Employability Skills: A Report on Travelodge Hotel Limited

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EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
LO1 Be able to determine own responsibilities and performance...................................................4
1.1 Develop a set of own responsibilities and performance objectives.......................................4
1.2 Evaluate own effectiveness against defined objectives.........................................................5
1.3 Make recommendations for improvement.............................................................................5
1.4 Review how motivational techniques can be used to improve the quality of performance...6
LO2 Be able to develop interpersonal and transferable skills.........................................................8
2.1 Develop solutions to work-based problems...........................................................................8
2.2 Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels......................8
2.3 Identify effective time-management strategies....................................................................10
LO3 Understand the dynamics of working with others.................................................................11
3.1 Explain the roles people play in a team and how they can work together to achieve shared
goals...........................................................................................................................................11
3.2 Analyse team dynamics.......................................................................................................11
3.3 Suggest alternative ways to complete tasks and achieve team goals...................................11
LO4 Be able to develop strategies for problem-solving...............................................................14
4.1 Evaluate tools and methods for developing solutions to problems.........................................14
4.2 Develop an appropriate strategy for resolving a particular problem...................................15
4.3 Evaluate the potential impact on the business while implementing the strategy.................15
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................18

Introduction
In this competitive era, it is essential for employers to ensure that their employees have effective
or innovative skills as they perform in the required manner. They promote hire or promote
employees in order to acquire, sustain and make the job successful. In order to achieve a high
competitive edge, managers want those employees who have a wide range of skills can perform
all activities and tasks (Rosenberg, et. al., 2012). For completion of this assignment, the chosen
organisation is Travelodge hotel limited which is one of the leading hospitality companies
throughout the UK. The group was founded in 1985 by having 500 hotels, in the UK, 5 Hotels
Spain and 11 hotels in Spain. The overall revenue of Travelodge is £637.1m; there are over
11000 employees are presently working over there. Apart from this, the report will define own
responsibilities and performance objectives of an individual at the workplace, a reflection will
also discuss against defined objectives. The report will also discuss effective solutions for work-
based problems and an overview of time management strategies. Another part of this assignment
will highlight the importance of teamwork and analysis of team dynamic at the workplace. At
last, there will deliberate certain tools and techniques for developing solution of problems and its
potential impact of the strategy on business.

LO1 Be able to determine own responsibilities and performance
Introduction
Effective employability skills play a vital role in doing all tasks or activities in required manner.
This task will include own roles and responsibilities of an individual. Travelodge is a hospitality
industry which includes wide range of activities thus everybody is responsible for their own roles
and responsibilities.
1.1 Develop a set of own responsibilities and performance objectives
In a business organisation, every employee has some sort of roles and responsibilities which
contributes to managing their own work and also unsure about the quality of their work. I am
working as an HR manager in Travelodge Hotel: while working in the organisation, I get to
know that I have some responsibilities towards my job role which assists to build a sense of
accepting challenges. As an HR manager, my own roles and responsibilities are –
 Being an HR manager my very first role is to smooth the process of recruitment and
selection; it helps me to contribute right people at the right place.
 Another role is to build a strong organisational structure which enables to build a healthy
and positive working environment. It also involves maintaining online performance and
monthly reporting (Andrews and Russell, 2012).
 Encourage employees to participate in work activities and also involves decision-making
activities.
 I also need to focus on recognising employees’ abilities or performance level and reward
them for the same; it motivates staff members to perform in well-being manner.
 My other role is to organise employee development programmes, i.e. training and
learning activities.
Performance objective –
 By working in the hospitality industry, my main objective is to make good command
over managing workforce in best possible manner; in this relation, I need to focus on
identifying employees' needs and try to satisfy them imperatively.

 Ensure about language and improve communication skills; it assists me in interacting
with customers' in different regions and background.
 A better understanding of employment laws and employee relations.
 Friendly and positive nature towards all aspects, bringing flexibility in nature helps to
respond effectively in all types of working conditions.
 Formulate and maintain standards or principles to groom up myself so as to perform in
pressurized situations.
1.2 Evaluate own effectiveness against defined objectives
I have mentioned my all roles and set performance objectives as an HR manager in Travelodge.
Now, it would be beneficial for me to evaluate my own effectiveness towards these objectives
because it also helps in providing career growth to me. In this relation, my very first role is to
strengthen the recruitment and selection process of the company so as to acquire well-qualified
and skilled people there. To attain this objective, I can acquire various methods of recruitment &
selection, such as – online job portals, social media networks, recruitment agencies and so on.
Along with this, I can also prepare a job description thus to get a proper understanding of vacant
position; it helps to recruit most suitable or appropriate people.
Secondly, my objective is to determine to develop policies or procedures which encourage
employees to participate in various working activities. I achieve this objective by implementing a
framework which ensures to compulsory that all employees have to equally participate in
working activities (Benson, et. al., 2014).
After the appointment of employees, I need to clear them about rules or regulations of the
company; it assists candidates to clearly understand the working culture. I can easily achieve this
objective as I have good knowledge of employment law and employee relation.
At last, my objective is to retain skilled employees within the workplace, for this, I need to make
use of certain motivational tools. Performance appraisals will also empower the staff members to
perform as per the set standards.

