Enhancing Productivity: Talent Management at Crowne Plaza Hotels (UK)

This research project investigates the application of talent management as a strategic approach to enhance productivity and business success within the service industry, specifically focusing on the hospitality sector and using Crowne Plaza as a case study. The report begins with an introduction outlining the importance of talent management, strategic approaches such as performance assessments and compensation, and the benefits for organizations in attracting and retaining talent. The research aims to determine the strategic approach for talent management in enhancing the productivity and success of a hospitality organization, with specific objectives to identify strategic approaches, explore the importance of talent management, and analyze challenges. A literature review examines strategic approaches, the importance of talent management, and challenges faced. The methodology includes a quantitative study using questionnaires, sampling 50 employees, and employing content analysis for data analysis. The findings, based on questionnaire responses, reveal employee knowledge of talent management, strategic approaches used, the significance of talent management in business success and productivity, and challenges faced by Crowne Plaza. The report concludes with a detailed data analysis and interpretation of the responses received.

Research Project

Table of Contents

TITLE
The application of Talent Management within the service industry as a strategic approach
on productivity and enhancing business/organisation success.
INTRODUCTION
Overview of the research
Talent management introduces to the effective process of ascertaining the empty post,
recruiting the capable person, creating skills of a person to match that post. There are certain
strategic approaches to talent management used by hospitality industry within the workplace
(Sheehan, Grant and Garavan, 2018). Performance assessments, selection process, effective
compensation etc. are consider main approaches. These are beneficial for an organisation to
attract and retain talent at workplace for longer time period. For this research, Crowne Plaza is a
selected multinational chain of upscale hotels in the UK. Hotel use above mentioned all strategic
approach to talent management for attracting top talent. This will be beneficial for hotel by
improving their productivity level and success at marketplace as well as in customer's mind.
Talent management is an essential process for an organisation because this will support
them by reducing the issue of high employees and improving business performance effectively.
There are different activities or tasks that will be requiring to follow by researcher for
completing this project in systematic and effective manner. Literature review is an essential
activity that will be done by investigator by using number of secondary sources such as articles,
magazines, journals, books etc. All these are useful resources used for fulfilling research gaps
and also assist in accomplishment of research aim and objectives easily. Research methodology,
data collection and interpretation etc. activity is also requiring by investigator for completing full
project systematically. Therefore, this project helps reader in identification of significance of
talent management within hospitality industry.
Research aim
“To determine the strategic approach for application of talent management in enhancing
the productivity and success of hospitality organisation”. A study on Crowne Plaza.
Research Objectives To identify the strategic approaches to talent management within a hospitality
organisation.

 To explore importance of talent management in improvement of business success and
productivity of Crowne Plaza. To analysis challenges faced by Crowne Plaza while managing talent within the
hospitality industry.
Research Questions
1. What are main strategic approaches to talent management within a hospitality
organisation?
2. How talent management helps Crowne Plaza in improvement of its business success and
productivity?
3. What are major challenges that are faced by Crowne Plaza while managing its talent
within the hospitality industry?
The purpose and significance for a research
Main purpose of preparing this investigation is to ascertain the strategic approach for
application of talent management in improving the productivity and success of an organisation.
This research is important for an individual by improving their basis knowledge about the
strategic approaches and its important in retaining of talent for longer period (Gupta, 2019). This
study is also beneficial for researcher by enhancing their research ability i.e. literature review,
collection of data etc.

LITERATURE REVIEW
This section of investigation is refer as a survey of scholarly knowledge on a specific
topic. It is a process of collecting accurate and detailed data regarding the stud. Main intention of
this part of study is to identifying the inconstancies and gaps in past investigation. This section
would also help in addressing each and every objectives of study systematically.
Strategic approaches to talent management within a hospitality organisation.
According to the D’Annunzio-Green (2018), there are various strategic approaches such
as developing job description, performance assessment, effective compensation etc. These
approaches helps hospitality enterprise by retaining talent at workplace. Performance assessment is effective way for workers to ascertain how they are
performing and how they can enhance is to do day-to-day assessments. With the help of
this, hospitality industry can easily analysis employee's performance and give them bonus
to retain talent (Strategic Approaches to Talent Management in The Workplace, 2020). Effective compensation is another strategic approach that supports hospitality enterprise
in accomplishment of its mission and vision. By providing effective compensation to the
worker is necessary for the development and success of an enterprise.
Importance of talent management in improvement of business success and productivity of
Crowne Plaza.
As per the view presented by Bratton and Watson, (2018), talent management helps
Crowne Plaza by enhancing their productivity and success easily. There are certain importance
of talent management which will be determined as below:
Attract top talent or expert: According to the Deng, Li and Huang, (2018), Having a
proper strategic talent management provides the chance to attract most skilled and talented
workers available. It turn to help Crowne Plaza in betterment of its business results and
performance effectively.
Improve business performance: Talent management supports workers to feel more
motivated, engaged and skilled, allowing them to perform business activity in the direction of an
enterprise's business goals, that turn to maximise client satisfaction and business success (The
importance of talent management and why companies should invest in it, 2020).

