Improving Recruitment and Management Practices at Banff Aspen Lodge

This report analyzes the recruitment and management practices at Banff Aspen Lodge (BAL), focusing on strategies to improve employee performance, attract and retain talent, and address staffing challenges. The report highlights the importance of personalization, rewards, and employee motivation in creating a positive work environment. It examines the current recruitment process, including the use of technology, applicant tracking systems, and interview techniques. The analysis also addresses issues such as high labor turnover, visa problems, and competition for local talent. The report suggests improvements, including structured interviews with scenario-based questions, prioritizing internal promotions, and fostering strong interpersonal skills among staff. The report emphasizes the need for a well-defined hiring process and the importance of aligning recruitment with customer needs to ensure quality service delivery and maintain BAL's competitive advantage.

Banff Aspen Lodge (BAL) is a business that fully depends on the turnout of a client who would
come for their services. For the hotel to be at par with its business and stand out it would need
them to have an extraordinary performance that would see their clientele are pleased and willing
to come back to them. This will also improve the hotel reviews as it will ensure that new clients
are attracted by the reviews that they receive.
Their personalization will be the unique point would make them stand out in the sense that both
the hoteliers and the clients that visit have a rapport and chemistry that would see the hotel
thrive. Tokens and rewards on repeated guest would serve as a warm welcome that would
attract them to at all times get back to them as the relationship between them shall be growing
as time goes by.
Looking at the applicants who have been selected to work with the BAL there are a lot of
commendable skills when it comes to their interaction with technology and modes of
communication especially due to their average ranking of 8.2/10. Most of them have previous
experience with a real-time market base that had its control online and their sales would highly
depend on their timely and prompt response. This meant ensure that requests are answered
and the clients’ needs fulfilled. With their professional eligibility and know-how, it is with certainty
that the selected group of candidates would be able to handle and respond to calls. This
included complaints, compliments, request inquiries, and referrals (LePine et. al., 2018).
With they current active reception team, they manage to ensure that at all times they attend to
messages, mails, fax messages, telegrams, and calls from the clients.
As a result of a high labour turnover rate, there was a tendency to recruit continuously. Although
the labourers were generally qualified, they had some illegalities that would reprimand the hotel
he hotel facility for infringement of labour laws. Visa problems for workers who were recruited
were a common problem here as well as cases of some of the workers being young travellers
who sought greener pastures, but did not take the proper steps to get work in the country.
Nevertheless, the hotel advised prospective workers with a valid visa who were eligible to work
for BAL to proceed and take the visa for purposes of working at BAL (Devos et. al.,
2019).Further, with a high number of employment rates, there was clearly a low number of
employee who were willing to work at the hotel who lived from within. Since the local residents
were mostly well-educated and had more opportunities, and the town held a small population
which gave HR a small local talent pool to recruit from leaving them with the option of recruiting
from outside the town (Pietarinen et. Al., 2019).
There was also a drop in average hourly rates, which would make it tough for staff to remain
onboard since they felt it was too low compared with the established range of remuneration,
which should have been at least twenty dollars as opposed to nineteen.
Nevertheless, young people who wished to travel and tour Canada but lacked the necessary
funds pursued such places with lowering wages in order to obtain the funds necessary for them.
Once this goal was achieved, they would leave the position vacant, and the hardest part was
finding a replacement who was suitable for the position but did not exceed the low wage range
(Emmanuel, 2021). This was also due to the tight labour market where workers had to spend a

lot of money to get the necessary clearances, yet the pay was so little that they chose not to
accept the job.
With an institution where the staff work determines and attributes to the success of the
business, a lot has to be taken into consideration. This is in the sense that the staff will at all
times be prepared up to deliver on their assigned roles. The hotel management will have to go a
long way and motivate its workforce in a way that will encourage them to keep working hard.
The rewards and tokens that they get from the management always remind them of the benefits
of working with the hotel (Katz & Allen, 2019).
It is also significant for the management to acknowledge that there are a lot of setbacks that
come out of the pressure and interaction with different clients. This may at one point be
demeaning and demoralizing to them. Through empowering and motivating them, they would be
able to have the morale to keep working. Rewards such as accommodation and bonuses would
increase the loyalty of the workers as they shall feel comfortable and secure to work at the hotel
(Motowidlo & Van, 2020). Most of the employees at the Banff Aspen Lodge come from outside
the region, suggesting that most of its efficient workers are outsourced. The facility should use
an applicant tracking system that would allow them to track where applicants come from so that
they can keep a good record of the applicants.This will reduce on the cases of workers with o
visas or other requirements as the recruiter will have a vivid knowledge on the recruits before
the interview (Gamage, 2018).
Each time there is a recruitment process, the needs of the customers should always be
considered as it serves a great deal to ensure that the right person is selected for the advertised
job. By complying with such needs, the returning customers will have the morale to keep on
visiting the hotel where they get to be attended to in the cordial form (Bowman, 2018).
The hotel staff should be in a position to attend in the most professional way that in the long run,
would impress the clients. The impression created works a long way to attract new clients and
maintaining the available ones. With proper skills in place, guests will have exceptional services
that would be impressive and attractive at the same time. In comparing the services offered at
BAL the positioning and ranking of the hotel says it all as they lead in different categories of the
areas they practice in. by standing put, it will mean that the business is doing well and there
would be a need for them to work hard for them to maintain their status on quality service
delivery (Morgeson et. Al., 2017).
The hotel should also prioritize the candidates’ communication which would then help the
recruiter know which employee would easily be wooed to other hotels in case of opportunities.
This is because there are employees who would work with the hotel loyally without thinking of
other places. This would ensure that there is efficiency and reliability in the duties that are
allocated to the employees. By communicating with the employees too, it helps in solving their
grievances as an in-house issue without the need to involve outside bodies (Hunter et. Al.,
2017).
In handling the recruitment process, it would be important to start by filling the gaps using the
available employees. This will involve fixing the vacant positions by promoting and substituting

