Personal and Professional Development Report for Travelodge Staff

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of personal and professional development within the context of Travelodge Hotel. It begins with an introduction to the importance of continuous learning and development, followed by a detailed exploration of self-managed learning approaches, including coaching, observation, research, and online learning, and their application to Travelodge staff. The report emphasizes the significance of lifelong learning and suggests various strategies to encourage it within the hotel, such as allowing employees to direct their learning, integrating learning goals with performance goals, and utilizing casual learning check-ins and mentorship programs. It also highlights the benefits of self-managed learning for both the assistant manager and the organization. The report then presents a traffic light skill audit to evaluate current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives, followed by a discussion of development needs, opportunities, and the creation of a personal and professional development plan. The report concludes with an examination of the implementation of the development plan, including processes, activities, and reflection on learning outcomes, as well as the application of communication and time management strategies.

PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches of self-managed learning..............................................................................1
1.2 Ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional context can be encouraged at
Travelodge Hotel....................................................................................................................2
1.3 Benefits of Self-managed learning...................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Evaluating current skills and competencies against profession standards and
organizational objectives........................................................................................................5
2.2 Development need and activities required to meet above professional standards and
organizational objectives........................................................................................................7
2.3 Development opportunities to meet current and future needs; Opportunities available
inside and outside the hotel to improve skill development needs..........................................8
2.4 Personal and professional plan based on the identified needs by focusing on skills needed,
how to develop them and when to develop those skills.........................................................9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
3.1 processes and activities required to implement develop development plan...................11
3.2 Document development activities as planned................................................................12
3.3 Critically reflect learning against original aim and objectives set in development plan13
3.4 Update development plan prepared before based on evaluation and feedbacks............13
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................15
4.2 Communication in variety of styles and appropriate manner at various levels..............16
4.1 Solution to work based problems...................................................................................16
4.3 Use of effective time management strategies.................................................................17
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
Appendix-1....................................................................................................................................21
Traffic light skill audit..........................................................................................................21

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development helps us to manage our own growth and learning throughout our lives and career. It is
very much important to develop, boost, improve and learn new things, knowledge and skills to ensure that our work is done in an
effective, efficient, safe and legal manner. It is important to keep our knowledge up to date accordingly so that we do not fall behind
both personally and professionally (Cunningham, 2017). This assignment will lay emphasis on Travelodge Hotel case study with
various tasks such as different self-managed learning and which is suitable for the hotels staff, purpose of lifelong learning, benefits of
self-managed learning, evaluating our own current skills and competencies and development needs and activities to meet the required
skills, development opportunities to meet current and future defined needs, personal and professional development plan, processes and
activities to implement the development plan, solution to all employee turnover rate, communicating changes to various levels of
organization, using effective time management techniques. All the above points have been discussed in details in this assignment.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches of self-managed learning
Self-managed learning can be defined as different ways an individual can use to acquire knowledge from their surrounding or
from their work place (Bennett, 2017). It is important for an individual to enhance their knowledge that can be used to achieve goals
of an organization. There are different approaches to self-managed learning that can be used for employees in various ways such as:
Coaching: Managers can attending coaching which will help them to improve their current skills, learn and develop new skills
(Cowan and Peacock, 2017). This approach has its own advantages as well as some disadvantages:
Advantages: We can identify all the flaws and mistakes we commit normally by attending coaching centres. This will help us to boost
and improve our skills as well as develop new skills
Disadvantages: Main disadvantage of coaching is that we need to give proper and fixed time in order to attend coaching classes and if
for any reason we miss our classes then it will be a disadvantage.
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Observation: One of the basic self-learning approach is observation. We can learn new things, improve our skills by observing
others. This will also help us to understand all the areas that will help us to understand all the flaws in ourselves.
Pros and Cons: One of the biggest disadvantage of observation approach is that there is no way to know whether the things we will
learn are correct or not.
Research: Research is also an effective self-learning approach that can be used for learning and improving our basic skills and
learning new things.
Internet or Online: Internet is one of the most important approach that can be used by individual for self-managed learning. It
provides different articles, books etc. which can be provided by individuals to boost their knowledge. It provides various information
that are useful for a person personal and professional development. Even internet learning has its advantages and disadvantages such
as:
It is helpful for staff members as well as me to gain vast variety of knowledge and experience from the websites or articles or books
available on internet. Different productive information is available on internet which can be gained by people which they can transfer
and implement in the workplace.
Pros and Cons: There is no self-discipline in internet learning as people might from their work and engage in other sort of things.
