Issues in Human Resource Management

This article discusses the contemporary issues and emerging trends in human resource management (HRM). It covers topics such as retention, implementation of new technology, health and safety, discrimination and diversity. It also explores the importance of employee experience and investing in talent. The article provides insights into job descriptions and person specifications for a supervisor role in Park Plaza Hotel. Additionally, it discusses the approaches of performance management and people development.

Issues in Human Resource
Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Contemporary issues and emerging trends associated with human resource management.........3
Job description and person specification.....................................................................................6
Approaches of performance management and people development...........................................9
Training material.......................................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management (HRM) is one of the major functions within an
organisation. It gives opportunity to a company or business for achieving an effective workforce.
But managing human resource within the workplace is not a small task for a company, because
there are excellent intelligence and expertise highly required to conduct each and every practice
of HRM in the business environment. While managing human resource within the workplace
top-level management of company can face different difficulties, issues and problems. This is
very ordinary thing, because existing management of each business face these issues. Currently
most companies focus on finding some appropriate ways easily deal with different issues of
HRM. Without resolving these issues no company can effectively results from its human
resource management practices. According to different business experts, upper management of
each company is highly responsible to solve various issues of HRM, because this is the only way
to maintain an effectiveness within all HRM practices (Fatima, 2016). This report discusses
HRM issues of Park Plaza Hotel, London. This is one of the leading hotels within the UK’s
hospitality industry. There are various issues and problems has been discussed in this report
which faces by HR manager and upper management of the Park Plaza Hotel while conducting
HRM practices.
MAIN BODY
Contemporary issues and emerging trends associated with human resource management
Currently there are various issues has faced by HRM of Park Plaza Hotel in its daily
operations and practices. The HR manager focuses on resolving different issues effectively
within the workplace by developing some appropriate issue management tactics and techniques.
Top-level management of hotel also completely aware about it that HRM faces various
contemporary issue in its daily practices. That’s why management also takes different productive
steps towards solving these all issues in human resource management. Basically, these all issues
always affect Park Plaza Hotel in negative manner. On the other side, this hotel has affected
through emerging trends also in both ways positively and negatively (Banton, 2019). Some
major contemporary issues and emerging trends has been discussed below;

Contemporary Issues
Retention
HR management of a company can easily recruit and select employees within the
workplace, but retaining those employees in the workplace is very tough task to HRM, because
HRM of company always required to put its huge efforts for properly retaining them in the
workplace. Basically, employee relation is one of the major issues of in human resource
management. Currently most businesses in all around the world are putting their lots of efforts to
retail skilled and talented employees in their respective workplace. In this situation, HRM of
Park Plaza Hotel also is highly required to develop some productive strategies towards solving
this issue. Currently there are many skilled and talented employees working in the hotel’s daily
operations for achieving hotel’s final goal in decided time period. That’s why it is necessary to
HR manager of hotel for forever retaining skilled and talented employees in the workplace.
Many times, skilled and talented employees give resignation in a company due to bad or poor
culture of workplace. In this situation, top-level management and HR manager at Park Plaza
Hotel are highly required to maintain an effective workplace for always retaining effective
talented and skilled employees in the workplace.
Implementation of new technology
In the series of HRM contemporary issues, implementation of new technology is another
major issue which has faced by HRM of Park Plaza Hotel (Contemporary Issues in HRM:
lessons to learn, 2018). This issue is very common in each organisation, because in an
organisation is always required to implement new technology in every certain time period in its
HRM practices. Nowadays new technology is coming in the market on daily basis. For example;
nowadays various innovative HRM software programs available in the market which promote
easiness within all practices of human resource management. But implementation of new
technology is big issue, because HRM of Park Plaza Hotel need to gain proper knowledge of
new technology. Without proper knowledge HR manager of hotel can’t successfully implement
different new technologies within its daily operations. There are HR manager and upper
management of hotel should understand this basic thing that, not company can survive without
adopting new technology in this dynamic and modern world. That’s why human resource