the workers in various positions that they would fit. Also, the promoted and current staff can be
used as hirers since they know what they need amongst them and it would be best if they got
someone who would blend with their abilities and learn their working style within a short time
(Khakwani et. Al., 2018).
There are intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that when put into use would see the BAL
operations run smoothly. When the workers work together, they develop chemistry that will bring
about a bond that would see the workers have a working mechanism among themselves.
Attributes such as patience and good communication skills are key to both the employees and
the people they attend to. By having a staff that works hard, they ensure that their dedication is
striving at giving the best service to the customers which in return, they will their loyalty. with a
self-motivated and respectful employee who is honest and cooperative, ensures that no
breakdown at work may lead technicalities and complications which would lead to the working
environment being less productive (Motowidlo et. al., 2020).
Intrapersonal skills then see the emanation of the interpersonal relations that would see the staff
employ skills such as multi-tasking to cover up on duties that may be pending yet in need of
attention. Computer skills may also be an added advantage, in an era when there are
technological advances that are being adopted in all sectors of operations, it would be
significant to have an idea of how it works and how it would help achieve the needs of the
customers and fulfilling the aim of the resort (Borman & Motowidlo, 2017).
Increasing recommendation at the BAL could be a way to ensure that the selected individual is
of the required qualifications. The recommended candidates are usually assessed based on
their past experiences with similar duties. Their mode of working and delivery too shall be tested
to see the different styles that they employ which would ensure that there is quality service
delivery. The recommender may be a former colleague, employee, or even a customer whose
attention had been brought on the need for an individual with the stated skills (Motowidlo & Van,
2020). On the recommendations, it would be key to contact some of the recommenders whose
contact details are provided in the curriculum vitae. This would serve to confirm and affirm the
type of person whose interest in the work has been shown. Sometimes, recommendation goes
a long way as it serves to ensure that the specified individuals are of the right qualification to the
needs of the hotel (Wall et. al., 2019).
In terms of recruitment, the interviews should be structured in the manner of a Face-to-Face
interview, but there should be some scenario-based questions so that you can determine how
candidates perceive issues and come up with solutions.The interview process consists of 27
questions about the interviewee’s past experiences in their jobs, questions about their
preferences in the workplace, questions that takes some self-assessment about their qualities,
and some critical thinking and case/scenario-based questions. During this interviewing process,
Barr should assess the candidates based on the way they choose to answer the questions by
showing their skills and quick problem-solving skills instead of mostly valuing the candidates’
education and qualifications as usually these values are accepted organizational standards of
what constitutes a ‘useful’ or ‘valid’ employee (Ramsey & Scholarios, 1999, p. 70).

Questions such as ‘where do you see yourself in five years?’ Would help Barr understand the
candidates’ goals and ambitions which could help with creating proper incentives to motivate the
employees. Questions about management styles like ‘How Do You Like to Be Managed?’ could
be insightful as it might help employers understand if the current management style is
compatible with the employees or if it is not working and is causing turmoil. More
scenario-based questions like ‘How do you prioritize your tasks during periods of high activity?’,
‘Conflict with a co-worker or manager is inevitable. Tell me about a conflict you experienced with
a co-worker or manager, and how it was resolved.’ and ‘Describe a time when you had to make
a decision when no co-worker assistance was available to you. What was the outcome, and
what did you learn?’ Are designed to make the candidates either reflect on past experiences in
the particular scenario or try and imagine said circumstances and try to figure out a viable
solution that would demonstrate problem-solving skills as well as scenario assessment and
creative solution formulation.
As the Banff Aspen Lodge is looking to hire two individuals for the vacancies at the front desk a
clear hiring process must be designed to properly staff said vacancies. After carefully viewing all
the candidates we have identified five possible fits for the vacancies. We feel like a closer
analysis into these five promising candidates will prove to assist in finding the correct people for
the job. The five candidates are Arjun Patel, Lhamo Sangyam, Kathryn Fairweather, Jana
Javorova and Veronique Desjardins.
Kathryn Fairweather would appear to be a viable candidate as she is currently looking for the
job which the BAL has vacancies in as well having some excellent skills which would be of use
in the position she is applying for. Jana Javorova has already had some experience in the
hospitality sector and has some great skills for the job such as being able to explain tourist
places to visitors and being well organized, she also can speak four languages which is always
helpful in the hospitality industry. Veronique Desjardins is also currently looking for the job which
the BAL has vacancies in, she would be a viable candidate due to her experience working at a
front desk even though it isn’t the same context in terms of the industry some of the same skills
in dealing with customers face to face still apply. Veronique also has some optimal skills such as
being a people person which which is good given the job requires significant interaction with
customers as well as being an effective problem-solver which can be beneficial in non-optimal
situations. Arjun Patel has a plethora of experience which would benefit the BAL and his skills
you’d be valued greatly as being patient when working under stress can be essential if a
customer has a pressing issue and is getting angry, his ability as a strong team leader could
help the other staff members to follow his work ethic. Given his previous experience in training
new staff Arjun could assist his colleagues in tasks they might not be familiar in which would
create a supportive staff environment. Lhamo Sangyam is another candidate that could be a
great addition to the BAL staff as he a highly motivated individual who has a customer oriented
view as well as having good listening skills which would make misunderstandings minimal
between customers and staff, Lhamo also knows three languages which once again is beneficial
in hospitality.

