HRM in Hospitality: Challenges, Job Descriptions, and Policies

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the hospitality industry, focusing on the challenges, contemporary issues, and emerging trends faced by hotels like Sofitel. The report examines the impact of increasing tourism, environmental concerns, intercultural management, and employee motivation on HRM practices. It further develops detailed job descriptions and person specifications for key management positions, including Catering Manager, Hotel Manager, and Hotel Supervisor, outlining their responsibilities, qualifications, and required skills. The report also elaborates on performance management processes designed to address issues like staff turnover, training requirements, and promotion strategies. Finally, the report analyzes existing HR policies and communication strategies within an organization, offering insights into how to effectively manage and engage employees in the hospitality sector. The report emphasizes the importance of adapting to technological advancements and fostering a healthy work-life balance to improve employee satisfaction and organizational performance.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1.Challenges, contemporary issues and emerging trends related with Human resource
management in hospitality industry with reflection.....................................................................1
2: Development of a job description and person qualification from management positions
within hospitality industry...........................................................................................................4
3: Elaboration of process of performance management in hospitality industry to help company
to identify training requirements, decrease staff turnover and increase promotions..................9
4: Analyse two existing HR policies and communicate to all employees from organisation....12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management refers as strategic approach to effective management of people
in organisation so that it acquire competitive advantage. HR teams has perform various functions
that includes training and development, recruitment and selection and reward management. HR
make sure that company will achieve its goals and aims. This study is based on Sofitel Hotel
which is a luxury hotel that operates in several countries and founded in 1964 in France. Its
main mission is to provide tremendous opportunities for amazing experience and to make new
discoveries. Its vision is to make innovation, bring transparency and contribute to collective
goals and concentrate on teamwork. This report elaborates about three to five articles that are
related on trends and contemporary issues which is related with human resource management in
hospitality industry along with reflection. This report further produce a job description and
specification of an individual from management positions. Concepts of Performance
Management which is related with hospitality industry to provide benefits to companies so that it
decrease various issue that includes to lower down staff turnover, improve performance and
determine requirement of training. Lastly, report analyse existing HR practices and policies
within an organisation and communicate to staff member.
1.Challenges, contemporary issues and emerging trends related with Human resource
management in hospitality industry with reflection.
As per Yusoff and et.al, 2020, hotel industry is emerging rapidly all over the world because
of increasing tourism industry. HR department make sure that it effectively manage all vital
activities which is related with selection and recruitment. So that hotel industry effectively
manage all its task. Hospitality industries is full of opportunities and also helps to decrease rate
of unemployment globally. However, hotel sectors is the prime example of environmental
degradation that is largely seen everywhere. Hence, it is essential to encounter such challenge
related with environment and carefully executing HRM practices in Sofitel Hotel. For example,
with increasing use of recyclable products in hotels like purified water bottles, dishes etc. are
used in excessive amount and become growing concern for society (Issues Related to Human
Resource Management in the Hospitality Sector 2021).
While, HR department in hotel industry also face challenge with intercultural management and
people empowerment. In this method, it is important for HR to make sure that all staff member at
Sofitel hotel perform their duties well and provide superlative experience to customers. Earlier,
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HRM pay attention to personal management, but now Strategic human resource management is
become strategic source of competitive advantage in this sector. Hospitality industry faces
problems in cultural management and cross cultural communication that human resource teams
has to maintain and contend within hospitality industry. As it is essential for hotels, restaurant,
tour operators that their dependency is high on foreign travellers all over the world. Therefore, it
become requirement for their workers to overcome gap between cross cultural and improve
communication among different culture. As there are many folks that misinterpret intercultural
communication and cross cultural management being connected only with foreign language
proficiency or just capability to converse with international guests in their language.
Major issues faced by hospitality industry:
According to Barot.S,2021, in hospitality industry, HR managers also face few challenges that
is related with employees motivation. Majority of jobs in hotel sector is highly competitive and
stressful that need constant attention from staff member, as a result of this there is maximum
burnout rate in this sector. Therefore, in order to avoid fatigue or stress its a responsibility of HR
mangers in hotels to come up with creative ideas and new policies so that employees will remain
motivated and encouraged in their job. Since, hospitality sector demands 24*7 job service and
workforce face constant rotational shifts to make sure that they provide round the clock service.