1.3 Make recommendations for improvement
A wide range of activities occurred in and out of the company in which some are favourable
whereas some require more efforts to deal with them. I have been working in the Travelodge
Hotel for a quite a long time while staring at my job I have poor communication skills as I felt
hesitated while talking with managers and peers. Furthermore, there was a lack of confidence
level at the time of presenting my thoughts or opinions in front of others; it results cannot
express my views or opinions to my manner. I was also unable to take imperative decisions at
workplace due to lack of confidence and knowledge level in specific areas. My written and
verbal communication skills were also narrowed; the reason behind this limited thoughts and
confined clarity in explaining anything.
Later, to improve all these weaken areas my supervisors or managers guide me; I too decided to
develop these skills thus to accomplish all roles and responsibilities in the required manner.
Firstly, I decided to improve my communication skills, for this, I took certain measures which
aids me to do better communication. I started writing and learned verbal communication by
using proper use of tenses and grammar. I too focused on reading newspapers and articles which
supported me to make good command over language; as an HR manager, it is essential for me to
have good language thus to interact freely with employees of different background or regions. At
this time, my senior managers were really helped me out, they provide me, extra classes. To
improve my decision-making skills and build up confidence, my managers advised me to attend
group meetings and discussions. These improvements helped me to become an efficient HR
manager.
1.4 Review how motivational techniques can be used to improve the quality of performance
With an aim to improve the workforce, various motivational tool or technique acquired by the
organisation. Following is given certain motivational tools acquire by Travelodge, such is stated
as under –
 Financial motivator – Money is the first priority to encourage and involve people in
work. When a manager wants to motivate his or her employee, then they should focus on
providing manpower to the person in terms of increasing salary, wages or remuneration,

extra bonus, home and medical allowances, even dividends in profit sharing (Jones,
2013). Along with this, managers can also provide an extra bonus to employees on the
basis of their performance in the last of every month; it increases willingness among
people to perform their job effectively.
 Recognition – A word of praise, awards, letters of appreciation and certificates build up
employees’ morale and also generate positive satisfaction among staff members; a sense
of recognition also create a healthy employee-manager relationship. It leads to inspiring
skilled employees to put more efforts in working activities.
 Status and competition – Social status of a person enable to satisfy their egoistic needs. It
is psychologically proven that status symbols act as a motivational factor among people
(Hollenbeck, et. al., 2012). Beside this, managers can also implement competition
between people who are doing well.
Conclusion
It is analysed from this above task that employees have to acquire certain skills which helps in
accomplishing goals and objectives of a company. To attain and retain workforce at workplace,
HR managers can adopt certain motivational tools.


LO2 Be able to develop interpersonal and transferable skills
Introduction
In this dynamic business environment, wide range of problems usually occurred over there that
affect business processes or operations in direct and indirect manner. This report will define
certain workplace problems and their solutions. Additionally, various communication styles will
discuss over there.
2.1 Develop solutions to work-based problems
Several problems are being usually come in an organisational structure and solutions are laid
down to resolve in an effective manner. The chosen organisation, Hotel Travelodge is facing
numerous problems, such as – lack of communication, poor employee relations, lack of
opportunities for employees, ineffective skills of employees and so on. In order to get rid out
from such problems and managing a healthy working environment, it is the responsibility of
managers to find the best solutions (Ju, et. al., 2012). Managers are facing the issue of delegation
of authorities’ is clashed cause of lack of communication or misunderstanding. It puts a vast
impact on the decision-making process of the company at the extent level. In this relation,
managers have to focus on building up a clear line of authority, beside this communication
channels should also be cleared and categorized.
Another issue is facing by the organisation is poor employee relation as there is no interaction
between top to bottom level management. This issue is leading to increased employee turnover.
In order to overcome with this obstacle, the administration needs to engage employees in
decision-making activities as well as conduct regular meetings with them.
At last, Travelodge is also facing the issue of fewer employment opportunities at the workplace;
the problem is generated due to the availability of wide range of workforce within an
organisation and intense competition among them (Salas, et. al., 2017). Due to which, employees
are unable to get job satisfaction level; for this managers can expand their business areas and
promote people on the basis of their experience and previous performance level.

