Managing Communication and Collaboration with Remote Workers

This dissertation investigates communication and collaboration strategies for managing remote workers within the hotel leisure industry, focusing on Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. It highlights the increasing prevalence of remote work and the challenges it presents for maintaining effective communication and collaboration. The study examines various methods employed by hotels, such as video meetings and internal messaging tools, to facilitate information exchange and team cohesion. It also explores the benefits of improved communication, including increased staff retention, enhanced brand image, and improved overall performance. The research methodology emphasizes the importance of data collection and analysis, covering both primary and secondary data sources, along with ethical considerations. Ultimately, the dissertation aims to provide insights and recommendations for hotels seeking to optimize communication and collaboration with their remote workforce, thereby enhancing productivity and customer satisfaction.

Top15904 Dissertation
1

Abstract
Exchanging of information and making sure, listener has understood meaning and reason of
information, provided to them, is known as communication. Main aim for which this study has
been conducted is identifying ways by which the hotel leisure industry can manage
communication and collaboration with remote workers. This study discusses ways of managing
communication with remote workers and for this, it shows some ways or modes of clear
communication. Managing remote workers is not an easy task as both remote workers and
managers face problems while working from remote areas. It shows some benefits that hotel
industry can take by managing communication with remote workers. Some advantages that this
study discuss in a detailed manner include: increasing staff retention, improved image of brand,
competitive advantages and improved performance.
It shows reasons of following and considering all elements of research methodology. Data
collection and data analysis are 2 main elements of research methodology that enable scholar in
completing research study in a successful manner. It shows both types of data collection such as
primary and secondary and also shows criteria of selecting appropriate data collection. Data
analysis and ethical consideration in research study also enable scholars in improving image and
conducting study in the future with effectiveness.
2

TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE: Managing communication and collaboration with remote workers in this era..................3
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................3
Background of the study..............................................................................................................3
Aim and objectives......................................................................................................................4
Business problem.........................................................................................................................5
Rationale......................................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................6
Ways in which the hotel leisure industry managed communication and collaboration with
remote workers............................................................................................................................6
Strategies can be used by Four season hotel and resorts for improving communication with
remote workers............................................................................................................................7
Benefits of effective communication and collaboration techniques with remote workers within
the hotel leisure industry..............................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOOLOGY..............................................................................10
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS...............................................................................................................15
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................24
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION......................................................................................................25
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................27
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................29
3

TITLE: Managing communication and collaboration with remote workers in this
era.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Communication is the process of exchanging information by writing, speaking and other
medium. Communication plays a vital role as it makes employees and employers able in
providing detailed information and also make them able in understanding what is being said to
them. By getting detailed and accurate information, they find easier in performing functions and
accomplishing goals. There are number of benefits that companies can take if they focus on
making use of appropriate modes of communication. Some advantages of clear and concise
communication include: improving and maintaining relations, facilitating innovation, improving
productivity, increasing employees’ engagement and increasing customers’ satisfaction (Bardi,
2021). Nowadays, due to increasing competition and globalisation, hotels are allowing work
from home and remote working facilities to their employees. It makes them able in performing
their functions and providing services to customers, live in remote area. But managing
communication with them become difficult Therefore, hotels need to focus on selecting an
appropriate mode of communication. Poor communication with remote workers can affect
overall performance and productivity of workers that may affect image of company as well.
Moreover, it becomes important for employers to make use of an appropriate mode of
communication and improving performance accordingly.
Background of the study
Communication and collaboration are main key terms as well as skills that makes
employers able in improving their productivity and profitability as well. This study is based on
Four season hotel and resorts, UK. This present study is going to discuss some ways in which
hospitality industry or 4 seasons hotel and resorts communicate with their remote workers.
Managing remote workers in not an easy task but their performance can be improved if
employers make use of an effective way of communicating with them. Collaboration plays a
vital role and remote4 workers require collaboration with their colleagues and when they get it
then they find easier in performing their functions. Communication is linked with collaboration
as with clear and concise communication, employers can improve collaboration and can solve
miscommunication related problems. This study will further discuss some techniques that are
being used by Four season hotel and resorts in order to manage communication and collaboration
4

