Professional Identity and Practice: EasyHotel Report

This report examines the benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders within EasyHotel Ltd., a budget hotel chain. It analyzes the advantages for employers, employees, customers, and the government, emphasizing the importance of a skilled workforce and improved service quality. The report then identifies and evaluates the essential skills and competencies expected of a sales manager at EasyHotel, including communication, computer literacy, market research, decision-making, and leadership skills. A personal SWOT analysis is presented to assess the author's own skills in relation to the sales manager role, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The report also explores learning theories and approaches, such as behaviorist, cognitive, and humanist approaches, applicable to personal and professional development within the context of EasyHotel. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and their implications for professional growth and organizational success.

Professional Identity and
Practice

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Advantages of on-going professional development within a specific organisational context
for different stakeholders.............................................................................................................1
P2 Skills and competencies expected by the employer for a specific organisational context.....2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Analysis of own skills and competencies for a specific job role............................................4
P4 Learning theories and approaches used for the process of personal and professional
development.................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Professional development is the continuous procedure of learning and obtaining new skills
and competency which are vital for performing the tasks assigned explicitly or implicitly through
formal training procedure or perceiving the conduct and behaviour of other people in the
organisation (Mizell, 2010). EasyHotel is a chain of international budget hotels which was
incorporated in the year 2004 and the headquarters of the company are located at London, United
Kingdom. The company has operations in Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom, Bulgaria and
many other countries (Rusly, 2019). In the following report, an attempt has been made to
evaluate the benefits of on-going professional development and analyse the skills required for the
job role of Sales manager within a specific organisational context. The report also aims to
evaluate the process of personal strengths analysis and analyse the different learning theories and
approaches which can be used in the process of on-going professional as well as personal
development.
TASK 1
P1 Advantages of on-going professional development within a specific organisational context for
different stakeholders.
On-going professional development provides many benefits to different stakeholders of
EasyHotel Ltd. which are being described as follows:
Employer:
Employee Engagement: On-going professional development in an organisational context
of EasyHotel Ltd. involves implementation of various training and development programs for
employees which requires an active engagement from the employees as well. Hence, to make the
training and development programs effective, employee engagement in the organisation is
essential and increased employee engagement is a very desirable benefit for the management of
EasyHotel Ltd. since it helps in deriving a competitive edge for the company (Bakker and
Schaufeli, 2015).
Skilled Workforce: Skills and competencies of the employees and the workforce increases
as a result of on-going professional development in any organisation. In the context of EasyHotel
Ltd., implementation of on-going professional development in the organisation helps in fostering
and developing a skilled workforce. Having a skilled workforce helps the management of
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EasyHotel Ltd. to provide a better quality of service to the customers which essentially
determines the success of business organisations in hospitality industry.
Employee:
Improved employability: On-going professional development helps in development and
enhancement of skills and competencies of employees which influences their future
employability and career aspirations. Every skill and competency which has been developed by
an employee as a part of the on-going professional development is effectively monitored and
documented which makes it easier for an individual to demonstrate these skills in case of future
employment aspirations.
Intrinsic Motivation: In the context of EasyHotel Ltd., employees of the company are
able to execute the tasks assigned to them in a better and more effective manner by development
of essential skills and this results in an increased job satisfaction which also motivates the
employees to perform with more productivity and efficiency. Intrinsic motivation helps an
employee to enjoy job satisfaction (Johnson and Beehr, 2014).
Customers:
In the context of EasyHotel Ltd., quality of service which is being offered to the
customers is of prime importance and outweighs any other factor or element which determines
customer satisfaction. Customers enjoy a better quality of service when employees are trained
and developed to perform the tasks assigned to them in the most effective manner which is one
of the most important benefit of on-going professional development from customers perspective
(Mulder, 2001).
Government:
Quality of service which is being provided to the tourists in a country increases with the
help of on-going professional development of employees which fosters a significant growth in
the tourism and hospitality industry of the country. Hence, the amount of revenue generated by
the government in the form of taxes and other charges increases substantially as a result of on-
going professional development and growth of hospitality industry.
P2 Skills and competencies expected by the employer for a specific organisational context.
There are many diverse job roles within the accommodation and lodging industry which
required different set of skills and competencies in an individual. The skills and competencies
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which are expected by the management of EasyHotel Ltd. for the position of sales manager in
their hotel are being evaluated as follows:
Communication Skills: Communication skill is one of the most important skill essential for
an individual to possess who aspires to become the sales manager for any organisation. Sales
manager at EasyHotel Ltd. is expected to communicate with customers and clients of the
organisation and lack of effective communication skills hinders the ability of an individual to
perform his duties and responsibilities as the sales manager (Ryals, Abdollahi and Marcos,
2015). Hence, the management of EasyHotel Ltd. desires to have a sales manager with excellent
written as well as oral communication skills to engage with the potential customers and increase
the revenue for the company.