management of Park Plaza Hotel need to prepare a specific plan for systematically employing
new or modern technology within its daily operations. At the end, HRM will be able to resolve
this issue effectively, and new technology can contribute in maintaining easiness within its
different practices.
Health and safety
“Health and safety” is another major issue which highly needs to considered in daily
practices of HRM. Basically, Park Plaza Hotel always responsible to provide a heathy and secure
workplace to its employees. On the other side, health and safety is major human need also
according to Maslow’s need theory. In this situation, HR department of the hotel is mainly
required create a happy & healthy and safe zone for all employees in the workplace. According
to different business experts no employee like to work in that workplace where upper
management and HRM has not maintained safe and healthy zone. This is the main reason that,
human resource management at Park Plaza Hotel should take some productive decisions towards
maintaining safe and secure zone all employees. Firstly, HRM need to identify those factors
within the workplace which can negatively affect to employees, then it will need to remove those
all elements from the workplace (STAFFING, 2020). Currently this is the only most productive
way to systematically dealing with this issue.
Discrimination and diversity
Discrimination and diversity is another prime issue in human resource management, in
which HR manager at Park Plaza Hotel is required to find out proper strategies for systematically
dealing with this issue. Many times, employees get discriminated by their respective leaders and
managers within workplace. This is very common issue within most businesses or companies.
On the other side, many times some conflicts also raise between diverse employees. In this
situation, HR manger should choose some innovative ways for systematically managing equality
and diversity. Currently lots of businesses are taking huge advantages through equality and
diversity management within the workplace. According to some business experts, equality and
diversity always promotes happy and healthy environment within the workplace. On the other
side, by managing equality and diversity the HRM will be able to remove some negative factors
also from the workplace, like; discrimination, abuse, etc. (Leonard, 2019). That’s why HR

manage of Park Plaza Hotel should consider these all mentioned factors to properly deal with
discrimination and diversity issue.
Emerging Trends
Employee experience
Recently employee experience trend come in the human resource management. Basically,
employee experience is similar as customer experience, in which before companies tries to
provide excellent experience to their customers, but now companies tries to provide better
experience to employees as well (). Generally, this trend come in the market for retaining
talented employees in the workplace. In this situation, HRM of Park Plaza Hotel also need to
provide the best experience its employees. This trend can positively affect to overall performance
and productivity of this hotel.
Investing in talent
Investing in talent is another major emerging trend which HRM of Park Plaza Hotel is
highly needs to be considered in its business environment. According to this trend, HRM of the
of hotel need to give high priority to only those candidates in hiring process which has great
talent and skills (Cerdin, 2016). On the other side, existing management of hotel should invest
fund on develop or improve talent of its existing employees, because when hotel has lots of
talented employees, then it will be able to gain great competitive advantage in the UK’s
hospitality industry. Basically, investing in talent always provides excellent results, in which this
emerging trend can positively affect to the Park Plaza Hotel.
Job description and person specification
JOB DESCRIPTION
Company Name: Park Plaza Hotel
Job Title: Supervisor
Qualification:
 Bachelor degree in hotel management or related field.
 Trainee of hotel management programme
Experience: Required excellent experience in hotel supervisory stream, about two to three