with remote workers for improving their performances and making them able to satisfy
customers’ needs. It will further discuss some advantages that hotel can take by improving
communication and collaboration with remote workers. An ability to work remotely offers a
better work/life balance (Ford and Sturman, 2018). It is believed that when employees work
away from their office then they can control their life and can make a balance between personal
as well as professional life that is vital. But remote workers need to follow all rules and
guidelines, implemented by companies for remote workers in order to maintain discipline. On
the other hand, it can be said that along with benefits, remote workers find some difficulties due
to poor communication as they work far away from office. Therefore, as like others, they cannot
communicate face to face with their employers and colleagues. It becomes important for them to
be in touch with colleagues and employers and communicating in a continuous manner. For this
reason, they need to make use of an appropriate use of communicational modes.
This research study will discuss effectiveness of research methodology and ways in which
it makes researchers able in collecting as well as analysing data relevant to research topic.
Research methodology elements such as research approach, philosophy, strategy, data collection
and analysis methods play a vital role in successful completion of research study. It makes
scholars able in improving decision making process by collecting and analysing data. It will also
discuss effectiveness of collecting both primary and secondary data and ways in which primary
data can help scholars’ in accomplishing research goals.
Aim and objectives
Aim: “To identify the ways used by an organisation for managing communication and
collaboration with remote workers” on Four season hotel and resorts
Objectives
• To identify ways, the hotel leisure industry managed communication and collaboration
with remote workers.
• To investigate the methods and techniques used for communication and collaboration in
the hotel leisure industry for remote workers
• To determine the benefits of effective communication and collaboration techniques with
remote workers within the hotel leisure industry.
Research questions
5

1. What are some effective ways in which four seasons hotel can manage collaboration and
communication with remote workers?
2. Which strategies can be used by Four season hotel and resorts for improving
communication with remote workers?
3. How can Four season hotel and resorts make themselves beneficial by making use of
effective communicational modes for communicating with remote workers?
Business problem
Increasing competition is one of the main business problem that is increasing pressure on
hotels and companies for more investment in innovation and technologies. For being in the
competition after Covid-19, hotels are striving hard and for that they are hiring skilled
employees. There are number of hotels that operate in number of markets and provide services to
people of remote areas. For providing better services, they hire remote workers but they find
managing communication and collaboration with them. Moreover, managing communication
with remote workers has become one of the main business problem in this competitive era. This
study will help out hotels including Four season hotel and resorts in managing communication
with remote workers and improving their overall performance.
Rationale
The reason of selecting this topic is to make hotels able in improving their performance
economy by satisfying customers’ need. It is possible when employers communicate and manage
collaboration with remote workers in an effective manner. This study can make companies able
in knowing effective ways by which they can manage collaboration and can provide detailed
information to remote workers in a clear and concise manner (Maican and et.al. 2019).
Communication is the common and important skill that everyone needs to possess. Therefore, by
conducting research study on this topic, I can improve my knowledge and can know better ways
of communicating with others. Hence, increasing knowledge and knowing ways to improve
communication skill is other main reason of selecting this topic. It can
6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Ways in which the hotel leisure industry managed communication and collaboration with remote
workers
According to the view of Garcia, (2020) remote working is increasing in now a days and it
is creating some communications and collaboration problems. These problems are affecting
overall productivity and performance of hotels. It is affecting customers’ satisfaction or
experience. Moreover, in this context, it can be said that hotels need to make use of effective
ways by which they can manage communication and collaboration with remote workers. In this
context, they stated that the best strategy that has been used by Four season hotel and resorts is:
conversion of in person meeting to video meeting. In this context, they also said that when
employees work remotely then it makes them feel alone physically and mentally that may affect
their job performance. Hence, by involving remote workers in video team meeting, employers
can provide all updated information regarding their job role and customers. There are 2
advantages of doing this as it makes remote workers feel valued and engaged and it solves
miscommunication problems that can improve their performance. Moreover, it is one of the best
way of communicating and collaborating with remote workers.
Powers, (2018) argued and said that hotel has focused on traditional way of collaboration
and communication with remote workers such as: internal messaging tool. There are number of
information that needs to be provided to all employees including remote working and it is not
possible to conduct video calling all the time. Hence, for shirt messages and conversation, hotels
have made use of E-mail for updating remote workers about strategies that they need to use. It
can help remote workers in knowing everything that hotel is going to change and things that they
are expected by employers. It helps them out in performing functions and also make them feel
valued when they are being treated in a same manner as like other employees. In addition, they
also said that for providing important details or information, employers can call directly to team
members of remote workers. It is the responsibility of team members to inform their mentee
about everything that can easier their work and helping them out in improving their performance.
But along with this, hotel can trust on team members and rather calling them all the time, they
should give responsibility to team members. It can make them responsible and they can perform
their functions without getting frustrated. Therefore, rather bombard team leaders with calls and
e-mails, employers should make team members feel trusted and valued.
7

