Imperial Hotel Case Study: Management and Motivational Theories

This case study examines the Imperial Hotel, a 4-star London hotel established in 1911, facing challenges such as guest dissatisfaction, increasing staff turnover, poor management, and maintenance issues. The study identifies the causes of these problems, including housekeeping and maintenance deficiencies, and their impact on the hotel's performance and revenue. It applies management and motivational theories, such as Classical Management Theory and Herzberg's Motivation Theory, to analyze the problems and propose resolutions. The study suggests solutions like staff training, recruitment of skilled employees, the use of advanced technologies, and the implementation of the 80/20 rule for preventive maintenance. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges to improve guest satisfaction, reduce operational costs, and enhance the hotel's overall success.

Imperial hotel case study
planning sheet

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Causes of problems and their relationship with another problems.............................................1
Management and motivational theories for solving problem.....................................................2
Resolutions and suggestion for problem solving........................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality sector focus on satisfying the needs of their guests and customers. Imperial
hotel is also hospitality sector. It focuses on satisfying their customers and employees in order to
attract more guests towards the hotel. Imperial is a 4 star hotel that is located in London. This
hotel was established in 1911 by Charles Fitzory Doll. It has almost 500 rooms and 12
conference rooms and has staff of 450. This study will tell about the problems which arises in the
hotel like dissatisfaction of guests, increment in labour turnover, poor management and
maintenance etc. It makes strategies for solving these problems because it creates many problems
as it decreases the sales and profits of the hotel (Boella, 2017). It also uses the best theory for
solving the problem and for eliminating reason that causes these problems.
Causes of problems and their relationship with another problems
There are several problems arises in imperial hotel which create many negative effect and
have negative impact on the holes and customers. Some of the problems are: Increasing staff
turnover, poor guest satisfaction that dissatisfy them, negative work culture, poor team working
and back of house staff. These all are dangerous problem that have negative impact on the hotel.
There are many causes of arising these problems.
Housekeeping and maintenance problems: There are many challenges which imperial
hotel has to face like staffing for housekeeping department. This hotel has 400-500 rooms that
need to be serviced. For servicing and maintenance of these rooms, it requires housekeeper and
supervisor. It has to face problems regarding recruitment of room attendants. Currently its staff
turnover has decreased by 40%. People are becoming more aware and health conscious. Room
cleanliness is the most important feature for Imperial hotel. Guests prefer clean rooms. Hotel
maintenance workers and helpers that repairs all areas of the hotel and try to provide the best
quality services.
Hotel maintenance department are responsible for management of processes and services
that help the hotel in improving their conditions and attracting more guests. There are many
reasons which create this problem such as: unskilled and lack of education of staff, lack of
problem-solving skills and time management skills. Lack of departmental communication and
ineffective communication among staff also become the reason of maintenance problem. Poor
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housekeeping can cause many problems like slip and fall hazards, strain and sprain hazards and
laceration hazards. These all problems happen because of management and operational
processes. Tourists prefer environmental friendly hotel rooms but manager has to face
difficulties in energy management. Because of lack amount it can not invest in renewable and
eco-friendly resource that create problems (Ejikeme, Enemuo and Edward, 2016).
Relationship with another problems: This maintenance related problems also create
many other problems like it creates negative work culture. If there is no skilled supervisor and
housekeeper then it can have negative impact on work culture. It also fall in satisfying guests
because guests prefer clean rooms and if they do not find the best services then it will directly
impact on company's performance and its revenue. It can spoil the image of the hotel. If the hotel
fails in creating a value among guests then it will also impact on employees and their staff. Poor
maintenance can increase labour turnover.
It also creates problem related satisfying guests. With the lack of skilled employees and
staff, imperial hotel provide low quality food and services to their guests. Once the hotel gets a
bad recognition then it becomes difficult to regain the good position and value. Customer
satisfaction play a vital role in the hotel's growth and development.