Challenges faced by Crowne Plaza while managing talent within the hospitality industry.
According to the Maurya and Agarwal, (2018), there are biggest talent management
challenges or issues for hospitality organisation. Some issues will determined as below:
Increased employee turnover: As per the view presented by Raza, Khan and Mujtaba,
(2018), It is a main issue faced by company while managing talent at workplace. For example: an
organisation will pay around one-fifth of a worker's wages on recruitment costs to ascertain a
suitable replacement. It would to impact over success and productivity level of company in
negative manner.
Lack of leadership: This is another main problem faced by an organisation while
managing top talent at workplace. For example: upper executive post are experiencing the
biggest level of employee turnover. This develop a major issue for human resource manager of
hospitality organisation: a lack of leadership in the company (Biggest talent management
challenges for HR, 2020).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Types of study: This part of methodology is categorised in two section such as qualitative
and quantitative. Among this types, quantitative study will be followed because it give
information in numerical way and not take much resources of investigator. Qualitative study is
not used for current investigation because it provide qualitative data and also require maximum
time (McCusker and Gunaydin, 2015).
Data sources: This section of research methodology are classified into two sort of data
sources which are primary and secondary. Primary source of data gives a first-hand data
regarding the specific field of study. Secondary source involves synthesis, analysis, evaluation or
interpretation of primary sources. Therefore, both types of data sources will be applied for
collecting primary and secondary information regarding the talent management (Miller and et.
al., 2012).
Sampling: There are mainly two effective techniques of sampling which named are
Probability and also non-probability. Probability type of sampling is useful for researcher
because it help them to select larger sample size. 50 employees of Crowne Plaza is selected on
regular basis. As compare to non-probability sampling, probability kind of sampling is more
useful because it not require additional cost, time and resources.
Data collection tools: There are certain tools of data collection such as questionnaire,
observation, interview, focus study and so on. These are main methods of data collection but for
gathering information about the talent management, questionnaire is used. Main purpose for
using this tool as it supports researcher to collect valid and reliable information. As compare to
other methods, questionnaire take minimum time and cost (Quinlan and et. al., 2019).
Data analysis: There are various number of analytical techniques such as coding, content
analysis, trend analysis or typologies. These are consider main methods of analysing information
about the field of study. Among this, content analysis would be applied because it assist in
analysing of information easily. By using this tool, various themes would be require to made by
researcher for analysing data in systematic manner (Riedl, Davis and Hevner, 2014).
Ethics: These are moral principles that an investigator must apply, irrespective of the
time or place. There are certain principles of ethics that must be follow by researcher such as
minimising the risk of harm, giving the right to withdraw, avoiding deceptive practices,

obtaining informed consent, protecting confidentiality and anonymity. These ethics would help
researcher to complete each tasks of study ethically and systematically.
Reliability and validity: It is another method in research methodology that is based on
questionnaire. This is a part of data collection that assist investigator to test reliability and
validity of results (Scotland, 2012).
Cost, access and ethical issues: In order to conduct research, investigator have to put
focuses over certain aspects for achieving appropriate research outcomes. By doing this study in
systematic way the investigator need sufficient amount of capital. As it support them in
conducting of primary and secondary study in effective manner. Along with this, access
regarding few sources or resources are also kept by investigator in advance. As it would be
beneficial for them to completion investigation in systematic manner (Silverman, 2016). Despite
of this, number of ethical practices also followed by investigator for effective windup of study
such as authenticity, confidentiality, informed consent etc.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Questionnaire
Q1) Are you have knowledge about the talent management within a hospitality industry?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) What are the strategic approaches to talent management in context of hospitality
organisation?
a) Developing job description
b) Performance assessments
c) Effective compensation
d) Selection process
Q3) What is the main importance of talent management in enhancement of business success and
productivity?
a) Attract and retain top talent
b) Better business performance
c) High client satisfaction
Q4) What are the benefits of talent management for employees?
a) Employee Motivation
b) Boost up confidence
c) Achieve job satisfaction
Q5)Does Talent management helps your organisation in improvement of its productivity level?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q6) As per your view, how does Crown Plaza identify talent at workplace?
a) By competencies
b) By results
c) By potential
Q7) What are the major challenges or issues faced by Crown Plaza while managing talent at
workplace?
a) Increased employee turnover

