, responsibilities together with other
related duties is job description. It specifies functionary for reporting of position, information
about position, skills required and salary range (Bryson, 2017). It is devised as shortlist of
competencies to get wide applications for particular organisational position. Human resource
management conducts job analysis wherein they examine activities and sequences of operations
prior to developing job description. In case with Holiday Inn Hotel, the team of human resource
management are expect in designing job specification for empty position in which all the
information are presented in well structured and organised manner. For the rationale of attracting
people towards the Housekeeping Supervisor position, the job description developed by human
resource management is underneath:
Job Description
Company: Holiday Inn Hotel.
Location: Camden Town, UK
Position: Housekeeping Supervisor
Reporting: Operations Director
Division: Arena Management
Position Summary: Housekeeping Supervisor looks towards planning, organising, controlling
and developing entire tasks of arena department as per states provisions of standards and
guidelines to ensure quality of services to guests. The position also looks towards staffing,
scheduling, empowering and developing manpower of the department.
Required skills and knowledge:
 Strong management skills
 Ability to anticipate needs and preferences of guests.
 Working knowledge related to room management systems.
 Effective communication skill.
Responsibilities and tasks:
 Planning and directing members of Housekeeping department to provide highest
5

satisfaction to guests.
 Daily supervising training staff, housekeeping staff and ground keeping staff that are part
of arena management.
 Upholding highest level of standards in cleanliness, conduct as well as safety.
 Organising pre event inspections time to time of sitting areas, clubs, rooms and
concourses for all types of events.
 Ensuring proper maintenance of tools and equipments.
 Determine addition to maintain proper work schedule of the department.
 Prepare entire housekeeping staff for events.
 Purchase, re order along with maintain supplies and inventory for housekeeping people.
 Communicate regularly with floor housekeeping staffs in order to corporately perform
workings.
 Accurately record daily workings, over time and share the information with human
resource management.
 Produce fortnight rolling data.
 Ensure cleanliness in lifts, lobby floor, rooms and other areas.
Person specification
Written statement which describes personal attributes within candidate for the job position
is said to person specification. It engrosses description of desired together with essential
attributes that a candidate who is looking for job must possess in order to get selected in the
company and perform duties effectively (Hite and Seitz, 2016). It is derived from prepared job
specification and further act as foundation for procedures of recruitment. It enables human
resource management to perform multiple things. Human resource management of Holiday Inn
hotel has developed person specification after considering job description for the vacancy of
housekeeping Supervisor that is below:
Person specification – Housekeeping supervisor
Holiday Inn Hotel is committed towards providing excellent experiences to guests and
safeguarding welfare of citizens. It requires staff for sharing the commitment for longer period.
Responsible to Arena management
Hours Full time
6

Location Camden Town, UK
Basis of criteria Essential Desirable Measured by
Educational
qualification
 Certified degree
in hotel
management.
 Experience of
working
within
hospitality
sector
Application form
certificates
Behaviours  Shaping
upcoming.
 Making things
work in real
situations.
 Connecting with
external people.
 Flexible working
approaches.
 Ability to
relate
workings of
others in
company.
 Reassure
presence and
be confident.
Application form
Interview
3. Demonstrating contemporary knowledge along with understanding for approaches to people
development as well as performance management.
People development together with performance management is important approaches that
assist human resource management to achieve desired cooperate objectives. People development
approach is termed to the practice of developing skills, abilities and unique talents of
organisational people that are necessary to fulfil objectives (Kirton and Greene, 2015). The
objective behind the approach is to develop manpower in effective manner that help the company
to attain desired heights. It is closely related to people dimension that focuses on improving
talents and gain commitment to enhance the career. Similarly, performance management are
defined to set of activities which helps human resource management in meeting goals effectively
and efficiently. Its majorly emphasis is on managing performance of company and its related
subsystem. With this approach, managers in hospitality industry replace yearly performance
review systems with actual performance tracking and feedbacks. The tools of both approaches
7

that are implemented by four star as well as five star hotels in their premises are compared
below:
Comparison basis Five star Four star
People
development tools
Human resource management of five
star hotels makes effective use of
following people development tools:
Personal development plan: It is
the technique that is opted in five star
hotels. In this individual
development plan is prepared that act
as roadmap in developing skills and
competences of internal people as
per the desired criteria
(Langenwalter, 2019).
Key performance indicator: it is
quantifiable tool that professionals of
five star hotels use for the purpose of
evaluating individual success and
accordingly develop people for
upcoming period.
Job rotation: Another tool that is
implemented in five star hotels for
developing people. This involves
ongoing changes in individual
positions in order to develop
knowledge or improve skills in
distinct areas of company.
In four star hotels, certain people
development tools used by human
resource management are
underlined below:
Simulations: With this people
development tool, managers of
four star hotels use similar
equipments of techniques to
develop people for the job. In
this, employees take part without
any interruptions along with
disturbances in workings.
Programmed learning: The
people development tool that is
implemented in all areas of four
star hotels. In this tool, computer
programs, printed booklets and
many more are utilised to develop
employees.
Training courses: This is
effective people development tool
used in hotels which are rated
four stars. It emphasis on
analytical addition to concept
grasping potentials of all people
(Larsen and Fondahl, 2015).
Performance
management tools
In five star hotels, following
performance management tools are
Within four star hotels, main
focus to manage performances are
8

