Professional Identity and Practice: A Savoy Hotel Case Study

This report explores professional identity and practice within the context of Hotel Savoy, a luxurious hotel in London. It discusses the benefits of ongoing professional and personal development, highlighting its significance for organizational growth and employee retention. The report identifies essential skills and competencies for a Canteen Manager at Savoy Hotel, including negotiation, decision-making, critical thinking, and leadership abilities. A critical self-evaluation using SWOT analysis and skills audit is conducted to identify strengths and weaknesses. Learning theories such as behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, Gibbs learning cycle, and Kolb's learning cycle are examined to support personal and professional development. The report outlines a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies and reviews key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process. Desklib provides students with access to this report and many other solved assignments and study resources.

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK - 1..........................................................................................................................................3
Organisation overview.................................................................................................................3
Benefits and significance of undertaking ongoing professional and personal development.......3
The skills and competences expected by the employer for Canteen manager.............................4
A critical evaluation of your own abilities, skills and competences............................................5
Learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional development..................7
Best development approaches to enhance your own professional and personal development....9
TASK - 3..........................................................................................................................................9
Construct a development plan to enhance your chosen skills and competencies........................9
Training and Learning courses understood Over the past year..................................................12
TASK – 4.......................................................................................................................................13
Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role..................................................13
Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process....................................14
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
Books and Journals....................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
It have been analysed that the competition is growing rapidly in the business
environment. This is who it is becoming difficult for an individual to select an appropriate career
option for achieving their future goals (Waller, Miller and Schultz, 2019). The report is being
prepared in context to Hotel Savoy which is a luxurious hotel. This report is based upon the skills
which are essential for employees in order to work its operations smoothly. Further the benefits
or professional and personal development plan is being discussed. Moreover, the evaluation
relevant to learning theories is discussed. The skills which are essential for achieving career
objectives are being supported with the help of preparing development plan. Lastly, the report is
ended by preparing Job description.
MAIN BODY
TASK - 1
Organisation overview
The Savoy Hotel was established in London, UK in 1889 by having 50% contribution by
Kingdom holding and 50% by FRHI and Katara. The hotel comprises of 267 room along with
proving seven star luxurious facilities to its customers. The facilitates provided by Hotel Savoy
comprises of parking, food & beverages, restaurant, bar, cafe, swimming pool, gym area, spa and
so on (Rabinowitch, 2019). All these facilitates makes the customers feels satisfied and makes
them retain for longer duration of time.
Benefits and significance of undertaking ongoing professional and personal development
In order to accomplish the task successful it is essential to make proper planer for it
though which smooth operations of business activities could takes place. With the help of
professional and personal development plan an individual is capable to achieving the growth and
objectives of organisations effectively (Ajani, 2019). The advantages as well as significant
features of preparing professional and person development plans are stated below - Increase Retention – By preparing plan it make easy for the management to delivers the
information smoothly. This is how the chances of overlapping of work could be avoided
and everyone would be clear with the work they have to perform. The organisation will
also be able to make focus towards determining the skills which is required by the

employees to make them productivity and training will be provided accordingly. Through
out this process the employees will be able to build loyalty towards the organisation and
will retain within organisation for the longer run. Build confidence and credibility – When the employees are being provided with the
effective or required skills then they will be able to feel confident as it will be easy for
them to accomplish the given task. Improved efficiency – The employees will be able to learn new skills through which they
will be capable to accomplishing their task quickly (Creaton and Anderson, 2021). Thus,
the productivity of employees as well as of organisation enhances rapidly which leads in
employee satisfaction.
 Motivated Staff – The adequate amount of training provided to its workforce makes the
employees feels motivated as they are being capable of accomplish the task successfully
without facing any hurdle. Also they will be able to face the challenges effectively and
efficiently.
The above mentioned are the benefits which the employees get when organisations full
efforts to develop their skills. Overall the organisation is only benefited when the development is
employees productivity takes place.
The skills and competences expected by the employer for Canteen manager
The manger designation could not be handled easily, if an individual have an adequate
amount of skills. There are certain skills which are required to work as a role of canteen
manager. In order to operate the functions or roles of Canteen manger in Savoy Hotel, an
individual should have certain skills and capabilities which are stated below - Strong negotiation skills – As a canteen manger of Savoy Hotel, it is required to have
negotiation skills. The manger have to make purchase of certain raw material so they
have to negotiate with the dealer related to price (Cuong, 2019). Having a lack of strong
negotiation skills will takes place in making purchase of raw material at higher prices due
to which cost of final goods served to customers will also increase. Decision making – The canteen manger of Hotel Savoy have to take certain decision
related to making purchase, adding new food items in its portfolio, framing strategies
through which customer base can be collected and so on. This is why it is essential for the

