Employability Skills for Success: A Travelodge Case Study

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Employability skills

Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................1
LO1................................................................................................................................................................2
1.1 DEVELOP THE SET OF OWN RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE.......2
1.2 EVALUATE OWN EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST DEFINED OBJECTIVES.................................5
1.3 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.................................................................8
1.4 REVIEW HOW MOTIVATIONAL TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE QUALITY
OF PERFORMANCE................................................................................................................................9
LO2..............................................................................................................................................................12
2.1 BE ABLE TO DEVELOP INTERPERSONAL AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS........................12
2.2 COMMUNICATE IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND APPROPRIATE MANNER AT
VARIOUS LEVEL..................................................................................................................................14
2.3 IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.................................................15
LO3 UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF WORKING WITH OTHERS.............................................17
3.1 EXPLAIN THE ROLES PLAY IN A TEAM AND HOW THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO
ACHIEVE SHARED GOALS.................................................................................................................17
3.2 ANALYSE TEAM DYNAMICS......................................................................................................18
3.3 ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO COMPLETE TASK AND ACHIEVE TEAM GOALS....................19
LO4 BE ABLE TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING...........................................20
4.1 EVALUATE TOOLS AND METHODS FOR DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEM......20
4.2 DEVELOP AN APPROPRIATE STRATEGY FOR RESOLVING A PARTICULAR PROBLEM
..................................................................................................................................................................20
4.3 EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE BUSINESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE
STRATEGY.............................................................................................................................................20
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................22

INTRODUCTION
Employability skills have been defined as a set of characteristics, skills, Knowledge, that make the one to
get employment and get success in the related field (Collet et al., 2015). The education and degree can
make the one eligible for a job but to get success in every field the one needs to develop the skills. Some
technical skills are specific to the job but it is necessary to develop the soft skills that are required in
every job and employment sector. In this report, there is a discussion of the responsibilities and
performance objectives of the manager of Travelodge. It would discuss to develop interpersonal and
transferrable skills for effective management. It will also make to understand the dynamics of working
with others and how to develop the strategies and make them effective to solve the problems of an
organization.

LO1
1.1 DEVELOP THE SET OF OWN RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE
OBJECTIVE
To perform all the functions well the Travel and Tourism sector requires a lot of knowledge and skills. It
is necessary for the manager of Travelodge to motivate and inspire his employees to get better work from
them. There are various responsibilities and performance objectives of the manager which is needed to
perform are discussed below:
Job Responsibility
While writing job description one of the toughest works is to define the job responsibilities and necessary
functions that are required to perform related to a particular job. As a manager, it is very important to
know the roles and responsibilities of the job to lead the team in the right direction (Peters, 2015). The
employees follow the manager and if the manager is responsible enough then definitely the team would
also feel the responsibility towards their duties and it will help in accomplishing the goals and objectives
of an organization.
Mutual Responsibility
Mutual responsibility refers to the understanding of the role and responsibilities as a team towards the
development and growth of an organization (Eijkelenboom and Vostroknutov, 2016). If all the
employers and the employees of the company feel the responsibility towards the job then it would
become easier to accomplish the common goal of an organization. Mutual responsibility is something that
supports the growth and development of an organization.
Self-Responsibility
Self-responsibility refers to the understanding of their own duties and responsibilities towards the job
(Frericks, 2014). It is very necessary to have a sense of ownership responsibilities of the job for the
success and enhancement of the work. If the manager and the employees of an organization are self-
responsible and do their duties efficiently and effectively then it can increase the possibility of achieving
the target in less time.
Ensuring Safety at Workplace

A safe environment and a safe workplace inspire the employees to work more efficiently and it becomes
the responsibility of the employer to check the safety of the workplace for the better and maximum result.
It is very important to ensure the safety of the employees in an organization because employees are the
one who performs the task and leads the organization towards the accomplishment of the goals.
Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction refers to the term which is used to explain the scenario where exchange meets the
needs and wants of the customers (Pizam et al., 2016). In today's competitive world of business the
number of goods and services is available but the customer prefers those goods and services only which
satisfied their needs. So it is very important for any organization to meet the needs and wants of the
customers to satisfy them. If any organization is not able to satisfy its customers then it cannot run in the
market for a long time.
1.2 EVALUATE OWN EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST DEFINED OBJECTIVES
It is very important for the employees to evaluate their own effectiveness against defined objectives. A
manager of Travelodge check the target objectives and evaluate the performance of the employees by
measuring the desired job performance with the actual performance of the employees. There are certain
activities which are required to develop the plans in an organization are discussed below:
Communication of the company’s objective to the staff members
Good communication is very important at all levels of an organization for maintaining a strong working
relationship. It is very important to communicate the objectives of the company to the employees as if the
employees are aware of the objectives then it would become easy for the manager to reach to the target
(Cornelissen and Cornelissen, 2017). Employers who are able to deliver good communication lines
can rapidly build trust among employees which will help to increase the productivity of the organization
and boost the morale of the employees. The manager of Travelodge clears all the doubts of the employees
and make them aware of the objectives of an organization for an effective result.
Providing on the job training
It is very important for any organization to enhance and develop the skills of the employees for a better
result. And to develop the skills of the employees it is necessary to train and guide them. On job training
can be a good opportunity for the employees to expand their knowledge and skills. Travelodge also
organizes the training program for its employees to develop the skills and to enhance the workforce.