used by human resource
management:
720 degree feedback: In five star
hotels, managers wants all
performances up to the mark. In this
case, they uses 720 degree feedback
as performance management tool
wherein information related to
performances are gathered from
internal along with external sources
that includes guests, departmental
officer, administrators, self
assessment and hence forth.
PERFORMview™: It is the tool
through which managers in five star
hotels reviews entire performances
of all employees in different areas
and builds better relationships along
with results for the teams year round
(Magstadt, 2020).
Cornerstone OnDemand: This is
powerful along with configurable
platform that five star hotels makes
usage to offer accurate position and
results about management of
performances of all valuable human
capital. The major powerful
functions of the tool include
performance reviews, succession
planning, applicant tracking and so
on that assist in managing
through the following tools:
360 degree feedback: It is one of
effective performance
management tool thorough which
human resource professionals of
four star hotel collects feedbacks
about performances from multiple
sources that are employees,
supervisors and so on.
Performance appraisal: This is
another performance management
tool used in four star hotels by
human resource management for
measuring actual performance of
an individual in comparison with
desired standards. With the tool,
various options like reports,
comparison, field review
technique and ranking options are
available that helps in managing
performances of all employees on
time.
Halogen TalentSpace: The
performance management tool
whioch is built for managing
performances in the company. in
four star hotels, the tool sis
effective in driving higher
performances and delivers
effective ratings about individual
performances (Maylor, Blackmon
9

performances of entire workforce
effectively.
and Huemann, 2016).
As per above comparison, managers of Holiday Inn Hotel should develop effective
performance management tool along with people development tools in day to day life. The
performance management tools that must be used in the hotel are 720 degree feedback,
Performance appraisal and Cornerstone OnDemand so that entire performances are managed
effectively by single department. At same time, to the company should focus workings towards
developing employees through using suitable people development tool that are Personal
development plan, Job rotation and Programmed learning that will benefit in attain desirable
upshots (Mone, London and Mone, 2018).
4. Developing training material for newly hired HR manager on human resource practice of
Talent management.
Covered in Leaflet
CONCLUSION
From the mentioned portfolio, it has been concluded that human resource professionals
make wider attempts to manage organisational human capital for achieving success. It focuses on
maximising potentials and efficiencies of manpower through strategic policies and process.
Because of wide number of changes in external business environment, ample issues are faced by
managers of company. Some of issues include failures in devising induction process, preparing
Policies and procedures addition to reward and recognition. These changes have resulted in
emerging talents in the industry that engrosses using people analytics, emphasizing on improving
soft skills and setting Automated response systems. A company develops job specification after
focusing on job position and required responsibilities so that potential candidate is motivated to
apply for the vacancy. At same time, personal specification defines about essential and desired
attributes for the vacancy. Some of people development tools are Personal development plan,
key performance indicator, job rotation, simulations, programmed learning and training courses.
Similarly, performance management tools used in entities are 720 degree feedback,
10

PERFORMview™, Cornerstone OnDemand, Halogen TalentSpace, Performance appraisal and
360 degree feedback.
11

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Altman, J., Larsen, L. and Buchanan, G., 2018. The environmental significance of the Indigenous
estate: natural resource management as economic development in remote Australia.
Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), The
Australian National University.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Bhattacharyya, S. C., 2019. Energy economics: concepts, issues, markets and governance.
Springer Nature.
Boella, M. J. and Goss-Turner, S., 2019. Human resource management in the hospitality
industry: A guide to best practice. Routledge.
Bradley, G., 2016. Benefit Realisation Management: A practical guide to achieving benefits
through change. CRC Press.
Bryson, J., 2017. Effective library and information centre management. Routledge.
Hite, K. A. and Seitz, J. L., 2016. Global issues: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons.
Kirton, G. and Greene, A. M., 2015. The dynamics of managing diversity: A critical approach.
Routledge.
Langenwalter, G. A., 2019. Enterprise resources planning and beyond: integrating your entire
organization. CRC Press.
Larsen, J. N. and Fondahl, G. eds., 2015. Arctic human development report: Regional processes
and global linkages. Nordic Council of Ministers.
Magstadt, T. M., 2020. Understanding politics: Ideas, institutions, and issues. Cengage
Learning.
Maylor, H., Blackmon, K. and Huemann, M., 2016. Researching business and management.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Mone, E.M., London, M. and Mone, E. M., 2018. Employee engagement through effective
performance management: A practical guide for managers. Routledge.
Neal, M. B. and Hammer, L. B., 2017. Working couples caring for children and aging parents:
Effects on work and well-being. Psychology Press.
Rosenbach, W. E., 2018. Contemporary issues in leadership. Routledge.
Schermerhorn Jr, J. R. and Bachrach, D. G., 2017. Exploring management. John Wiley & Sons.
Smith, Z. A., 2017. The environmental policy paradox. Routledge.
Top, M., Akdere, M. and Tarcan, M., 2015. Examining transformational leadership, job
satisfaction, organizational commitment and organizational trust in Turkish hospitals:
public servants versus private sector employees. The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 26(9), pp.1259-1282.
Online:
Holiday Inn Hotel. 2020. [Online]. Available through: https://www.hotels.uk.com/uk/greater-
london/hotels-in-camden-town/holiday-inn-london-camden-lock.nw1-7by
Lye, P., 2007. Human resource issues in Hosipitality Industry. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.4hoteliers.com/features/article/2205>
Willmore, S. 2019. HR Trends. [Online]. Available through:
https://www.traveldailymedia.com/hr-trends-2019/
12