Human Resource Management Report: Hotel Industry Analysis & Practices

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the hotel industry. It explores the role and purpose of HRM, emphasizing its importance in gaining a competitive advantage and improving customer satisfaction. The report delves into employee relations, employment law, recruitment, and training and development practices. It includes a detailed discussion of a human resource plan based on supply and demand analysis, specifically referencing Marriott International. Furthermore, the report examines the impact of employment laws on HRM, job descriptions, and the selection process. It also highlights the contribution of training and development activities to the effective operation of the hotel industry, offering valuable insights into best practices and strategies for success.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK A...........................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Role and purpose of human resource management in a selected Hotel industry..................3
1.2 Human resources plan based on an analysis of supply and demand for Hotel industry
business........................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Current state of employment relations in Hotel industry.......................................................5
2.2 Employment law affects the management of human resources in a selected service industry
business........................................................................................................................................5
TASK B...........................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Job description and person specification for Hotel industry job...........................................5
3.2 Comparison of the selection process of different service industries businesses....................5
4.1 Contribution of training and development activities to the effective operation of Hotel
industry........................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
The application of human resource management exists in service industry from a decade.
Its importance cannot be denied in the present era for gaining competitive advantages within
service industry (Storey, 2007). The report herewith deals with understanding of human resource
management, employee relations and employment law, recruitment and selection and training
and development within service industries. For a further approach to make it effective, hotel
industry has been chosen for assessing the key elements in human resource management. Going
through the present investigation, one will find the current state of employee relations in service
industries and practicalities of the recruitment and selection process, training and development
within hotel industry. In this report, role and purpose of human resource management is
discussed along with the justification of human resource plan based on an analysis of supply and
demand. Furthermore, the impact of employment laws on management of human resources is
explained with a clear discussion about job description and person specification for hotel
industry. In addition, selection process of businesses of different service industries is compared
while explaining the contribution of training and development activities to the effective
operations of hotel industry.
TASK A
1.1 Role and purpose of human resource management in a selected hotel industry
Human Resource Management has gained huge attention among service industry and it
has been witnessed as a major source of gaining competitive advantage in the market place.
Hotel industry is considered as a large revenue earning category within service industry and this
sector has attained a significant growth with global economy boom. Human resources are
considered as the essential components in hotel industry for delivering effective services to
guests and for increasing customer satisfaction (Prince, 2011). There are five major practices of
HRM including recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management
and effective communication (eChand, 2014).
Role of HRM in hospitality indusry
The guests of hotels are served by the experienced staff during their stay and availing
services. Therefore, the role management of human resources is required to have an improved
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image in the marketplace. Through past decade, people of hotel industry have become more
conscious about human factor as they consider it as a major determinant of gaining competitive
edge. Hotels of today's era have become more conscious about the role of human resource
management where the hotel organizations are significantly devoting adequate amount of time,
attention and energy in managing human resources (Storey, 2007). As the hotels are involved in
the people business and their level of service delivery depends highly on the people, therefore, it
is required to have effective management of human resources. Of course, Human Resource
Management has become increasing important because it helps in attracting, training, motivating
the best people.
Employees of hotel industry directly provide the services to guests therefore, it is
important to train them with the way to handle customers and manner of providing effective
services to guests. Today's hotels require having highly effective personnel and human resource
department so that they can provide services to the guests in the most effective manner (El
Baradei and Newcomer, 2008). The role of recruitment (which is an integral part of HRM) is
crucial in the hotel industry as there is the foremost requirement of skilled and experienced
people who can serve customers better (Prince, 2011). Hotels must use effective recruitment and
selection process so that quality people can be appointed at the right places to serve guests in the
best manner. However, prior to this, another role played by HRM is to focus on human resource
planning as it is an essential for the purpose of having accurate calculation of demand and supply
of employees at the workplace. Through successful implementation of HRP, hotels can know the
requirements of employees with specific skills. From the above discussion, it is widely said that
in hotel industry, success has come from the way in which human resources are being managed
and trained.
Purpose of HRM in hospitality industry
The major purpose of adopting human resource practices is to be constantly in line with
changes due to competitive environment. Hotel industry is now dealing with HRM practices for
achieving success as well as to maintain a corporate growth. Therefore, it is the main purpose of
HRM to manage the adequate human resource within the hospitality organization so that they
can render quality services. Another purpose of HRM is to assure that employees or staff within
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the hospitality organization will execute their services and duties in the effective manner so that
they can easily accomplish the goals of the organization. In addition to this, another purpose of
HRM within hospitality industry is that they must engage human resource in such a manner that
so they can easily render quality services to their guest and clients who visit their place.
Furthermore, another purpose of HRM is to support the organization in such a manner that their
services develop in such a manner that it assist in attaining competitive advantage for the
organization. However, the purpose of HRM is to develop and train the staff and employees in
such a manner that they can deliver proper services that is accommodation services, food and
beverage services etc. that would assist in satisfying the requirement of customers.