canteen manger to have effective decision making ability due to which they will be able
to take such decisions by which organisational goals can be achieved. Critical thinking ability – At the time of working as canteen manger of Hotel Savoy,
certain challenges arises. It is necessary to handle them effectively then only it will be
possible for to make the organisation achieve its goals. Also at the time of taking
decisions some time it may be taken wrong with also affects the performance of
organisation so it is crucial to have critical thinking ability through which it can be
resolved.
 Leadership ability - The canteen manger of Hotel Savoy have the whole responsibility to
mange its team and operations of its department properly. The employees or staff
members will only listen to manger carefully when they are an effective leader. This is
why it is crucial to have an effective leadership skills within a manager.
The above mentioned are the skills which are required by the Canteen manger of Hotel
Savoy, which are essential for them in achieve goals.
A critical evaluation of your own abilities, skills and competences
An individual have certain skills and abilities which can only be measured when are
involved in doing self assessment (Duh, Knechel and Lin, 2020). By having an ability to self
assessment the individual is able to make sure what kind of strength and weaknesses do they
have. Further they can make actions to overcome for the weaknesses and converts them into their
strengths. By making improvement they will be able to fit for the post they want to achieve. The
skills audit of Canteen manger in context to Hotel Savoy is as follows -
SWOT Analysis
With the help of SWOT analysis, the canteen manger will be able to find out the strength
and weakness which they have within themselves (Wu and et.al., 2019). The SWOT analysis in
context to canteen manager is stated below -
Strengths
 Decision making skills – By having an
effective decision making skills I am
able to achieve the defined goals
successfully.
Weaknesses
 Time management skills – I am not
able to manage my time properly, due
to which mostly I missed my deadlines.
This creates my negative image in the
mind of my staff members and they are

 Leadership skills – I am having an
effective leadership skills due to which
my staff members follows my
instructions and moves in one direction
through which organisational goals
could be achieved.
also developing the same habit.
 Communication skills – Having a poor
communication skills is my biggest
weakness as I am not able to convince
people by have ineffective
communication skills. I am not able to
make interaction with my clients,
customers and dealers effective due to
which is looses the opportunities.
Opportunities
 Huge opportunities – As a canteen
manager I have ample of opportunities
as I have developed certain skills which
makes me capable to grab number of
opportunities.
 Use of digital technology – With the
use of digital tools such as social media
marketing I will be able to make
promotion of my products effectively
without spending much cost.
Threats
 Lack of creativity – The hotel industry
comprised of huge competition due to
which it is required to remain creative
in order to beat competition. But due to
lack of creativity skills I may lack
behind will makes a huge loss for our
business.
 Economic crises – Due to arise in
economic crises such as Covid – 19
pandemic the organisations were
remained closed for the longer duration
of time. At this time period I was not
able to make any profit as I am only
involved in providing offline services to
customers.
Skill Audit
The another and most effective method by performing self assessment is to perform skills
audit. Under this audit, the skills of an individual are being score (Mezirow, 2018). The skills
audit in context of Canteen manger is as follows -

Skills and Competencies Score to Self Score by Others
Decision making skills 9 9
Leadership skills 9 10
Critical thinking ability 8 9
Strong negotiation skills 7 8
Communication skills 5 6
Time management skills 6 5
From the above skills audit of self assessment it have being evaluated that by making
some efforts on some skills such as time management and communication skills an individual
will be capable to be an effective canteen manager. The skills will help canteen management is
achieving the goals of Hotel Savoy effectively.
Learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional development
With the use of some of the curial theories and practices the personal and professional
development plan of individual is being supported (Gibbs, 2018). There theories make an
individual effective to achieve the set organisational goals. The theories and approaches used by
Canteen manger of Hotel Savoy are as follows -
Learning Approaches
 Behaviourism – The behaviourism states that the learning in not an dependent process. It
comes form within an individual that they want to make efforts towards learning. An
individual is self motivated to make development within themselves.
 Cognitive – The behaviour of an individual keeps on changing as per the observation
done by them upon learning. The human is capable of receiving the information and
make responses accordingly. Constructivism – Due to different behaviour every individual uses different way for
learning. This is why the manner used by the individual react towards situation and to
deal with it is different (Wallace, 2019).