Ewing, Men and O’Neil, (2019) supported above view and stated that Four season hotel
and resorts has used other ways by which they can improve collaboration and communication
with remote workers. In addition, they also said that remote workers feel alone when they work
from remote areas so, along with providing information related to hotel, it is important for
employers to make them feel valued and engaged. For this purpose, hotel engage remote workers
in virtual team building activities. According to this, employers build social and personal bonds
by engaging them in fun activities. It is believed that when employees feel valued and engaged
then they are more likely to stay with companies and it can increase staff retention rate. By
increasing retention rate of remote workers, employers can improve image in the market. Hotel
make use of activities in which they provide some information related to job roles in a funnier
way. Hence, this way helps them out in motivating employees and managing communication. It
improves their relation with employers that is vital for improved productivity.
Overall, it can be said that….is using some effective ways of managing communication
and collaboration with remote workers and improving their performance. It just needs to identify
some other digital ways by which it can solve problems that remote workers face regarding
communication.
Strategies can be used by Four season hotel and resorts for improving communication with
remote workers
On the basis of above discussion, it can be said that Four season hotel and resorts make use
of some effective strategies for improving communication and collaboration with their remote
workers. But along such strategies, this hotel should make use of other ways by which it can
solve all problems that remote workers face due to poor communication. In the regard of
effective strategies Dawson, Einion-Waller and Jones, (2020) stated that Four season hotel and
resorts should use for improving communication with remote workers is: asynchronous
communication. It is the type of communication in which employers or colleagues send
messages to remote workers without expecting an immediate response. It is considered backbone
of remote teams, especially for ones that have team members spread across different time zones.
The main aim of making use of this type of communication is to inform remote workers for
upcoming projects and just inform them about those activities that are not urgent. Employers just
need to leave message to team leaders of remote workers as well as individual remote workers
and workers can respond when their schedule allows them to do. Overall, it can be said that it
8

can be used when employers need to provide information about topics that are not time-sensitive
or urgent.
Charalampous and et.al., (2019) contradicted and said that it is good only when there is no
urgency of information, but there are number of changes happen in hospitality industry. Remote
workers need to know about all changes that happen in hospitality industry and strategies that
will be developed by their hotel. By knowing about changing factors information, remote
workers can protect themselves against errors and mistakes. It can improve their performance
and productivity as well. so, for this reason, it is important for hotels to make an effective remote
working plan by including communicational odes that remote workers can use as per the current
situations. By making an effective remote working plan, employers can help out remote workers
in improving communication as they have all information as which communication mode they
need to use as per the situation and to whom they need to contact as per the situation. Along with
this, employers also need to educate employees regarding remote work policies, attendance and
digital team meeting. For making it successful, employers will require to develop a unified
platform that can handle all communication as well as collaboration needs. This unified digital
platform can be an effective way to implement communication plan for remote workers because
it contains analytical tools and features that are essential for improving collaboration.
Khan, (2020) argued this view and said that according to them allowing employees to give
feedback and making effective slack channel: updates for everyone as like Google doc,
employers can solve communication related problems that remote workers face. Google doc is
one of the effective tool that is accessible to all and changes made in this sheet is visible to all.
So, on the basis of this, employers can ask remote workers to update about what they are
working and changes that they have found while working. The main reason of this channel or
google doc is to increase competition among employees and updating remote workers about
important details. It can help employers in keeping their workers aligned. By allowing them to
give feedbacks on the basis of projects, employers can make immediate changes that can
improve productivity and performance as well. Along with this, hotel can make use of Miro that
is a super powered online whiteboard. As like google docs, it has some features as it allows
remote workers in creating content, uploading content and building templates for workflows.
Miro’s built in templates, embed links, chat live, vote and export materials can help out remote
workers in making decision and performing functions with effectiveness.
9

Overall, on the basis of suggested strategies for managing communication with remote
workers, it can be said that it can make this hotel competition. If it follows all these strategies
then, it can increase staff retention rate along with improved communication.
Benefits of effective communication and collaboration techniques with remote workers within
the hotel leisure industry
On the basis of above discussion, it can be said that there are number of ways or strategies by
which hotel can improve communication as well as collaboration with remote workers. But along
with these strategies, it is important to identify benefits that hotel can take by making use of
these strategies and managing collaboration with remote workers. In this context Waizenegger
and et.al., (2020) stated that one of the main benefit of managing communication with remote
worker by involving them in video meeting is: to reduce errors. When employees are being
involved in video meetings for discussion on important topics then they learn some effective
ways of performing functions. On the basis of detailed information, given in video team meeting,
remote workers can decrease errors while performing functions. By decreasing errors, they can
satisfy customers to the great extent. When employees do not commit mistake then it leads
qualitative work and by getting qualitative products as well as services, customers are more
likely to retain with business. So, on the basis of this, it can be said that by managing
communication and collaboration with remote workers, employers can increase customers’
retention rate and can improve quality of products and services.
Adisa, Ogbonnaya and Adekoya, (2021) argued and said that one of the main benefit of
managing collaboration with remote workers is to achieve targets. Hospitality is the industry
where changes may occur any time and employees have to strive hard for satisfying changing
needs of customers. Moreover, for this purpose, everyone has given some targets that they need
to achieve by the end of the month and for accomplishing targets, remote workers need accurate
and reliable information about customers and hotel’s strategies. When they get detailed
information by making use of E-mails and google docs, then they find easier in completing their
tasks. It improves their performance and they are more likely to achieve targets. When they
accomplish their goals and targets in a timely manner then it makes them feel motivated and
valued. They can open doors for promotional and other opportunities, given by their hotel.
Hence, on the basis of this, it can be said that improved communication with remote workers can
10