Poor maintenance and housekeeping create many hazards. Slip and fall hazards are one of
them. When housekeeping and maintenance department do not clean floor and another working
areas then it creates slippery conditions. When unskilled staff do not store materials and
equipments on the right place then workers are bound to trip over them.
Poor maintenance also increase labour turnover because it increase the risk of laceration
and strain hazards. There are many sharp tools and objects that can cut workers hand and create a
big problems for them. If workers do not find themselves safe then they become bound to leave
the hotel (Eide, Fuglsang and Sundbo, 2017).
Management and motivational theories for solving problem
Imperial hotel is hospitality sector whose main aim and function is to provide the best
services to its guests and satisfy their all the needs. Sometimes it becomes fail to satisfy their
guests that has many reasons. If the hotel do not recruit the best and skilled employees then it
creates the problem related satisfaction of guests. It also create the problems of poor
maintenance. Improper marketing efforts and ineffective strategies and planning also become the
reason of unsatisfying guests ((Glinkowska and Kaczmarek, 2015)). Lack of collaboration and
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working alone increase the responsibility of managers. Problems can be specified with the help
of management and operational theories.
Classical management theory: According to this theory manager can focus on their core
functions like planning, recruiting, directing and controlling. It also focuses on increasing
workers productivity. The main aim of this theory is to provide the best and necessary tools in
order to maximize efficiency of workers in order to satisfy the needs of guests. This theory is
based on 4 main principles like standard methods which manger and leaders should choose for
doing each job effectively, managers should select workers on the basis of their skills and
abilities, In order to resolve problems and interruption it should make plan for doing each work,
increment in wages for motivating and encouraging employees in order to get the best output.
There are some factors that manager should focus on before choosing and implementing this
theory . They require to review their current management and leadership style. They also should
find their strengths and weaknesses and their impact on the company and their processes. This
theory and its principles help the manager in resolving the problem related poor maintenance.
The main feature of this theory is it follows hierarchical structure (Jelinek, 2015).
Herzberg’s motivation theory: Herzberg’s is a two factor theory or it is motivator
hygiene theory. This model Describes two factors that are as follows:
Hygiene factors
It includes those job factors that help the manager in motivating employees that also
solve work based problems. If these factors are absent and are not present at workplace then it
can create dissatisfaction. These factors includes
Pay: Salary and pay of employees play an important role in order to motivate them and
for getting productive work from them. It is important for the manager to provide an appropriate
and competitive salary to their workers (Herzberg, 2017).
Fringe benefits: In spite of appropriate salary, the hotel should provides extra befits to
their workers. Fringe benefits include health care plans and benefits for family members of
employees. It also helps in motivating them towards achieving desired goals.
Interpersonal relations: Manager should focus on building strong relationship of
workers with their colleagues and superiors. Strong relationship help them in reducing the
chances of conflicts.
Motivational factors
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Motivational factors refers those factors that satisfy workers and bound them to be in the
company for long-term. These factors motivate workers for the higher performance.
Motivational factors and non-financial rewards like praise, promotion, responsibility which help
them in increasing their self esteem and morale. Some of the motivational factors are as follows:
Recognition: It is important for manager of Imperial hotel to recognize and praise to
employees for their effective and good performance.
Growth and promotional opportunities: Most of the employees want to get promote on
the higher post because it increases their self esteem and encourage them for the higher
performance. Happy and motivated employees try to achieve organisational goals.
Responsibilities: When manager give responsibilities to employees for the work and
other activities it reduce the control function of managers and employees also become more
responsible towards their work (Herzberg’s motivation theory, 2018).
All these factors and theories help the manager of the hotel in reducing the problems related
management and operating cost. By solving all these problems it can better satisfy their guests.
Resolutions and suggestion for problem solving
Imperial hotel is well known and famous for its best interior and services which it
provides to its customers but from last 1-2 years it is facing many problems like poor
maintenance, dissatisfaction of guests and increasing labour turnover. There are many reasons
that create these problems like unskilled staff and lack of training, lack of multitasking skills.
Housekeeping has a direct impact on satisfaction of guests and growth of the hotel.