Learning theory
The learning theories through which effective learning could take place are stated below -
 Gibbs learning theory – The Graham Gibbs was the founder of this theory, who have
given it in 1988 (Kolb and Kolb, 2018). Effective learning takes place in a cycling form,
this implies that once the learning of first stage finished an individual moves towards next
stage. The Gibbs learning theory comprised of five stages which are stated below -
1. Description
2. Feelings
3. Evaluation
4. Conclusion
5. Action
The mentioned above are the process of leaning by which effective learning could takes
place.
 Kolb's Learning Cycle – Under this theory, initially the learning experience is being
shared. Further, the at the time of learning important notes are being prepared. Then the
healthy discussion is being made related to the problems which are being faced and
necessary modifications are made to overcome from it (Gibbs, 2022).
With the help of these above mentioned theories and approaches an individual is capable
of working effectively and make use of different leaning approaches in correct manner.

Best development approaches to enhance your own professional and personal development.
In order to measure self strength and weaknesses it is required to perform self
assessment. Then the areas where necessary improvement is required against it actions are to be
taken as an individual have certain skills which are need to be developed and some required to be
flourish (Fernández-Reyes and Shinde, 2019). For being a Canteen manger of Hotel Savoy
mentioned below skills are need to be developed. Training and development – My communication skills is my weakness so I take training
to improve it. With this, I also make sure that my staff members also get adequate amount
of training. Coaching – It is required to make involvement in continuous learning this is why with
the help of my senior mangers I take coaching and tries to develop my decision making
ability.
 Taking feedback – To make evaluation that I am able to improve myself, I take
feedbacks from my team on regular basis. They are the one who provides me the
appropriate feedbacks about my skills development.
For personal and professional development mentioned above skills are required. With
this, the objectives of Hotel Savoy could also be achieved.
TASK - 3
Construct a development plan to enhance your chosen skills and competencies
With the help of preparing development plan the skills required for achieving success
could be developed. The developed skills helps an individual to be a effective canteen manager
of Hotel Savoy. The development plan of canteen manager is stated below -
Current Skills
and
Competencies
Professional
Development Plan
Activity
Indicate how you have
monitored your
progress,
underpinning.
learning and
development theory
Evaluate the
effectiveness of
your personal
development plan

Negotiation
skills
Short Term Goals
Specific – With the help
of negotiating skills raw
material could be availed
at low prices due to which
services could be offered
at low prices.
Measurable – It can be
measured through
checking previous
purchase price.
Attainable – It will be
achieved by learning and
developing skills.
Realistic – The profit
margin of the Hotel
Savoy would be
enhanced.
Time bound - 3 months
By taking feedbacks
from the team member
it will be measured.
By practising
negotiating skills on
regular basis with
suppliers.
Communicatio
n skills
Medium Term Goals
Specific – With the help
of effective
communication skills, it
will be easy to make
negotiation.
Measurable – By making
interaction with dealers
and clients.
Attainable – It could by
By making interaction
with everyone on
regular basis, it can be
measured (Widar, Wall
and Svensson, 2021).
By reading books
and newspapers it
can be improved.

reading books and
newspapers.
Realistic –
Communication skills is
required at every point of
time for achieving goals
Time bound - 6 months
Time
management
Long Term Goals
Specific – With the help
of time management skills
the objectives of Hotel
Savoy will be achieved on
timely basis.
Measurable – It would
be measured when
objectives are attained on
time.
Attainable – It would be
attained by preparing to-
do list.
Realistic – It is relevant
because time management
leads in enhancing
satisfaction level of
customers.
Time bound - 1Year
When the deadlines are
not missed and achieve
tasks on time then it
can be measured.
By preparing or
framing To- Do list
it can be improved.

This development plan with is formulated above will leads to make improvement in an
individual skills which are essential to be a Canteen manager.
Training and Learning courses understood Over the past year
Training Course undertaken Date Venue New skills developed
Food Safety Policy 01May,
2021
Hotel
Savoy
 Policies related to Food
Safety
 Team management
 Protocols for Food hygiene
 Booking management
 Online customer service
 Professionalise in business
FSSAI training 31
August,
2021
Savoy
Hotel
 Hygiene and safety
 Food safety policies
 Quality maintenance