Teamwork spirit
In any organization, it is very important for the employees to have good team spirit it boosts the morale of
the employees and increases productivity (Rosen, 2014). An energetic and motivated team is always an
asset to the company. The manager of Travelodge always try to motivate and encourage his team for
better work and lead them towards the achievement of the goals.
Productivity at work measures the efficiency of staff
The productivity of an organization reflects the effectiveness of workers in the workplace. The
productivity of an organization can be measured by the efficiency and effectiveness of the employees
(Berman, 2015). The manager needs to manage the employees properly and should motivate and inspire
them for better work. It is very important for an organization to take care of the employees because if the
employees are satisfied and motivated then it would definitely increase the productivity of the
organization.
Customer satisfaction is also a key factor for evaluation
A customer plays a very important role in the success and failure of the employees as customers are the
king of the market and it is very necessary to satisfy the customer by identifying the taste and wants of the
customers. Every business existence depends upon the satisfaction of its customers and it is very
important for the marketers to know the requirements of the customers and produce the products
according to the needs of the customers.

1.3 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
For the improvement of the organization, there are some key factors which are needed to develop are
discussed below:
Communication
Proper communication is very important for the smooth execution of the work in the organization. Poor
communication can affect the work a lot as it can create chaos and confusion which can affect the
productivity of an organization (Ruesch, et al., 2017). A manager needs to communicate well with its
employees and needs to discuss all the goals and objectives of the organization. As good communication
develops a better relationship and helps the manager to work more effectively.
Compensation package- motivation
A good salary always motivates the employees to do a better job. And every organization needs to satisfy
its employees by compensating them for their good work. If the employees are satisfied with the wages
and salary then it will definitely make them do work more efficiently. It is the way to satisfy and motivate
the employees the most.
Training
Training is an essential part of any organization as it helps to develop the skills of the employees and
enhance the workforce of the organization. There are a number of the training process which can be
followed by the organization like on the job training, off the job training, etc. An organization can follow
any of the methods of training to improve its workforce.
Personal development plan
Personal development is required to plan the future goals and career objectives of the employees (Peters,
2015). It is very necessary for employees to develop their skills in order to achieve success in every field
of work. It is very necessary to know the strengths and weaknesses in order to do the improvement and to
gain success in the career.

1.4 REVIEW HOW MOTIVATIONAL TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED TO
IMPROVE QUALITY OF PERFORMANCE
The manager of Travelodge can use Maslow's hierarchy of needs to improve the quality of performance.
According to Maslow's hierarchy needs, there are some different factors which are discussed below:
Figure1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological needs: the manager needs to fulfill the physiological needs of the employees which are
basic needs like food, shelter, clothes, salary, etc.
Safety needs: the manager also needs to focus on the safety of the workplace and the employees to
motivate them fully.
Love and belongings: the manager needs to build a healthy relationship with the employees so that they
can work more comfortably and effectively.
Esteem needs: the manager needs to appraise and recognize the good work of the employees to motivate
them for better work.
Self-actualization needs: To improve morality and creativity and to get full of their potential.

Other factors which improve the quality of work
Employee Participation
It is very important for the success of any organization that employees should participate in the work in
order to attain the common goal of an organization (Markey et al., 2018). Complete participation of the
employees helps in improving the quality of the work. If the employees are fully devoted to their work
then it directly affects the productivity and quality of the work.
Flexible Working Practices
Flexible working practice allows the certain freedom to the employees to decide that how the work will
be done and how they should coordinate with the other employees to make it more easy and effective
(McCollum, and Findlay, 2015). Flexible working practices are very important for the organization
when they need the work done in time and as it provides convenience to the employees that improve the
work quality also.
Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition
Every organization needs to provide better incentives, rewards and recognize the good work of the
employees and appreciate them for it (Richter et al., 2015). It boosts the morale of the employees and
motivates them a lot which improves the work efficiency of the employees. It is very important to have
motivated employees as they can work more efficiently than the unmotivated employees. And incentives,
rewards, and recognition are the best way to motivate employees.
An effective and clear development plan
It is very important to have an effective and clear development plan and the employer should have the
vision of the goals and objectives that he wants to achieve. And it is very important to communicate the
vision of the company with its employees for the achievement of the goals. If an organization has a clear
and effective development plan then it would definitely reach the goals of the company and it would
improve the quality of the work.