Therefore, it is role of HR manager that they must rotate duties of employees in as human
manner as possible so that same staff member will not end up doing night shifts every single day
and fell fatigue and stressed as they perform shift in which maximum workload takes place in
hotels.
As per Baum,2018, another problem currently face by HR in hospitality sector is increased
employee's turnover rate. In this sector, when employees find new opportunities in same
industry than it is likely possible that they change their job. For example, if an employee s
performs job at front office not because as a dream job but just for sake of money they doing it.
Employees than later find something better i.e. they are ready for something new. Hence, whole
psychology aids in worsening condition of Sofitel Hotel as employees just doing their duties just
for the sake of money and show no interest. This decreases brand image of the hotel industries
and increase situation of mismanagement. Turnover may be appears on following ways that
includes when an employees leave its job and when employers fire its employees from their
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duties. Hence, when Sofitel face such situation than it automatically increases cost of training
and development and unnecessary expenses on selection or recruitment process.
Lastly, hotels may face issues related with inexperienced or poorly managed staff and become
reason for various problems. An inexperienced HR team can be responsible for poor
management because they carry major responsibility of selecting staff. Hence, Sofitel Hotel
requires recruitment of skilled managers who had clear objectives, increased decision making or
skills necessary to manage overall staff and all those necessary resources of hotel that carry great
value. Hence, a manager must have maximum years of experience and capability in keeping
employees motivated is real asset for company. Fresh and revolutionary ideas must be executed
in hotel industry.
Human Resource practices against emerging trends:
Human Resource practices are now used in various innovative ways and apply in organisation.
Following are HR practices that increases in next few years:
Change to electronic boarding
Now process of new hires has changed and it will no longer be a paper based. On-boardings
with electronic solutions has become increasingly famous by many organisations because it is
convenient to handle workflows and user interface. All these electronic software benefits
employees to achieve a workflow and filing systems without usage of paper. It is becomes very
simplified to conduct HR recruitment process by implementing technology with the help of E-
verify, digital signatures ans I-9 forms. Therefore, during hiring process employee on-boarding
software will lower down usage of paperwork and also remove repetition while collecting data
from employees.
Effect of technology
Technology changes the way companies work and manage workforce. Mobil applications and
cloud based software are now available and ease work to every aspects of HR for example,
running payrolls, filed-service crews and managing overall department. Usage of web based HR
systems are emerging in which HR teams able to manage various worksites from a particular
location (Amrutha and Geetha, 2020).
Importance of work life balance
There are increasing pressure on employees to perform and sometimes they work overtime in
order to make up for reduce resources and manpower in companies. Mental pressure and stress
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level are increases, hence provides awareness on importance of work-life balance is become
crucial to maintain a healthy work life balance.
2: Development of a job description and person qualification from management positions within
hospitality industry.
Hotel management is responsible for proper management of employees and for planning,
coordinating, monitoring and examine hotels services that majorly includes catering and
accommodation services (Goryushkina and et.al, 2019). Following are main job roles and person
specification in Sofitel Hotel:
Job description and person specification for Catering Manager:
Job Title Catering Manager
Responsible to Head of hospitality
Job purpose Lead a team of catering and kitchen staff.
Deliver excellent customer service.
Coordinating serving activities and food preparations.
Main responsibilities  Gathering needs of customers that involve dates of events
and guests number.
 Identifying requirement in setting correct portions and
overall ingredients.
 Accurate planning for food and beverage menu associate
with client's taste and preferences.
 Fulfil special requests like pure vegetarian meal or healthy
food for kids.
Key relationship Suppliers.
Clients.
Internal catering department.
Location 205, Orbit mall, London,UK
Hours 45 hours per week
Probation 4 months
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Date prepared February 2021
Person specifications:
Job Title Catering Manager
Qualification or experience At least 2-3 years of experience as a catering manager
Hands on experience with developing proper menu.
Should be flexible to work during weekends and holidays.
Degree or certification in hospitality.
Knowledge/ capability Understanding of hygiene of food.
Positive customer service attitude.
Ability to remain calm in stressful situation and make frequent
decisions under unforeseen circumstances.