years.
Required Skills: Problem solving ability, decision-making abilities, technical skills,
interpersonal and conceptual skills are required for the post of supervisor in order to
productively managing employees and resources of the Hotel.
Responsibilities: Supervisor of Park Plaza Hotel has different responsibilities;
 Supervising utilisation of people and resources within the hotel.
 Collaborate with HRM of the hotel to hire, recruit and select appropriate people or
employees.
 Meeting with many other departments of Park Plaza Hotel.
 Analysing final objectives of the hotel.
 Properly supervise cash flow within daily operations.
 Coordinate and manage weekly, monthly and yearly report, budget & reforesting them.
Characteristics: Different characteristics and traits has highly required in an individual for
supervisor position in the Park Plaza Hotel are:
 Reliable
 Problem solver
 Decision-maker
 Positive attitude
 Effective communication skills
 Well-developed leadership abilities
Interview question:
 What is the role of a supervisor within the hotel?
 Are you have proper skills for bearing all problems and difficulties of Park Plaza Hotel?
 Can you describe any incident where you bring positive change in the organisation?
 Explain your ways or methods of supervision?
 What's your key weaknesses?
Rationale:
HR manager of Park Plaza Hotel recruit and select a candidate that have proper
experience and knowledge in the supervisory field. It should have effective technological and
analytical abilities, so that it can properly supervise the hotel in effective manner. There are
well-developed communication skills are also highly required, so that candidate can

systematically interact with various decisions, information, people or employees and other
departments of Park Plaza Hotel to productive operation of the hotel.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualification:
 Bachelor degree in hotel management or related field.
 Trainee of hotel management programme
Experience: Required excellent experience in hotel supervisory stream, about two to three
years.
Hard skills:
 Supervision understanding
 Knowledge of modern technology
 Excellent knowledge of supervision software
 Work with modern technology to produce high quality standards in outputs.
Soft skills:
 Productive communication skills to systematically communicating with different
people or employees
 Effective supervision abilities
 Problem-solving skills
 Quick decision-making skills
 Effective working potentialities
Special Note: An employee of Park Plaza Hotel responsible ton stands with existing
organisation in its good or bad time. This is very common thing that a company always need to
deal with situations and conditions in its business environment. In this situation, all existing
employees of company are responsible to come together for properly dealing with each
situation and condition.

Approaches of performance management and people development
Performance management is defined as monitoring and control the performances of
employee’s part of the organisation. Analysing the performance of employees in company is an
integral part of the performance management task. Concept of performance management also
involves analysing the strategies follow by employees in order to perform the assigned duties.
This is an important task that allows management to guide employees in right direction so that
better work efficiency can be achieved by employees.
People development is defined as a process that guides employee in company in order to
improve the individual potentials to achieve more effective work efficiency. People development
involves improving the capabilities of employees by giving them professional trainings in
regards to learning new skills or to shines already acquired skills (Serin, 2017). Company also
conducts motivation sessions in organisations so that employees can become more confident and
motivated. Confidence and motivation drives employees to accept any short of challenge as a
part of the designated role in company. Taking challenges is an integral part of the employees
gaining effective growth opportunities at the internal level in organisation and it also drives
organisation to entertain more effective growth opportunities for better future of the company.
Performance management and people development tools used in company
Tools Four Seasons Hotel The Ritz Hotel
Performance appraisal Hotel follows the technique
of performance appraisal in
order to manage individual
performance of employees in
company (Rockman, 2019).
This is an important practice
which allows company to
motivate employees in
organisation to perform more
efficient task as a part of the
Management of The Ritz
Hotel follow the practice of
giving performance
appraisals to all efficient
employees in company.
This is an effective practice
that drives company to give
potential advantages to all
productive employees in
company in form of

designated role in company.
On the basis of the
performance appeared by
employees hotel management
give suitable appraisals to all
employees.
appraisals.
With the support of this
strategy Hotel management
could motivate all employees
to improve the work
efficiency.
Personal development plan Personal development plan is
also an important policy
Hotel management follow to
manage the performances of
all employees in company.
This technique allows
management to improve the
professional capacities of all
employees’ part of the
organisation.
On the basis of the
requirements of different
designated positions in
company proper personal
development plan is
developed that involves
sessions over various skill
developments.
Management of The Ritz
Hotel follow the practice of
personal development plan as
a part of the performance
management task in
company.
On the basis of the needs and
requirements associated with
different designated positions
in company management
conduct precise personal
development programs in
organisation (Shentsova and
et.al., 2018).
This tool allows management
to give proper guidance to
employees in company so
that they can achieve the best
possible work efficiencies
out of the designated
positions in organisation.
Feedbacks Management of Four Seasons
Hotel do not give many
priorities to take feedback of
employees as a part of the
Management of The Ritz
Hotel follow the practice of
taking feedback of all
employees in respect to