b) Lack of leadership
c) Higher total compensation demand
Q8) Provide any recommendations to the Crown Plaza in retention of talent within hospitality
industry.
Theme 1: Idea about the talent management within a hospitality industry
Q1) Are you have knowledge about the talent management within a
hospitality industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 40
b) No 10
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
40
10
Frequency
Interpretation: Most of the employees have proper thought regarding the talent
management in context of hospitality industry. They have idea as talent management within the
hospitality industry is essential for their growth and success. Remaining 10 worker not have any
knowledge regarding the talent management.
Theme 2: Strategic approaches to manage talent in context of hospitality organisation
Q2) What are the strategic approaches to talent management in context of Frequency

hospitality organisation?
a) Developing job description 15
b) Performance assessments 10
c) Effective compensation 12
d) Selection process 13
a) Developing job description
c) Effective compensation
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16 15
10
12
13
Frequency
Interpretation: There are number of strategic approaches which have been used by
hospitality organisation for attracting and retaining top talent for long time. 15 respondents have
idea as development of job description is main approach that support an enterprise to allot job
responsibility to the employees according to their knowledge. 10 participants have idea as
performance assessments is effective approach that would be essential in measurement of
employees performance. 12 participants have opinion as effective compensation is useful
strategic approach that have been applied within a hospitality industry. As it support them to
retain knowledgeable workers for longer time. Rest of the respondents have view as selection
process is main strategic approach that help an enterprise to select best talent.
Theme 3: Significance of talent management in enhancement of business success and
productivity

Q3) What is the main importance of talent management in enhancement of
business success and productivity?
Frequency
a) Attract and retain top talent 20
b) Better business performance 16
c) High client satisfaction 14
a) Attract and retain top talent
b) Improve business performance
c) Higher client satisfaction
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
20
16
14
Frequency
Interpretation: Talent management is significant for hospitality organisation by
improving their productivity and success. 20 out of 50 employees of Crown Plaza have idea as
talent management help in attraction and retention of top talent for long time. 16 respondents
have idea as it improve business performance by increasing motivation and job satisfaction
among workforce. Remaining 14 participants have idea as it increase satisfaction level among
customers.
Theme 4: Advantages of managing talent for employees
Q4) What is the main advantage of talent management for employees? Frequency
a) Employee Motivation 16
b) Boost up confidence 20

c) Achieve job satisfaction 14
a) Employee Motivation
b) Boost up confidence
c) Achieve job satisfaction
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
16
20
14
Frequency
Interpretation: Talent management is also beneficial for the workforce by increasing
confidence to work within a given time period. 16 respondents said talent management support
employees by increasing their motivation towards job. 20 participants have idea as it boost
confidence among individual. Rest 14 participants have knowledge as management of talent
within a workplace is essential for the workers as it support them by increasing job satisfaction.
Theme 5: Effectiveness of talent management
Q5) Does Talent management helps your organisation in betterment of its
productivity level?
Frequency
a) Agree 41
b) Disagree 9

a) Agree b) Disagree
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
41
9
Frequency
Interpretation: This graph shown effectiveness of talent management for an organisation
in improvement of its productivity level . Majority of respondents are agreed about this statement
whereas remaining are disagreed about the same.
Theme 6: Identification of talent within a workplace
Q6) As per your view, how does Crown Plaza identify talent at workplace? Frequency
a) By competencies 18
b) By results 15
c) By potential 17

a) By competencies b) By results c) By potential
13.5
14
14.5
15
15.5
16
16.5
17
17.5
18
18
15
17
Frequency
Interpretation: Different ways used by Crown Plaza for identifying talent at workplace.
18 respondents have knowledge as competencies of employees is best way for identifying top
talent. 15 have idea as by attaining results from the workforce are effective way for an
organisation to identify best talent. Remaining 17 have thought as with the assist of potential an
organisation can easily analysis best or top talent within a workplace.
Theme 7: Major challenges or issues faced by Crown Plaza while managing talent at
workplace
Q7) What are the major challenges or issues faced by Crown Plaza while
managing talent at workplace?
Frequency
a) Increased employee turnover 20
b) Lack of leadership 16
c) Higher total compensation demand 14

a) Increased employee turnover
c) Higher total compensation demand
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
20
16
14
Frequency
Interpretation: Various issues faced by Crown Plaza while managing talent at workplace.
20 out of 50 respondents said as sometimes management of talent within an organisation increase
employee turnover which turn to impact over productivity of organisation. 16 participants have
view as lack of leadership is main issue faced by hospitality organisation while managing top
talent at workplace. 14 respondents have knowledge as higher total compensation demand is
biggest issue in management of talent at workplace.