Main personal attributes Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Good presentation skills and professionalism.
Interpersonal skills (Bharwani and Talib, 2017).
Capable to manage work load properly.
Ability to lead team alone and work with them.
Job description and person specification for Hotel Manager:
Job Title Hotel Manager
Responsible to Head of hospitality
Job purpose Accountable for budgeting management.
Direct, organise and direct all vital hotel
service that includes operations of food and
beverages and housekeeping.
Main responsibilities  Proper planning and organising
catering, accommodation and all other
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services of hotels.
 Marketing and Promoting hotel
business.
 Accurate maintenance of statistical and
financial records.
 Meet and greet all clients.
 Train, plan, recruit and execute staff.
 Must ensure adhere with laws of
licensing, health and safety law and
other essential rules and regulations.
 Must avail proper security.
 Properly address all issues and provide
solution accordingly.
 Execute sales figures and develop
revenue and market management
tactics.
 Deals with all negative comments and
complaints of customers (Kaushal and
Srivastava, 2021).
 Make sure that events, meetings and
conferences run smoothly.
 Proper planning of work schedules for
whole team or individual member.
 Supervision of maintenance, supplies,
furnishings and renovations.
Key relationship Customer
Staff
Location 205, Orbit mall, London,UK
Hours 40 hours per week
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Probation 6 months
Date prepared February 2021
Person specifications:
Qualification or experience  Graduation is must.
 Qualifications in business or
management, business with languages,
hospitality and hotel management will
do more advantage.
 Relevant qualification and professional
accreditation is required.
 Masters and diploma in hospitality
management.
Knowledge/Skills  Genuine desire to assist and please
others.
 Excellent leadership and organisational
skills.
 Logistics and numeracy skills.
 Professionalism, calm attitude
 Rational approach in difficult situation.
Main personal attributes  Friendly personality.
 Excellent communication skills
particularity when deals with customers
of other language.
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Qualification or experience  Graduation is must.
 Qualifications in business or
management, business with languages,
hospitality and hotel management will
do more advantage.
 Relevant qualification and professional
accreditation is required.
 Masters and diploma in hospitality
management.
 Appealing and well presented
appearance.
 Energetic and enthusiastic.
Job description and person specification for Hotel Supervisor:
Job Title Supervisor
Responsible to Senior Manager of hospitality manager
Job purpose  Assisting hotel manager in controlling,
organizing and directing.
 Ensure first class service and proper
food and beverage offerings.
Main responsibilities  Supervising overall floor during meal
time to ensure that basic standard is
follow and steps of service is met
through guest interactions (Kaushal and
Srivastava, 2021).
 Examine performance and plan
improvement where require.
 Provide assistance in recruiting,
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training, selecting, supervising and
counselling.
 Make sure accurate staffing levels for
overall outlets that is based on business
level.
 Conduct and organize departmental
meetings and communicates important
information to staff member.
 Take rounds and visually monitor
kitchen areas and take corrective action
so that service standards are meet and
make sure maximum food quality.
 Must ensure all standards and processes
of cash handling are met accurately.
 Maintain proper cleanliness on regular
basis.
Key relationship Hotel manager
Staff
Location 205, Orbit mall, London,UK
Hours 45 hours per week
Probation 5 months
Date prepared February,2021
Person specifications:
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Qualification or experience High school English medium and equivalent
required.
Training or experience in related field.
No other professional experience is required.
Certification of CPR.
Preferred first aid training.
Knowledge/Skills  Proper knowledge of food and
beverages outlets that includes service
techniques, interaction with guests,
supervisory aspects etc.
 Able to stand and walk continuously as
to perform essential job functions.
 Able to make interaction with all types
of human being.
 Required 95 percent of walking and
standing at workplace.
 Must meet all government health
requirements (Hofmann and
Stokburger-Sauer, 2017).
 Able to do physical activities that
involve hearing, standing, handling,
grasping, taking, bending, stretching,
pulling and balancing.
 Able to accomplish necessary task on
electronic devices.
 Must have excellent typing speed.
Main personal attributes  All members must maintain neat, clean
clothes.
 Well-groomed appearance.
 Quick leaning ability.
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