performance review.
Hotel management do not
give huge preferences to take
feedback of department
heads about the performance
of all individual employees
in organisation.
individual performance of all
employees in company.
In this approach management
take feedback from the
department heads over the
individual performance of all
employees.
This tool provide brief to
hotel management in respect
to individual efficiencies and
potentials of all employees in
the organisation.
Reward program Management of Four Seasons
Hotel use the tool of reward
program as a part of the
performance management
and people development in
organisation (McMillan,
McConnell and O’Sullivan,
2016).
In this program all
productive employees of the
hotel get special rewards in
against to the efficiencies
they have projected during
the performance in the
organisation.
This tool also allows
employees in organisation to
mark a specific presence in
the organisation that also
The Ritz Hotel does not give
huge priorities to give
rewards in against to the
productive performance by
employees of organisation.
Company give usual
advantages every year to all
employees in form of salary
increments and other regular
advantages to all employees
(Bertelli, 2017).

provide recognition to such
employees in organisation.
On the basis of the above analysis over the performance management and personal
development approaches used by the Ritz Hotel and Four Seasons Hotel management of the
Plaza Hotel London follow the following tools as a part of the performance management in
organisation.
Reward program: Management of the Plaza Hotel can channelizes the tool for performance
management in organisation denoted as reward program. This tool drives company o motivates
its work force towards achieving more effective work efficiencies. This approach will motivate
employees in organisation to entertain better work efficiencies (Barnett, Shoho and Okilwa,
2017). On the basis of the performance of all employees in organisation each year suitable
rewards will allot to employees part of the organisation. With the support of this approach Plaza
Hotel can achieve the best work efficiencies in the organisation.
Performance appraisal: Performance appraisal is also another performance management tool
Plaza Hotel can follow. In this approach management will allocate appraisals to all employees
who have performance the efficient operations. This tool allows company to provide potential
advantages to all productive employees in company in against to the work efficiencies they have
achieved out of the potential efforts. This tool will also drive motivation of employees in
company to achieve higher work efficiencies so that they can also get the performance
appraisals. The appraisals employees get can be in any forms salary hikes, bonus and incentives
and in other manners.
Personal development plan: Personal development plan is also and key performance
management tool Plaza Hotel can follow. In this tool on the basis of the requirements associated
with different designated positions in organisation individual personal development plans will
form. This plan will involve based on the requirements of the designated positions skill
development program will conduct. This approach will drive employees to achieve the highest
level of work efficiencies. This program will also improve the growth opportunities of all

employees in organisation. With the support of this performance management tool company can
also improve the employee well being at the organisation.
Feedbacks: Feedbacks is also a key performance management tool Plaza Hotel can channelizes.
This is an important work practice apply in company. In this practice senior management will
monitor the performance of all employees’ part of the organisation with the support of team
leaders and department heads in company. This is an important practice which will also support
company in channelizing other tools like personal development plan, reward program,
performance appraisal and other tools. This process will provide the exact brief to management
in respect to performance of all employees in the hotel.
The above mentioned tools are considered as the key performance management tools that
can be channelize to manage the performance of all employees in company. With the support of
all the above tool management of Plaza Hotel can achieve the best level of work efficiencies in
the hotel.
Training material
Human resource department of
the Plaza Hotel follow the precise
approach to recruit and select
employees in the organisation.
Recruitment and selection
practices of the hotel are
distributed into different stages
that are also denoted in different
names. Human resource
management play an important
role in searching skilled and
potential human resources at
various designated positions in
the Plaza Hotel. Human resources
management conduct the
recruitment and selection at the
Group discussion round
Group discussion is the
second round involves in the
recruitment and selection
campaigns of the Plaza Hotel.
In this round human resource
department allot individual
topics to bunch of candidates
entertained for the
recruitment and selection at
the hotel. All candidates need
to give individual opinions
over the given topic. This is
the round occurred to assess
the personality of all
candidates appeared for the
Interview analysis
Interview analysis is the
fourth stage involves in
the recruitment and
selection at the Plaza
Hotel. On the basis of
the performance of the
candidate in the earlier
rounds involve in
recruitment and
selection interview
panel evaluate the
performance of all
candidates at this stage.
This practice does not
carry any involvement

