Travelodge Hotel: A Self-Managed Learning and Development Plan

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Personal and professional development
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
introduction......................................................................................................................................6
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................7
Introduction..................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning. Which approach can be more suitable for
you or your staff at Travelodge Hotel..........................................................................................7
1.2 Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged at Travelodge. In this question, you should say how you as a manager can
encourage lifelong learning at Travelodge Hotel........................................................................8
1.3. Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to you as an assistant manager and the
Travel Lodge. Your judgment has to be supported by relevant evidence or examples...............9
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................11
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................11
2.1. Evaluate your own current skills and competencies against professional standards for a
hotel manager and against organisational objectives of Travelodge Hotel...............................11
2.2 Identify your own development needs and the activities required to meet them. Which of
your skills may need to be improved? How are you going to improve or gain these skills?....14
2.3. Identify development opportunities to meet your current and future defined needs. Which
opportunities are available for you inside or outside of the hotel to improve your skill
development needs?...................................................................................................................14
2.4. Devise a personal and professional development plan based on identified needs. In this
task, you need to prepare a ‘plan’ for personal and professional development. In this plan, you
need to mention three issues: ‘what’ are your needed skills; ‘how’ are you going to develop
the skills; and ‘when’ are you going to develop intended skills?..............................................16
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................18
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3.1. Discuss the processes and activities required to implement the development plan that you
prepared for yourself in task......................................................................................................18
3.2. Undertake and document development activities as planned. In this task, you should
implement the development plan you prepared for yourself and then write down how you
implemented your plan..............................................................................................................19
3.3. Reflect critically on your own learning against original aims and objectives set in the
development plan. Did you really learn new skills at the level you aim for them?...................20
3.4. Update the development plan that you prepared for yourself (covered in 2.4) based on the
feedback and evaluation............................................................................................................21
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................21
4.3- Evaluate and use effective time-management strategies....................................................23
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................24
References......................................................................................................................................25
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LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 1: Kolb learning styles..........................................................................................................9
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Skills audit.......................................................................................................................10
Table 2: Development needs and activities...................................................................................11
Table 3: Personal and professional development plan..................................................................13
Table 4: Updated development plan..............................................................................................16
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Introduction
Continuous learning and gaining knowledge is essential requirement for personal and
professional development. There are various self-managed learning methods available that helps
in the development of individual
The present assignment is segmented into four tasks. The first task of the report emphasizes on
the various approaches of self-managed learning. Furthermore, the benefits are also described in
the first task. The second task is concerned about the skills and competencies that are required
for a manager of an organization, Travelodge. The third and fourth task of this report focuses on
the personal and professional development plan for development of individuals.
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Task 1
Introduction
This task involves formation of an article that emphasizes on encouraging staff of the Travelodge in
self-managed learning. Self-managed learning is a technique that enables the individual to think about
the personal development and enhances the commitment level towards organizational development.
Moreover, it also involves the way by which life-long learning can be encouraged by the cited
company.
1.1 Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning. Which approach can be more suitable for
you or your staff at Travelodge Hotel
Self-managed learning is a concept or process in which an individual himself take the responsibility
of carrying out or managing the learning activities. This is the process in which a person is
encouraged to learn or gain knowledge at his own. There can be numerous ways by which self-
managed learning can be possible. Thus, an individual can use several ways for self-managed
learning such as internet portals, websites, journals, books, articles, etc (Kanevsky, et al.,2018).
Self-managed learning requires self-initiation to learn. The various approaches for self-learning
include learning through research, coaching or mentoring, internet, news, seminars, conferences etc.
In order to focus on personal and professional development of an individual, self-managed learning is
a significant factor. Self-managed learning enhances the self-confidence of the person and also
enhances lifelong development.
Through self-managed learning, employees become capable of identifying the areas in which they
require learning and also how the learning process will be carried out. It enhances their working skills
and by gaining knowledge of new areas of fields will boost their morale (Dolmans, et. al.,2015).
Furthermore, this helps in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the employees of Travelodge.
After the identification, strengths can be utilized better, and weak areas can be further improved. Self-
managed learning enhances the teamwork skills and performances of the employees of the
organization. Apart from this, it will also develop the communication and problem-solving skills of
the employees of the cited company. These skills of employees will further help the company in
offering better services to customers and retaining them.
The various approaches to self-managed learning are:
Internet sources
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In the modern era, this is the widely used tool to seek information, knowledge and get updated in any
field (Cunningham and Dawes, 2016). Thus, it is the main approach to self-learning. An individual
can gain any knowledge from various websites anywhere and anytime.
Conferences and seminars
These seminars are the major sources for gaining knowledge and enhancing communication and
social skills. Moreover, seminars and meetings help individuals in becoming a more confident public
speaker, and it is the platform to develop presentation skills. This skill will empower both
organizations as well as the individual (Cunningham, 2017).
Social networking sites
Social media is very trending nowadays, and a lot of information and data can be easily gathered from
there (Procter, 2016). To connect with a number of experienced and knowledgeable people has
become so easy on these networking sites. Thus, twitter, facebook etc. can prove very useful in order
to eliminate the communication gap and gaining an understanding of recent trends and being aware of
numerous topics.
Considering the Travelodge hotel, the most suitable approach for staff members to encourage self-
managed learning is the use of the internet. The Internet can help in self-managed learning in various
ways such as ease of communication, so that gathering information is easy, use of e-books etc. Hence,
the internet can be considered as the most suitable approach for self-managed learning for the
employees of Travelodge as it does not need any mentor, teacher or coach to guide. Internet helps in
researching, communicating, guiding etc. This will further improve the knowledge base of employees
and thus, enhances their enthusiasm (Sessa and London, 2015).