RESEARCH OUTCOMES
Stakeholders: Number of stakeholders plays an effective role in completing this project
effectively and systematically. These are, government, managers, employees etc. These are
consider main stakeholders but for collecting information about the talent management,
employees are plays main role. 50 employees of Crown Plaza will be selected for gathering and
analysing appropriate data regarding the current study (Tuohy and et. al., 2013).
Communicating research outcomes: There are different ways that could be used for
communicating research outcomes to the stakeholders. These are spoken word, written word and
the medium such as online, presentation, report. In order to communicate outcomes of the
research to the different stakeholders i.e. managers, employees, spoken word would be applied
because it support in making the data more clear in the stakeholders mind with the use of
presentation.
Convincing arguments: The research is all about hospitality organisation i.e. Crown
Plaza in order to identify main strategic approaches to talent management and its significance for
an organisation in improvement of their productivity and success. By retaining top talent at
workplace, hospitality organisation can easily improve their productivity level and success (Wiek
and Lang, 2016).

REFLECTION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR ALTERNATIVE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Reflection
I am thankful for achieving this opportunity to do research over a broad topic i.e. “To
determine the strategic approach for application of talent management in enhancing the
productivity and success of hospitality organisation”. A study on Crowne Plaza. By doing this
investigation I increased my learning about the effectiveness of talent management within a
hospitality industry. Despite of this I faced issue regarding the time, unethical behaviour of
respondents etc. while doing this investigation. In order to reduced these challenges I used Gantt
chart and followed each principles of ethics. Along with this, for collecting information about the
topic, I used questionnaire which is more appropriate for me in collecting of reliable and valid
data.
Alternative research methodology
Interview is consider as an effective part of alternative methodology that would be used
by researcher for conducting this research in future. Interview is a method of primary data
collection that help investigator in gathering of qualitative data about the topic (Walliman,
2017). This method is more appropriate and useful for complex situation. On the other side, this
method also have negative effect for researcher as it require more time and cost.

CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned findings, it has been concluded that talent management is
important within a hospitality industry. Number of strategic approaches were used by hospitality
enterprise for attracting and retaining talent for longer period. These approaches are effective
compensation, performance assessments etc. Along with this, talent management have to provide
different importance to the company such as improved business performance, higher client
satisfaction etc. Apart from this, number of challenges were faced by company while they
manage talent within a workplace. These issues are increased employee turnover, higher total
compensation demand, lack of leadership etc. These are main issues that have been faced by
company. Therefore, talent management helped hospitality business by providing opportunities
in its overall growth and development. As per the above findings it has been determined that
there are different objectives of talent management such as filling in the gaps, enhancement of
performance, accurate decision making, operational objectives etc. This was supported
hospitality business by increasing productivity, increasing client satisfaction etc.
Along with this, different methods were used by researcher for completing entire research
report systematically. Questionnaire was followed by investigator for collecting primary
information. This was effective technique of data collection that helped investigator by providing
valid and reliable information within less time. With the used of this technique, researcher
accomplished research aim and objectives easily and timely. Along with this, questionnaire was
supported researcher in attainment of valid outcomes within limited time period. Secondary
research was also followed by investigator for collecting secondary information regarding the
topic. Secondary data was collected from different source i.e. books, magazines etc. for literature
review. This was also supported investigator in attainment of aim and objectives of the study
easily.

RECOMMENDATION
From the above given information, it has been recommended that talent management
within a workplace is beneficial for the success and productivity of hospitality organisation.
There are some recommendations to the Crown Plaza. Crown Plaza must encourage flexibility,
provide frequent constructive criticism and praise, provide opportunities for continuing
education and professional development etc. These are consider main ways that helps an
organisation in attraction and retention of top talent for longer time period. As it will also support
an enterprise in improvement of its productivity level and success within a hospitality industry.
There are some recommendations for Crowne Plaza in retention of talented employees easily and
within limited time duration. These effective ways are:
Provide the right benefits: This is an effective and essential way for retaining talented
and knowledgeable employees at workplace. This will plays an important role in keeping
employees more happy, healthy and engaged. For this, company must provide facility of flexible
work schedule to their employees that turn to support company in overcoming of issue of high
employee turnover and also support them to achieve long term goals and objectives within less
period of time.
Communication and feedback: This is another important and essential way for Crowne
Plaza to retain talented employees at workplace for longer time period. For this, hotel must
communicate all information about their business policies or strategies to their employees as
workers feel more happy and important part of the organisation. Crowne Plaza should also
collect feedback from the employees about their opinion and issues raised at workplace. By
collecting feedback, hotel become able in fulfilment of employees issues at workplace. This will
turn to impact on hotel by improving their growth and development.

REFERENCES
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hospitality sector?. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
Gupta, V., 2019. Talent management dimensions and their relationship with retention of
Generation-Y employees in the hospitality industry. International Journal of
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Maurya, K. K. and Agarwal, M., 2018. Organisational talent management and perceived
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