After carefully assessing each candidate the two who will be hired are Arjun Patel and
Veronique Desjardins as they would appear to have the skills, experience, and mindset that
Banff Aspen Lodge is looking for in their front desk staff.
For the available Front Desk vacancies, Barr should focus on attracting more candidates who
are motivated to work at the Banff Aspen Lodge. To have motivated employees managers
should create incentives that are mostly extrinsic and tend to be focused on some kind of
monetary compensation as workers enjoy being rewarded for their hard work. Most
“organizations invest large amounts of money in extrinsic motivators. Pay for individual
performance (PFIP), in particular, is one of the most common forms of workplace financial
incentives” (Hewett, & Leroy, 2019, p. 1105-1106) which leads to increased motivation in an
organization.
However, sometimes the sole work environment can motivate employees and applicants to want
to work better as they “perceive the behaviors displayed by their peers as norms for their
behavior, i.e., they feel the need to comply with these standards in their group” (Breugst, Patzelt
& Shepherd, 2020, p. 1560) which could make a whole group of employees work harder given
that is the standard in the organization. The importance of understanding employees’
productivity in contrast to particular management styles is imperative as they may, at times, also
use a undertake a more personal approach to the employees which could be beneficial in
boosting morale which can take the form of making sure their employees are appreciated or
simply allowing the employees to have a say in some decision-making scenarios “which in turn
will result in better teamwork, better attitudes and an eagerness to contribute” (Schindler, 2019).
To conclude, it is clear that service delivery will be more efficient with the required amount of
staffing, as long as the staff is well versed with their specific roles ,they are capable of handling
their roles with minimal supervision and this would ensure that they work as per the instructions.
Competency is a significant feature in any job description as it determines the capacity of the
work that can be handled by an individual this ensures that there is proper utilization of
resources (Stevens Campion, 2019).
Proper staffing works best to ensure that there is an improvement in productivity. In the hotelier
industry, the productivity would be determined by the turnout of the customers who would visit
with the intent of getting the exceptional service that they are willing to pay for. The consistency
and performance of hotel employees will show in the reviews and feedback, which could result
in increased revenue (LePine et al., 2018).
The development of human capital is also crucial for dealing with the work plan. Allocation of
duties, development and capacity building of the existing staff would help in blending of new
staff who would be required to take upon roles that would ensure the operations of the hotel are
carried out smoothly. It not only helps in the building of a career but is likely to lead to better
performance within the hotel. (Hunter et. Al., 2017).

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Questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What attracted you to our company?
3. Why Do You Want This Job?
4. Tell me about your strengths.
5. What are your weaknesses?
6. What Is Your Greatest Professional Achievement?
7. Tell Me About a Time You Demonstrated Leadership Skills
8. Where do you see yourself in five years?
9. Can you tell me about a time where you encountered a business challenge?
10. How did you overcome it?
11. What’s a Time You Disagreed With a Decision That Was Made at Work?
12. What are the most important things you are looking for in your next role?
13. How Would Your Boss and Coworkers Describe You?
14. How Do You Deal With Pressure or Stressful Situations?
15. What Motivates You?
16. What Are You Passionate About?

17. How Do You Like to Be Managed?
18. Why are you leaving your current job?
19. (If applicable) Can You Explain Why You Changed Career Paths?
20. Do you have any questions for me?
21. How do you ensure that guests feel welcome upon arrival?
22. How do you prioritize your tasks during periods of high activity?
23. What parts of the Hotel Front Desk Agent role do you enjoy and dislike?
24. Tell me about a time you managed a situation involving an angry hotel guest.
25. Conflict with a co-worker or manager is inevitable. Tell me about a conflict you experienced
with a co-worker or manager, and how it was resolved.
26. Describe a time when you had to make a decision when no co-worker assistance was
available to you.
27. What was the outcome, and what did you learn?