1.2 Human resources plan based on an analysis of supply and demand for Hotel industry
business
To the view point of Testa and Sipe (2012) Human resource planning is an assessment of
future and present requirements related to workforce or employees to recruitment and selection
strategies can be planned and can also be controlled and monitored (Testa and Sipe, 2012). Here,
the following section describes the process of human resource planning of Marriott international,
a leading hotel chain of United Kingdom which is based on the information of supply and
demand for labour.
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Business strategic plans: Business strategic plan is prepared to plan out the future
strategies and initiatives of business to acquire new skills (Tavitiyaman, Qu and Zhang, 2011).
The major corporate strategy of Marriott is to provide world class services simultaneously,
keeping the cost low to provide benefits to customers in terms of low prices. The company also
strives to expand business in emerging markets therefore; human resource plan of Marriott must
be according to these needs.
Resourcing strategy– The resourcing strategy of Marriott involves planning to attain
competitive advantage through development of intellectual capital. In this aspect, Marriott is
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Illustration 1: HRP

seeking for reducing staff cost and by improving staff productivity so that sustainable
competitive advantage can be achieved (Chan and Kuok, 2011).
Scenario planning– in respect with the hospitality industry, scenario planning means to
match the environment changers as per the requirements of industry. The cited organization may
be facing with both worst and best case scenario due to rapid changing environment within Hotel
industry. However, Human resources planning of Marriott can be done while considering these
scenarios.
Demand / Supply forecasting– The accurate estimation of demand and supply for future
period can be done by the process of demand / supply forecasting. However, in includes
forecasting of number of workforce and skills required for a future time span. Through this
process, HRD department of Marriott can assess the availability of people within and outside. In
order to gain competitive advantages, accurate demand and supply forecasting is needed (Chang,
Gong and Shum, 2011).
Labour turnover analysis– This is vital for the hospitality firm to analyze actual labour
turnover figures and trends so- as- to give accurate inputs in supply forecast.
Work environment analysis–Analysis of environment in which people work is the
foremost requirement of business entity because, this process is required to ensure employee's
development and job satisfaction (Byham-Gray, 2010).
Employees Retention– Due to exiting competition in UK hotel industry, employee
retention has become a major challenge to Marriott international Group and this is mainly due to
lower compensation. Herewith, it can be said that retention strategies are vital for human
resource planning.
Flexibility– In respect with the hotel industry, flexibility is important as it includes multi-
skilling, rapid redeployment, outsourcing, sub contracting. Nonetheless, flexible working
arraignments have become crucial strategy to make employees satisfied. The hotel industry is
more volatile therefore, flexibility is essential.
2.1 Current state of employment relations in Hotel industry
Within Human Resource Management, employee relations are considered as significant
aspect that generally focuses on managing the relationship between employees and employers in
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the organizational contexts (Brotherton, 2012). In order to maintain effective relationship
between the employee and employers it results in improving the productivity of organization as
well as morale of employees.
In the past, employee relation within the hospitality organization generally focuses on
democratic style as management were the one that impose the UK legislation within the hotel
organization so that they can render quality and effective services to customers and visitors.
However, in the past scenario the employer and employee both in the condition to win the
situation there were introduction of unionisation within the hotel industry so that they can easily
protect the rights and duties of lower level staff of the hotel organization (Schuler, Budhwar and
Florkowski, 2002).
Therefore, the current state of employment relations in the hotel industry is quite different
from the past scenario. As, now a days, hotel organization generally focuses on participative
form of style that assists in building the relationship as well performing activities in the
collaborative manner so that they can easily maintain the relationship among both the parties. In
addition to this, employees within the organization generally focuses on taking feedback and
review from the other staff and employees those who are rendering services in the hospitality
organization so that they can build effective relationship among their customers and other
members those who are rendering services within premises. Furthermore, the current
employment relation also focuses on providing equal opportunities as well as promoting anti-
discrimination activities at the hotel premises so that they can result in rendering ethical services
that further improve their performance in the overall market.
2.2 Employment law affects the management of human resources in a selected service industry
business
There are different laws and regulations that are framed and enforced by the UK
government that hotel industry need to abide so that they can render proper services to their
customers as well as guests of the hotel. It has also stated that employment law framed by the
government directly affects management of human resources in the selected service industry
(Schuler, 2000). Therefore, it is essential for hotel management to impose all the different
employment laws within their operations so that it can directly affect the function of human
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resource management. The different employment laws as well as regulations that affect the
function of HRM include- Anti-discrimination Act: The foremost employment law that is being framed by the UK
government for the service industry is to focus on anti-discrimination practices among the
management of human resource within the hotel organization that is Marriott
International (Becker and Huselid, 2006). This, employment law generally focuses on
forbidding the unethical and anti-discriminative practices within the hotel premises on the
basis of age, sex, gender, caste or creed. Therefore, UK employment law that is Anti-
discrimination Act abided within the hotel operational activities generally affect the
overall management of human resource within the organization (eChand, 2014). For
instance; in order to recruit and hire the competent personnel for the vacant post in hotel
industry must ensure Anti-discrimination practice to select and hire the personnel.