job role of HR Manager in
different stages that denoted as
aptitude test, group discussion
round, personal interview round,
interview analysis and final
selection round. All such stages
involve in recruitment and
selection process follow by
human resource department in the
Plaza Hotel allows company to
assess the potential requirements
associated with the designated
position. Human Resource
Manager is a key designated
position involves in the
organisation hierarchy of the
Plaza Hotel.
job selection process (Walker
and Spendlove, 2018). In this
round company get to witness
the individual personality of
all candidates. This round
also allows company to
analysis the individual
knowledge of all candidates.
All candidates get to put their
opinions over the given topic
in group discussion round.
Being in the designated
position of human resource
manager it is important for
the entire candidate to
possess attractive personality
and attitude that can support
such candidates in performing
the job role and
responsibilities efficiently.
of candidates applied for
the designated position
in company. Interview
panel evaluate the
performance of the
candidate’s ion the
standards of the
requirements of the
designated positions
(Choy and Chua, 2019).
The candidate gets the
best suits over the
position of the Human
Resource Manager get
selection at this stage.
Interview analysis is
also considered as the
significant stage
involves in the entire
recruitment and
selection practice. All
designated professionals
part of the interview
panel put their
individual opinions
about all candidates
attained personal
interview round.

Aptitude test
Aptitude test is the first stage
involve in the recruitment and
selection process follow at the
Plaza Hotel. Aptitude test is taken
at the initial stage so that
knowledge of the candidate and
individual intelligence of all
candidates can be measured by
the company. Aptitude test is an
important part of the recruitment
and selection campaigns run by
the human resource department
(Gregersen and MacIntyre, 2017).
This stage enables company to
assess the individual knowledge
of all candidates. Knowledge play
the huge role in conducting the
assigned tasks efficiently.
Aptitude test involves general
questions related to mathematical
equations and other general
knowledge questions. As the
hotel is associated with the
hospitality sector which also
requires the precise knowledge
about different tourist
destinations all across the globe.
In case the employees in
organisation are knowledgeable
in respect to different tourist
Personal interview round
Personal interview round is
the third stage involve in the
recruitment and selection
process follow by the human
resource department in Plaza
Hotel. This is among the most
significant stage involved in
the recruitment and selection
process. All the potential
candidates appeared in the
first round get selected for
this stage on the basis of the
aptitude test and group
Final selection round
On the basis of the
outcome of the personal
interview round this
stage is conducted.
Interview panel assess
the potential of all
candidates present at the
finals interview round
on the basis of the
requirements of the
human resource
manager role. All
members of interview
panel discuss about the
candidates and its
suitability over the
designated position in
company. On the basis
of the conclusion of the
interview panel

destinations it provides huge
scope to the organisation in
respect to grow in the market.
discussion round for this
stage. In this stage personal
interaction is conducted with
all candidates selected for this
round after the group
discussion round. In this
round interview panel
analysis and assess the
personality of the candidate
and measure the suitability of
the candidate over the
designated position of Human
Resource Manager. Entire
recruitment and selection of
the candidate is conducted on
the basis of the performance
of the candidate in this round.
Interview panel evaluate the
candidate on the basis of the
designated requirements of
the Human Resource
Manager. The candidate that
best suits for the job role of
Human Resource Manager
get selection after this round.
candidate that best fit
over the designated role
of human resource
manager get the final
selection at this stage.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that human resource management of Park Plaza Hotel faces different
issues, challenges and problems in its daily practices. In this situation, HR manager of hotel need
to develop some productive strategies and techniques for properly dealing all issues. Basically,