Having a well conditioning rooms and proper equipments help the hotel to attract more guests
towards the hotel. It is only possible when it has proper staff of maintenance department.
For solving poor maintenance problems it can make the best strategies and planning that can help
them in solving that problem (Alshmemri, Shahwan-Akl and Maude, 2017).
Resolution of the problem: For solving the problem related poor maintenance manager
of Imperial hotel can provide training to their staff, it can improve their time management skills,
recruitment of new potential employees etc.
Recruitment of new staff: For solving this problem it can also recruit new and potential
staff who have enough and proper knowledge of hotel management and maintenance. For hiring
new employee it can choose the best method of advertising and person specification description.
In that person specification it can seek all the qualities which it requires for the job.
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Use of advanced technologies: Technologies also play a vital role in the growth of the
company. With the help of new and advanced technologies it can solve this problem. Manager of
the hotel can satisfy their guests as most of the guests prefer environmental friendly hotel rooms.
Use of 80/20 rule: It is the best resolution method and rule for hospitality sector. It is
preventive maintenance action which help manager in proper maintenance and management. It
also helps in improving guest experience by solving all the problems. It refers that 80% of
maintenance activities become proactive and only 20% is remained unplanned maintenance
items. It recruits 20% extra employees in case of any problems and work load, with the help of
that 20% employees it can manage their all the work.
Strategies of reducing operating cost
Public recognition: It is the best way of motivating employees and reducing operating
cost ion the hospitality sector. It has proven from the research that employee or workers stay in
the company for long term when the company provide them opportunity of promotion and praise
them for their effective and productive work. By providing promotion opportunities to workers,
the hotel can decrease their operating cost and can recruit internally. Manager do not require to
give training to their employees. Happy and motivated employees do effective and productive
work which help the company in achieving their determined goals (Piccininni and et.al., 2018).
Training to staff: The main reason of poor maintenance problem is unskilled employees
and staff that also increase operating cost. If workers do not have proper knowledge of hotel
management then they can create many problems like dissatisfaction of guests, increases the
chances of hazards at workplace and also can increase the labour turnover. Manager of hotel can
provide training to their existing staff that can improve their skills and knowledge. In training
they can teach the way of treating guests and handling guests. They also can teach the method of
solving problems of guests. Training is the best way of strengthening skills and knowledge of
employees.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that hospitality sectors and hotels faced
many problems related management. It used management and system theories which describe
and specified the problems like high labour turnover, poor guest satisfaction, maintenance
problem and negative work culture. It recruited the best and potential employees for resolving
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these problems and also provided training to their existing employees which help them in
improving their skills and knowledge. It has also taught workers the way of treating guests in
order to please and satisfy them. It has various reason which becomes the reason of these
problems like unskilled staff and use of old technologies, lack of investment.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L. and Maude, P., 2017. Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Life
Science Journal, 14(5), pp.12-16.
Boella, M., 2017. Human resource management in the hotel and catering industry. Routledge.
Eide, D., Fuglsang, L. and Sundbo, J., 2017. Management challenges with the maintenance of
tourism experience concept innovations: Toward a new research agenda. Tourism
Management. 63. pp.452-463.
Ejikeme, J.N.U., Enemuo, O.B. and Edward, C., 2016. The role of customer satisfaction and
maintenance culture in the sustainability of hospitality industries in Umuahia North and
South Local Government Areas of Abia State. Journal of Hospitality Management and
Tourism. 7(1). pp.1-10.
Glinkowska, B. and Kaczmarek, B., 2015. Classical and modern concepts of corporate
governance (Stewardship Theory and Agency Theory). Management. 19(2). pp.84-92.
Herzberg, F., 2017. Motivation to work. Routledge.
Jelinek, M., 2015. Management, Classical Theory. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management. pp.1-2.
Piccininni, C. and et.al., 2018. Famous people recognition through personal name: a normative
study. Neurological Sciences. 39(4). pp.663-669.
Online
Herzberg’s motivation theory. 2018. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2018/04/herzbergs-two-factor-theory/>
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