Therefore, it supports the management in selecting competent and efficient candidate that
would be best suited for the job. The Employment relations Act: Another employment law that is framed by UK
government that overall impact the management of human resource within hotel
organization includes Employment Relations Act. The act generally focuses on different
legislation those who are related with maintaining the employment relations within the
organization (Storey, 2007). Through implementing this employment relation act Marriott
International can easily maintain relations among the staff and employees those who are
rendering services in the hotel premises. Equality act 2010: Another law within the UK that impact the activities of HRM in the
organization is equality act 2010. This act was imposed by the UK government in the
year 2010. The act generally focuses on imposing equality within the recruitment and
selection activities so that manager cannot discriminate the candidate on the basis of
gender. However, equality act also assure that manager within the organization must
ensure equality among the candidate while they apply for the job in the hospitality
organization. They should not discriminate them on the basis of gender. For example, if
the candidate apply for vacant job in the hotel then manager who is recruiting the
candidate would not select the candidate on the basis of gender that male can do more
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work as compare to women. There would be air chances and opportunity to both the
candidate.
 Wage and Hour Act: Another employment law framed by the UK government that
directly affect the management of human resource include Wage and hour act that
focuses on FLSA (The Fair Labour Standards Act) that generally enforce the proper wage
and working hour for the individual those who are rendering service in the hotel
organization.
TASK B
3.1 Job description and person specification for Hotel industry job
In order to render proper services to guests and customers those who visits the hotel
organization front office manager plays vial role in maintaining the positive image of hotel
premises among their guests and customers (Prince, 2011). Therefore, in order to recruit and
select the competent employees for the Marriott International it is essential for human resource
management to focus on devising proper job description and person specification for the
recruiting the Head chef.
Job description generally focuses on the written agreement that carries description
regarding the individual role as well as responsibility that they will follow to successful
accomplish their role (El Baradei and Newcomer, 2008). In addition to this, person specification
generally focuses on mentioning different skills and abilities that hotel manager expects from the
candidate who have been applied for the vacant job.
Job description and Person specification of Head chef of Marriott International are-
Job title- Head Chef
Reporting to- Food and Beverage Manager of the hotel
Purpose of the Job role- The main job role is to oversee the production activities of lunch
and dining facilities. Furthermore, Head Chef of hotel is also
responsible for food services from conception to execution of the
food.
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Main duties 1. The foremost duty of head chef is to oversee and monitor all
the aspects of food services or food production system.
2. Another duty of Head Chef is to work with the cooks as
well as to create the menu items for the day and to
determine the requirement of ingredients in the food (Hei
and Rahim, 2011).
3. Furthermore, another duty of Head Chef is to ensure that all
the sanitary as well as safety guidance in kitchen have been
met in order to produce healthier food for customers.
4. Responsibility to manage the kitchen staff activities is to
ensure the serving quality food to guests.
Hour of work- 8:30 am to 5pm.
Knowledge and skills-  Ability to communicate with other chefs and cook in the
hotel.
 Effective management skills
 Proper time management skills to manage food production
activities (Boella and Goss-Turner, 2013).
 Culinary skills
Qualification- Head Chef of hotel must have degree in food and beverage
management as well as need to manage the hospitality services.
Furthermore, candidate must also have adequate knowledge of food
production system (Chand, 2010).
Person specification
Qualification &
Education:
Candidate must have adequate degree in the hotel management
courses. However, candidate may also have done diploma or
certificate courses in hotel management field so that they can easily
manage the activities.
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Experience: He must have adequate experience in the hotel industry as a cook or
Chef in the food and beverage department (Yee, Yeung and Cheng,
2011). However, he/she may also have experience in meeting the
requirement of guests by serving the required dishes.
Skills and abilities:  Candidate must have adequate IT skills for managing the
database of customers and guests who visited the hotel.
 Excellent written as well as verbal communication.
 He/she must have ability to work for flexible hours
whenever it is required.
3.2 Comparison of the selection process of different service industries businesses
Selection process in the service industry is considered as a negative procedure that
supports the organization in rejecting inappropriate candidate for fulfilling the vacant job
position of organization (Tsai, Cheng and Chang, 2010). Selection procedure generally focuses
on selecting and hiring the qualified and competent candidate for fulfilling the required job in the
service sector.
Selection process varies from industry to industry. For instance; selection process in
Marriott hotel is quite different from other service organization that is Starbucks. Marriott
hotel generally follows rigid selection procedure for hiring candidates within hospitality firm.
On the other hand, another service organization, Starbucks focuses on flexible selection
process for hiring the candidates (Testa and Sipe, 2012). The selection process of different
businesses that are offering services focus on different stages that is-
Selection process for Marriott hotel Selection process for Starbucks
1. Preliminary screening of applicants 1. Screening of applicants
2. Short listing of competent applicants 2. Written tests
3. Employment tests 3. Interview sessions
4. Interview round 4. reference check
5. Physical tests 5. Employment letter
6. Medical examination
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