these issues always negatively affect to an organisation. This is the main reason that, HR
manager and upper management of hotel should take quick and productive steps towards
resolving these all issues of HRM. In recent few years, few trends come in the HRM practices of
businesses, in which HR manager of hotel need to syntactically consider these trends for running
all HRM practices effectively. Then a productive job description and person specification also
has been mentioned above which helps in understanding basic requirements of Park Plaza Hotel
while hiring a candidate. On the other side, HR department of hotel plays an excellent role in
properly managing performance of people or employees within workplace. Currently this hotel
has an effective workforce which day or night put its huge efforts for achieving hotel’s final goal
on time. Currently this hotel is able to gain huge competitive advantage in the hospitality
industry of the United Kingdom through its HRM.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Banton, C. L., 2019. Advancing Technologies in Human Resource Development
(HRD)'. Advances in the Technology of Managing People: Contemporary Issues in
Business (The Changing Context of Managing People). Emerald Publishing Limited.
pp.25-36.
Barnett, B. G., Shoho, A. R. and Okilwa, N. S., 2017. Assistant principals’ perceptions of
meaningful mentoring and professional development opportunities. International
Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education.
Bertelli, R., 2017. The effects of expressive arts on the evoking of automatic thoughts during the
training at a graduate level of personal and professional development of cognitive-
behavioural clinical psychologists: A qualitative study. Review of Arts and
Humanities. 6(1). pp.7-11.
Cerdin, J. L., 2016. International Human Resource Management: Contemporary HR Issues in
Europe. Routledge.
Choy, W. K. and Chua, P. M., 2019. Professional development. In School Leadership and
Educational Change in Singapore (pp. 69-86). Springer, Cham.
Fatima, N., 2016. Strategic HRM and HR Strategies-A Conceptual Framework. International
Journal of Management, IT and Engineering. 6(5). pp.145-153.
Gregersen, T. S. and MacIntyre, P. D. eds., 2017. Innovative Practices in Language Teacher
Education: Spanning the Spectrum from Intra-to Inter-personal Professional
Development (Vol. 30). Springer.
McMillan, D. J., McConnell, B. and O’Sullivan, H., 2016. Continuing professional
development–why bother? Perceptions and motivations of teachers in
Ireland. Professional development in education. 42(1). pp.150-167.
Rockman, I. F., 2019. Promoting professional development: A local approach. College &
research libraries news. 50(10). pp.902-904.
Serin, H., 2017. The Effects of Teaching Abroad on Personal and Professional
Development. International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies. 4(1).
pp.110-114.
Shentsova, O. M. and et.al., 2018. Psychological-pedagogical aspect of creative self-realization
in the context of personal and professional formation of a specialist in the field of
culture and art. The Turkish Online Journal of Design Art and Communication. 8(S).
p.2024.

Walker, L. and Spendlove, Z., 2018. The personal and professional importance of post-
registration postgraduate education. British Journal of Midwifery. 26(2). pp.120-124.
Online
Contemporary Issues in HRM: lessons to learn. 2018. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328333297_Contemporary_Issues_in_HRM_l
essons_to_learn>.
Leonard, K. 2019. Contemporary Issues Faced by Human Resource Managers Today .
[Online]. Available Through: <https://smallbusiness.chron.com/contemporary-issues-
faced-human-resource-managers-today-1875.html>.
STAFFING, A. 2020. 10 of Today’s Common Human Resource Challenges. [Online]. Available
Through: <https://www.atlasstaffing.net/blog/10-todays-common-human-resource-
challenges>.