Computer Literacy: Ability to use and apply software such as MS Office and other tools for
conducting research is essential for the job role and responsibility of a sales manager. Drastic
changes in technology has influenced the dynamics under every industry and computer literacy
has become one of the most basic skill requirement imperative for the job role of sales manager
at EasyHotel Ltd. Preparation of reports, analysing sales graphs, forecasting trends etcetera are
the some of the functions of a sales manager which can be performed effectively with the help of
using modern technology and computers.
Market Research Skills: Sales Manager of an organisation should be able to identify the key
trends and changes in consumption behaviour and conduct effective market research to
implement organisational changes which fosters the growth and maximisation of revenue (Pryor,
Malshe and Paradise, 2013). Thus, being a sales manager requires an individual to possess great
market research skills which includes determination of the sample, effective method of research
and interpretation of the results which determines the strategic policy formulation for sales
growth in the context of EasyHotel Ltd.
Decision-Making Skills: The management of EasyHotel Ltd. expects the sales manager of
the company to have strong decision-making skills which helps him to formulate better strategies
and policies for administering the sales growth of the company (Ingram and et. al., 2015). A
sales manager should be able to evaluate the different outcomes and take an informed decision
which is most likely to create a positive impact on the future sales and revenue of the hotels.
Leadership Skills: Ability to influence the behaviour of team members and getting desired
actions is an important and desirable skill by the management of EasyHotel Ltd. in the sales
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manager of the company. Sales manager is responsible for leading a team of employees to
maximise the revenue and strong leadership skills are essential to communicate and motivate the
employee and creating a shared belief and vision for achievement of team goals and targets
(Johnston and Marshall, 2016).
TASK 2
P3 Analysis of own skills and competencies for a specific job role.
SWOT Analysis:
SWOT Analysis can be defined as the study undertaken by an individual to determine
personal strengths and weaknesses and relate them with the external opportunities and threats. It
is a very vital tool which helps in focusing on the most important career and personal goals and
develop skills relevant to future career aspirations (Rangkuti, 2015). In the context of skills
which are required for the job role of Sales manager at EasyHotel Ltd., here is my personal
SWOT analysis:
Strength Weakness
 I have an intermediate level knowledge
of MS Office and other related tools
which is one of my biggest strength and
is also essential for the job role of Sales
Manager.
 I have excellent written communication
skills including formal communication
which I believe is another strength
which enhances my employability.
 I have good decision-making and
forecasting skills and I am able to
evaluate the possible outcomes of a
decision and its positive as well as
negative impacts which is a huge
strength for me.
 I lack the ability to effectively
communicate with a large group of
people and lack fluent communication
and network building skills which I
think is one of the biggest weakness as
effective communication is the key skill
required by a sales manager.
 Leading a group of people and
managing team has always been my
weak point and I think I lack the ability
to motivate people and lead a team of
individuals for accomplishment of
common goals.
 I also lack excellent market research
skills which are very important for a
sales manager to effectively understand
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the key trends of market and make
better policies.
Opportunity Threats
 Having an intermediate level
knowledge of computer and software
provides an opportunity for me to
develop advanced knowledge of these
tools which will further enhance my
employability and effectiveness to
prepare sales reports using graphs and
charts.
 Good written communication skills can
provide me a platform and foundation
to develop excellent oral
communication skills as well essential
for the job of sales manager.
 I think that the ineffectiveness to lead
and develop a team might create a
hindrance for me in satisfaction of my
responsibilities as the sales manager
and pose a big threat for my career
aspirations and future growth.
 Lack of effective market research skills
also makes it difficult for me to
understand the trends and changes in
this rapid and dynamic business
environment of hospitality industry and
I need to take steps to mitigate this
threat in my near future and career.
Belbin Team Roles:
Dr. Meredith Belbin provided a framework for team roles and put forward the argument
that every member of a team which performs effectively and efficiently has a unique and distinct
role to play based on his personal strengths and behaviour and only when every individual in the
team is aware of his personal role, a team can perform effectively and achieve its goals and
objectives (Belbin, 2013). He proposed nine different roles that may exist within a team. As per
my opinion, I have the role of implementer in my present team that includes planning and
formulating a strategy considering the goals and objectives and carrying it out effectively in the
best possible and optimum manner. It has helped me to understand and comprehend the barriers
and challenges which may exist in the process of strategy implementation and has helped me to
develop a creative thinking and solution-oriented approach.
P4 Learning theories and approaches used for the process of personal and professional
development.