Social networking: It is mostly used by many individuals nowadays as it is a platform where people can easily express their
views freely with others. Many people from different background express their experiences for others to learn from it (Smilde,
Advantages: We can adopt positive attitude from people and learn many things which they can adopt at their work place.
Disadvantages: It also has a disadvantage that there is no guarantee that the experiences shared by others are correct or not or whether
they are applicable in real life or not.
Here I will use Research, Observation, online learning approaches for myself and coaching for my staff.
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1.2 Ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional context can be encouraged at Travelodge Hotel
Lifelong learning is also a self-motivated learning for both personal and professional reasons. It helps in enhancement of self-
sustainability, personal development, competitiveness, active citizenship and employability (Lifelong learning, 2019). It can enhance
our understanding of the world around us as well as provides us with more and better opportunities in order to improve our quality of
life .
There are many ways lifelong learning can be encouraged at Travelodge Hotel like:
By allowing employees to self-direct their learning: Instead of directing employees of what they should learn they should be asked
that what they actually want to learn. This way managers will be able to take advantage of their employee’s personal interest by
encouraging then to self-direct their learning (Jõgi, Karu and Krabi, 2015).
Learning goals should be made equivalent important as performance goals: As it is already known that employees have limited
time to learn anything so it is quite natural that learning will come under work goals shadow. In fact learning should be a permanent
part of performance goals (Jõgi, Karu and Krabi, 2015).
Using casual learning check-ins: one of the most simple and cost-efficient way of encouraging lifelong learning in a hotel employee
is to take interest. People should be given an opportunity to share their observation and learning with others from the activity they
have attended (Jõgi, Karu and Krabi, 2015). These check-ins help us to understand how an employee has been growing and
understanding through their work and training. Weekly department meeting can be conducted organization wide where employees will
be asked about their learning and understanding.
Employees should be connected with inspirational mentors: Mentorship programmes should be used to encourage employees to be
lifelong learners. This program involves involving more experienced employee to interact with other employees so that they can
discuss their views, challenges, ambition etc. for the growth of their carrier. It has some advantages such as it helps employees to
become comfortable with their seniors or industry experts which eventually help them to boost their knowledge. But it also has some
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disadvantages such as sometimes it can be used for political aspects as employees can be influenced for their political profit (Jõgi,
Karu and Krabi, 2015).
1.3 Benefits of Self-managed learning
Benefits to me as an Assistant manager: As an assistant manager it can help me in strengthening and adopting in current situations.
It will help me to learn new things within the hotel or outside and will eventually help in expressing their own opinions and views to
be shared with others. Like attending organizational seminars will help me to improve my organizing skills and use it for managing
and adopting the current situation. It can also help in improving my skills so that we can progress and gain situation advantage like
meeting challenges and objectives, understanding certain skills, self-resistance, self-awareness, knowledge about ways to learn and
progress, self-conscience, learning new ideas, things and sharing it with others (Cunningham and Bennett, 2017). For example,
interacting with senior employees and listening to their advices and experiences can help in understanding some skills in a better way
so that I can progress and improve my skills and way of working.
This self managed learning can help the hotel staff in strengthening their present current skills. Like attending Coaching will
help them to understand all the flaws and their weakness in them. With the help of online approach they can learn and develop new
skills required for their job in the organization. These approaches will help in motivating their staff in many ways and will also help
them to take more interest in their job in order to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.
Benefits to the organization: In hotel it can be used for maintaining variety of relationships within the organizations like in
Travelodge Hotel it can be used to maintain relationship of employees with their seniors, managers, internal staff working, colleagues
etc. and also helps in additional support and knowledge for help, improve oneself learning and ways it can be used to approach others.
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TASK 2
Traffic Light Skill Audit
Skill audit is done in order to record or measure skills of an individual. So in order to evaluate my current skills and competencies I
have used a traffic light skill audit which is attached in Appendix 1. In this skill audit I have explained all the skill in which I need
training in order to improve it, skills that I need to work on and skills that I am confident about. All these skills have been explained
in details in the skill audit in Appendix 1.
2.1 Evaluating current skills and competencies against profession standards and organizational objectives
Current Skills Professional Standards (Inc. Academic
sources)
Travelodge and Job Role Objectives
Oral Communication Skills- I have an
ability to express my ideas and point of
view to others in a discussion and can
patiently listen to others ideas carefully and
can respond accordingly which can be
helpful for me as well as others.
Ability to communicate is the most valued
skills valued by employers and is a good
skill for presentation (Margaret and
Chimezie, 2015).
Passionate about serving customers is the
main job role (Travelodge Job descriptions,
2019).
Time management- I am also capable of
self or time management, as I am capable to
manage many tasks in the given time.