2.2 Communicate in a variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels
To:
From:
Subject –
Date – 20/01/2019
Effective communication plays a vital role which takes an organisation at the point of success. In
organisational structure of Travelodge, developments regarding communication occur and there
is an effective relationship between communication and employability skills. Along with this, it
has been overviewed that effective communication is required at every level, such as –
operational, functional and strategic level. Beside this, there are two main levels of
communication, such as –
Verbal communication – This level of communication mostly apparent between teams where
people personally interact with each other. It encompasses with a selection of words on the
ground of understanding of speaker and listener. In order to make effective verbal
communication, it should be using the right words, i.e. including – moral, ethnic, religious etc.
differences. In Travelodge, meetings and group discussions are the part of verbal communication
as it clearly delivers the main goal of the organisation to employees (Dhiman, 2012).
Non-verbal communication – This level of communication usually make to seek many people’s
attention. Non-verbal communication can be done through visual cues, such as – gesture,
posture, eye-contracts, movements, facial expressions and stances etc. which conveys what an
individual is feeling and wants to communicate. For example – a playful wink would be more
effective rather than a well-thought-out pickup line.
Apart from this, to make communication on different level managers can also various
communication styles, such are stated as under –
Passive – People who use passive communication style are often yielding to others. It has been
overviewed that usually passive communicators are failed to express their views or feelings; they

also allow others to express their feelings (Daim, et. al., 2012). It may also lead to
misunderstanding, resentment and anger build-up.
Aggressive – It emphasis on speaking louder and maintain an intense eye contact between two
people. Aggressive communicators often find issues, such as – commands, fail to listen to others
and ask questions rudely.
2.3 Identify effective time-management strategies
Time management is important in order to get higher productivity at less cost. A proper time
scheduled is formulated to improvise work performance; it makes people capable to complete all
tasks in a short time span. In this era of competition, employees have less time to do working
activities and tasks thus time management reduces workers' stress. It also contributes to
managing staff, projects as well as entire business operations or practices efficiently. In this
relation, HR manager of Travelodge has decided to regulate certain effective time management
strategies thus to deliver projects on time; it also builds up consistency in business processes
(Durrani and Tariq, 2012). There are given some time management strategies which stated as
under –
The first one time management strategy is to make a dynamic task list that covers all tasks and
activities that workers must do. Then update the list regularly as per the requirement of tasks.
Constant review of the task list and adding necessary items in it ensure that all working
activiti8es will be done on or before their time period.
Before starting something new, it is essential for managers to set activities on the basis of their
priority. It enables management to focus on high-value activities and complete them on time so
as to attain organisational goals and objectives.
Managers of Travelodge can also use personal planning tools as it will help them to improve
output level within the organisation (Collet, et. al., 2015). For this, they can write down all tasks

with their time schedules and memory joggers free the mind of its staff members as they
emphasise on priorities.
Another time management strategy they can acquire by the managers of Travelodge is to avoid
multi-tasking activities. There has to be banned external time wasters, such as – long
conversation on phone, constant messaging and spending the time on social media sites etc.
during working hours.
Conclusion
From this discussion, it get analysed that managers have to determine effective solutions for
work-based problems, for this they can implement various communication channels, such as-
verbal and non-verbal communication. Effective time management strategies also assist in doing
all tasks in short time span.

LO3 Understand the dynamics of working with others
3.1 Explain the roles people play in a team and how they can work together to achieve
shared goals
3.2 Analyse team dynamics
3.3 Suggest alternative ways to complete tasks and achieve team goals
For achieving this task, there has been formulated an employee induction pack; which allows
employees' of Travelodge to get aware with roles of people in the team. This induction pack will
also include team dynamics and alternative ways to accomplish all tasks and activities in the best
possible manner.
Role of a team -
While working in a team, numerous roles and responsibilities performed by every individual
because teams are an intermixture of several individuals. In order to achieve shared goals at the
workplace, team members execute activities and coordinate with each other to complete them. In
Travelodge, teams perform several tasks as per their skill or knowledge level by ensuring the
quality of tasks. There are available people with a different mindset, it enables in providing
better knowledge and innovative ideas which improves the effectiveness of tasks or activities.
People who work in a team acts as motivators who also motivate or encourage others; having
higher motivation level among staff members will contribute in doing all activities in a better
manner. It also allows them to provide guidance, the purpose of explaining each other in such
manner that tasks can be done and develop plans or policies which enable to resolve issues in an
effective manner (Deeley, 2014). Along with this, people in the team also acts a communicator
as they transfer information to each other which is related with processes of operations;
sometimes they also provides training new comes in teams as new employees can work
individually in the required manner. Furthermore, people in a team also assist each other to
improve their weaken areas; it helps in boost up individuals performance which leads to attaining