be beneficial for both employees and employers. achievement of tasks in a timely manner can
make company able in taking competitive advantages and becoming the market leader.
Piumsomboon and et.al., (2017) supported this above view and stated that by creating an
effective remote working plan or creating digital platform for remote workers, employers can
increase sales and customers’ satisfaction. When remote workers know what are they expected to
do and to whom they need to report as per the situation then it saves their time. They do not need
to spend time over long calls as by contacting directly with responsible person, they can solve
their queries and continue their work. It can help managers in improving better decision on the
basis of employees’ performance. it solves situations of conflicts that may arise due to
miscommunication. By solving these problems and decreasing situations of conflicts, employers
can make its workplace productive. in addition, it is also stated that when remote workers are
encouraged to participate in virtual fun team working activities then it improves their relations
with other colleagues. This improved relation motivates them towards improving performance
and retaining with business for the long run. It raises their morale, self-esteem. It improves their
mood and with refreshed mood, they find easier in maintaining a balance between personal as
well as professional life.
On the basis of above discussion, it can be said that management of communication and
collaboration with remote working plan, video meeting, implementation of Miro as well as
Google Doc, hotels can take number of advantages. They can take advantages of competition and
can attract customers to the great extent. Improved communication and collaboration can
eliminate rumors and can make employees able to focus on their tasks only.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOOLOGY
Research method: For completing research in an effective manner, researcher requires
collecting data and for that, they need to select the form of data collection. As per the data
collection form, research method is being divided into 2 types such as: qualitative and
quantitative. Qualitative deals with textual form of data in which researcher focuses on collecting
data that has no link with numbers. Those data that can be expressed in word or feelings form,
can be known as qualitative. For number of studies, researchers conduct qualitative research
because this type of research helps them out in understanding the main concept and thoughts. It
also makes researchers enable in gathering in depth insight about topic and making decisions
11

accordingly. Some common methods that can be used for conducting this research method
include: literature review and critical analysis of articles.
Whereas, quantitative deals with numbers and data are being expressed in graphs and
numbers form. By conducting this research, scholars can test theories or assumptions. For this
research study, researcher has conducted quantitative research. The main aim of conducting this
research is to establish generalised facts about topic (Bird, 2017). It is believed that when
researcher knows facts about topic then they are more likely to accomplish goals and make
appropriate decisions. Some common ways by which quantitative research can be conducted in
an effective manner include: survey, observation, experiments and close ended questions. By
gathering data in number forms or knowing hotels in numbers that have made use of effective
communicational strategies, researcher can know importance and ways of managing
communication as well as collaboration with remote workers.
Research approach: After selecting the form, it is important for scholars to develop a
plan by which they will collect as well as analyse data. It can be done by selecting an appropriate
research approach because research approach is a plan of research. It consists of steps from broad
assumptions to detailed method by which scholars can collect and analyse data in an effective
manner. Inductive research approach makes researcher able in generating a brand new theory and
it starts with observation and on the basis of observation, researcher generates an effective brand
new theory for accomplishing goals or making decisions. It is believed that when researchers
generate a brand new theory as per his own then he is more likely to increase his knowledge
regarding research topic and it makes him able in accomplishing goals as well as becoming
successful in the future.
Whereas, deductive is all about development of an existing theory as this type believes
that people typically associate with scientific investigation. Researcher focuses on studying what
others have done rather focusing on his own research. By reading existing theories, scholars
make some appropriate changes and make them according to their research topic (Grinchenko
and Shchapova, 2020). For this research study, researcher has selected deductive research
approach for 2 main reason. One of the main common reason is: effectiveness and its suitability
with selected qualitative research type, Other main reason is time. Comparatively, conducting
deductive research approach is easier and time effective than inductive because in this approach,
12