Learning Approach:
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The process of understanding and comprehending concepts and things takes place in
different form in different individuals which can be termed as the learning approach (Schmeck,
2013). Different types of learning approaches which might be used by individuals are being
discussed as follows:
Behaviourist Approach: Behaviourist approach of learning refers to the process of acquiring
new skills and knowledge by responding to a particular stimulus or environment repeatedly. For
example, the management of EasyHotel Ltd. trains its employees by providing them an
environment similar to the work environment where the behaviour of employee is tracked and
feedback is provided by the trainer.
Cognitive Approach: Cognitive approach of learning refers to the process of mental
application for acquiring new skills and knowledge. It includes thinking, memorising,
remembering and learning. Application of cognitive approach of learning is primarily based on
understanding the connection between various concepts and breaking down information into
fragments for the purpose of retaining the information for a longer duration of time.
Humanist Approach: Humanist approach of learning includes observing the behaviour of
other people and resulting outcomes or the illustration of a personal experience forming the basis
of learning and development. For example, an employee of EasyHotel Ltd. might reflect upon
his own encounter with a disappointed customer and the result of his behaviour in that situation
to learn and acquire knowledge about customer service in future.
Kolb’s learning cycle:
Kolb’s learning cycle is a theory which states four different stages of learning which helps a
learner to constantly progress and develop his personal skills and knowledge (Chan, 2012). This
theory can be applied by the management of EasyHotel Ltd. in the following manner for the
process of constant professional development in the company:
Concrete Experience: It refers to the first stage in the learning cycle where the learner or an
individual identifies a new problem or experiences something unique. For example, the
management of EasyHotel Ltd. should motivate and encourage its employees to look for better
alternatives of operations of the company and determine areas of improvement.
Reflective Observation: It is the second stage of learning cycle where the individual tries to
understand and comprehend the experience and identify the difference between the in-depth
evaluation and understanding of his experience and the initial experience which he had. The
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management of EasyHotel Ltd. can motivate employees to identify the root cause of the problem
which they have identified at this stage.
Abstract Conceptualisation: It refers to the process of learning from the reflection and
experience and coming up with better ideas or solutions by creative thinking and innovation.
This stage in the process of learning cycle gives rise to new ideas and concepts for future
behaviour.
Active Experimentation: This stage refers to the point where learner applies his new ideas in
his close environment and evaluates the outcomes. For example, this stage in the process of on-
going professional development in EasyHotel Ltd. can be related with application of new ideas
in the organisation and evaluation of results. This point gives birth to another new experience
and the cycle of learning repeats itself from this point.
CONCLUSION
Based on the above report and analysis, it can be summarised that the process of on-going
professional develop provides benefits to the stakeholders of the company and skills such as
communication ability and the ability to use computers and technology are essential for the job
role of sales manager at EasyHotel Ltd. It has also been observed that personal SWOT analysis
helps an individual to take better actions in terms of developing skills for future career
aspirations. At last, it has been concluded that various learning approaches and learning theories
such as Kolb’s learning cycle can be implemented for the process of on-going professional
development and learning.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bakker, A.B. and Schaufeli, W.B., 2015. Work engagement. Wiley Encyclopedia of
Management, pp.1-5.
Belbin, R.M., 2013. Method, reliability & validity, statistics & research: A comprehensive
review of Belbin team roles. Retrieved December. 1. p.2014.
Chan, C.K.Y., 2012. Exploring an experiential learning project through Kolb's Learning Theory
using a qualitative research method. European Journal of Engineering Education. 37(4).
pp.405-415.
Ingram, T.N., LaForge, R.W., Schwepker, C.H. and Williams, M.R., 2015. Sales management:
Analysis and decision making. Routledge.
Johnson, V.A. and Beehr, T.A., 2014. Making use of professional development: Employee
interests and motivational goal orientations. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 84(2).
pp.99-108.
Johnston, M.W. and Marshall, G.W., 2016. Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
Mizell, H., 2010. Why Professional Development Matters. Learning Forward. 504 South Locust
Street, Oxford, OH 45056.
Mulder, M., 2001. Customer satisfaction with training programs. Journal of European Industrial
Training.
Pryor, S., Malshe, A. and Paradise, K., 2013. Salesperson listening in the extended sales
relationship: An exploration of cognitive, affective, and temporal dimensions. Journal of
Personal Selling & Sales Management. 33(2). pp.185-196.
Rangkuti, F., 2015. Personal SWOT analysis. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Rusly, N., 2019. An Analysis Of easyHotel PLC Company’s Performance.
Ryals, L., Abdollahi, S. and Marcos, J., 2015. The Skills and Competencies of Sales Leaders: A
Survey. In Marketing Dynamism & Sustainability: Things Change, Things Stay the
Same… (pp. 11-14). Springer, Cham.
Schmeck, R.R. ed., 2013. Learning strategies and learning styles. Springer Science & Business
Media.
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