1.2 Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts could be
encouraged at Travelodge. In this question, you should say how you as a manager can
encourage lifelong learning at Travelodge Hotel.
Life-long learning refers to the voluntary decision of continuous learning. This is beneficial for both
i.e. personal and professional context.
SWOT analysis
In the selected company, life-long learning can be encouraged by using SWOT analysis. SWOT
stands for strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. This is the analytical tool which an
individual may use to identify himself for personal and professional development. Strength and
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opportunities can be used as a tool for ensuring success while weaknesses and threats can be
improved (Prothero, 2015).
Considering learning goal as performance goal
Another way for encouraging life-long learning is to make the learning goals of employees as
significant as the performance goals. Moreover, connecting employees with inspirational mentors can
also be a technique to encourage the employees of Travelodge for lifelong learning (Hennekam,
2015). For this, mentorship programs and workshops can be organized in order to motivate lifelong
learners. Such organized mentoring programs helps in connecting employees of the company with
much experienced seniors, colleagues or the experts of market. It helps in providing a platform where
employees can freely discuss their desires and ambitions.
Recognition of learning as an achievement
The most important encouragement for employees for lifelong learning in professional as well as
personal context is to recognize learning as an achievement. Appreciating employees for continuous
learning or giving them rewards, certificates in company gatherings is significant.
As a manager of the Travelodge hotel, the lifelong learning can be encouraged by effective leadership
and communication.
With the effective leadership and guiding skills it becomes possible to motivate the employees
(Goleński, 2017). Moreover, the various benefits of lifelong learning can be clearly communicated to
the employees of Travelodge that encourage them to do so. The other way that can be implemented as
a manager of Travelodge is to effectively interact with them and establishing a healthy relationship.
Interacting employees about their interest areas and various issues will help in understanding them as
well as their needs. Establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship with employees can also a
significant way to motivate them. Moreover, manager can make employees curious and excited by
developing various different ways of learning.
1.3. Evaluate the benefits of self-managed learning to you as an assistant manager and the
Travel Lodge. Your judgment has to be supported by relevant evidence or examples.
Self-managed learning along with lifelong learning is quite beneficial for the development of skills
and capabilities of employees. The profit of a skilled employee eventually leads to the success of
organization. Self-managed learning has several benefits for individual and for the organization too
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(Megginson and Whitaker, 2017).
Communication skills
Self-confidence and self-development are possible through continuous learning, and self-confidence
enhances the communication skills of an individual. An employee with good interaction skills can
easily persuade and influence any customers, and that is beneficial for the cited organization (Voogt,
et. al., 2015).Customer satisfaction is the major element for hospitality industry and it can be
achieved by establishing and maintaining healthy relationship with customers. Communication skills
play an important role in maintaining a good relationship with customers and gaining new customers
and retaining the existing ones.
Presentation skills
A well informed and knowledgeable employee is able to present himself well in front of everyone.
Thus, in this way, self-managed learning enables enhancing presentation skills. a good presentation
enhances the value of everything and to attract customers one must know the presentation skills.
Reduction in costs of arranging formal learning
When the employees are motivated towards self- learning, the organization needs not to emphasize
much on organizing learning programs and sessions (Hildebrand, 2018).The organization need not to
observe, conduct interviews or arranging various training sessions to learn employees when they are
self-motivated and aware about the important of self-learning.
Increases work efficiency
A well self-managed learning individual is able to identify its skills and weakness and thus utilizing
and improving them in a proper manner. This helps them in accomplishing allotted tasks accurately.
Moreover, it helps in seeking specialization and thus, the allotted work can be completed
appropriately and efficiently (Baldwin, 2016).
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Figure 1: Kolb learning styles
(Source: Simply psychology, 2019)
Conclusion
Thus, from the above article, it has been identified that internet, conferences, seminars etc. are some
of the major approaches of self-managed learning. There are various benefits of self-managed
learning such as effective communication skills, increasing work efficiency etc. There are various
ways through which life-long learning can be encouraged in the chosen company.
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Task 2
2.1. Evaluate your own current skills and competencies against professional standards for a
hotel manager and against organisational objectives of Travelodge Hotel.
Evaluating own skills and competencies in order to successfully implementing work operations
is quite necessary (Anderson, 2016). For any job profile, having a skill set as per the professional
standard of the company is essential. As a hotel manager for Travelodge, it is necessary for me to
emphasize identifying and effectively utilizing my skills and capabilities so that organizational
objectives can be attained. After self-assessment, it has been identified that my major
competencies include team working skills, excellent attention to details, communication skills,
time management skills etc. In order to work as a hotel manager of Travelodge, I am required to
utilize these core competencies in a proper manner against the professional standard.
Table 1: Skills audit
My current skills Professional standards Travelodge and job role
objectives
Team working skills
This is the most important
skill in order to work in a team
together. I have good team
working as well as
management skills. I have a
good understanding of
listening and problem solving.
I consider it as my biggest
strength as I am able to
coordinate and cooperate with
anyone.
Being able to be a part of team
or to lead a team is essential
for every organization.
As a manager of Travelodge,
it is the job role to form a team
and then guiding and
motivating them to work in a
team and with a team so that
objectives can be achieved.
Good communication skills
I consider my communication
skills as my core competency
because I don’t feel shy to talk
in front of people and I believe
Good communication is
something that is considered
as a significant part of
professionalism. When an
individual is able to
Being a manager of
Travelodge, this is the most
essential requirement to
communicate properly with
customers, employees, or
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