LO2
2.1 BE ABLE TO DEVELOP INTERPERSONAL AND TRANSFERABLE
SKILLS
INTRODUCTION
Employability skills are referred to the transferrable skills and personal skills because the skill which has
been developed for a particular area of work can be transferred to another area. And the interpersonal
skills and transferrable skills are very useful to develop the solutions to the problems at the workplace. As
a manager of Travelodge, it has been experienced that there was a little problem of communication
breakdown and an issue of conflict was emerging between the employees. And some measures were
taken for the solution of these problems.
Conflicts and disputes at a workplace
Conflicts at the workplace can be in any form, it might be between manager and employee or conflict
between the co-workers (Lipsky, 2015). As a manager of Travelodge, it has been noticed that there was
a problem of conflict between the co-workers. And it was important to deal with it in an early stage only
to avoid the negative impact of it. There are some measures that were taken to resolve the conflict in the
Travelodge.
Communication: Communication plays a big role in the management of conflict. The difference in the
thoughts and opinions creates conflict and it can be avoided by proper communication. Poor
communication can create many misunderstanding and confusion which can be a major reason for
conflict and dispute. So there should be precise and clear communication to avoid conflict.
Negotiation: Negotiation is very essential for the resolution of the conflicts. To resolve the conflicts
between two co-workers there comes a need to know the needs and interest of both the sides and then
negotiate the result it can somehow resolve the problem.
Communication Breakdowns
A lack of communication and failure to exchange information can create communication breakdown
(Lockwood, 2015). It affects the employees at every level and as the managers are responsible for the
good communication so the manager of Travelodge also trying to communicate in a proper line to avoid

this problem. And some effective methods of communication were applying for the resolution of this
problem. Some methods of communication are discussed below:
Oral communication: Oral communication refers to the communication which takes place by the word
of mouth. It is the process of transferring the views, ideas, and information verbally. It can be in the
informal and formal way and plays a very important role in the flow of communication in an
organization.
Written communication: Written communication plays the most important and effective role in any
business communication. It is the formal way of communication and transfers the information by the
letters, reports, e-mails, office memos etc.
Non-verbal communication: Non-verbal communication is the most commonly used communication. It
is the communication that occurs without using words (Mehrabian, 2017). It is one of the most effective
ways to communicate as if anyone is able to understand the expression and gesture then he can
understand the whole communication in no time. There are different types of non-verbal communication
like facial expression, eye contact, gesture, body language, visual communication, etc.
Conclusion
Employability skills are essential for success in the workplace as it improves the efficiency of the work in
the organization. And it also helps to develop the solution of the problems in an organization. As there
was the problem of conflict and communication breakdown in Travelodge the manager took the
appropriate actions to resolve the problems and handle it through proper communication methods and by
the management of conflict.

2.2 COMMUNICATE IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND APPROPRIATE
MANNER AT VARIOUS LEVEL
In every organization, it is very important at all levels to communicate in an effective way for the
efficiency and effectiveness of work. As communication is an essential part of the organization because
without proper communication no organization can work properly so it is very important for the manager
of all levels to communicate in an appropriate manner. Here is the discussion of a variety of styles of
communication.
Aggressive/ Authoritarian style
Aggressive or authoritarian style refers to the communication where the manager dictates policies and
procedures and decides the goals which are to be achieved and control and direct the team towards the
achievement of those goals (Zhang, and Xie, 2017). In this style, the manager has full control of the
team and total decision-making power. This style is suitable for the organization where there is a need for
urgent decision making and effective work to be done with no mistakes and needs to achieve the target in
less time.
Passive Style
A passive communication style avoids conflicts and responsibilities. It is the style where the people are
willing to take orders and hesitate to express feelings. It is the way of communication with a soft tone and
this type of communication creates lesser control in an organization. Generally, this type of
communication held in lower level management.
Assertive Style
An assertive communication style can say is the most appropriate style of communication. In this style,
people are confident enough and they know their rights and use their power perfectly without letting
down others. A person with an assertive communication style is clear with the thoughts and vision which
is very necessary for efficient and effective work.