Time management is desired by employers
as it helps in accomplishment of a task in
given time period (Claiborn and Stricker,
1979).
Assistant manager must have time
management skills and must be able to
resolve any task (Travelodge Job
descriptions, 2019).
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Written Communication Skills- I am also
confident that my written communication
skills are also good. However, I am not
confident about the grammatical mistakes I
make.
Documentation helps in easy understanding
of a task which is required in every job
profile (Claiborn and Stricker, 1979).
Assistant manager must be able to
document successfully all the task they are
assigned (Travelodge Job descriptions,
2019).
Information Literacy- My Information
literacy is also good i.e. I am capable to
find any information for variety of sources
Research is required in every field which is
required to understand a task successfully
(Margaret and Chimezie, 2015).
It is also desired and required at every part
in an organization whether it is to find out
about the competitors or wide range of
customers etc (Travelodge Job descriptions,
2019).
Problem Solving Skills- One of my current
skill that helps me to come out of any
situation is that I have critical thinking and
problem solving skills. If I devote myself to
a problem, I can easily find solutions to that
problem. But I do not prefer to take advice
on that situation and may advices confuses
me many times which results in some
unexpected results.
Problem solving skills are mostly valued by
many professionals and can be useful in
future projects (Margaret and Chimezie,
2015).
Action must be taken to resolve an issue
wherever necessary.
Assistant manager must have an ability of
being a quick thinker (Travelodge Job
descriptions, 2019)
Resilience- This is one of my strong skills Resilience is useful in overcoming any Travelodge has flexible approach in making
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through which I am able to adapt to any
changes. Thus, I believe that I am
approachable and flexible while doing any
task or work.
adverse situation by giving quick solutions.
This aids in enhancing the work
environment by laying the positive outlook
(Margaret and Chimezie, 2015).
any modifications. Such skills would help
in understanding the individual's ability to
recover in effective manner (Travelodge
Job descriptions, 2019).
Creativity- I am very creative and like to
make my projects interesting and attractive.
I prefer that the presentation must always
be above average to make it appealing but
at some times in my work I get confused to
show my creativity.
Creativity helps in making things or tasks
look presentable to gain the attention of the
audience in proper manner.
The Manager must be creative to attract
their clients and customers which in return
is useful in forming the loyal customer-base
(Travelodge Job descriptions, 2019).
Analytical Skills: I am good in collecting
and analysing information in order to solve
any problem or for decision making.
However, I still need to improve them as I
get confused when I get or receive
information on the same topic differently
Analytical skills are one of the most useful
skills that are required in different projects
(Margaret and Chimezie, 2015).
The manager must be efficient enough to
solve any problem in order to complete any
task or work on time (Travelodge Job
descriptions, 2019).
2.2 Development need and activities required to meet above professional standards and organizational objectives.
Skills that are needed to be developed Methods of developing those skills
I need to improve my Presentation skills. I will give more presentations in order to improve my oral communication skills and will
practice it multiple times before presenting it in front of everyone. I will also try to attend
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and learn from other individuals by observing their way of reciting, gestures, eye contact
and other factors. I will also try to overcome my fear of public speaking as I have lack of
confidence and few misconceptions that they are going to laugh but that is totally wrong.
As audience are mostly sympathetic and listen to one's presentation very carefully in
order to gain knowledge and understand the topic.
Need to improve my analytical skills in
order to become an efficient learner and
quick thinker.
I will try to use my good communication skills and try to understand the problem in a
better way in order to deliver good information. I will also try to improve my skills by
asking advices from experts or mentors so that I can improve my skills in a better way by
applying the techniques or methods used by them to solve a problem by being a quick
thinker. I will also ask advice and take feedback from my manager or seniors. I will also
try to identify all the positive and negative aspects of a problem in order to understand it
in a better way and be a quick thinker.
Need to improve my Written grammatical
skills.
I will try read more and more books in order to improve my grammar. I will also try to
write diaries to improve my skills.
Improve Creativity. I will participate in different creative arts activities such as drama, drawings etc.
Improve my excellency in Information
literacy
I will try to read more books to improve my information literacy and try to learn online as
well.
Improve my resilience skills I will try to communicate with other as much as possible in order to be resilience.
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2.3 Development opportunities to meet current and future needs; Opportunities available inside and outside the hotel to improve skill
development needs
Employee development is a process where each and every employee undergoes through various training programs in order to
enhance their skills and gain knowledge. It is one of the main attributes which is needed and is important for all employees and staff
especially in hotel industry to improve their skills. Travelodge is one of those hotels which provide their employees diploma courses,
training and development programs so that employees can take benefit of those programs and boost their skills which leads in
development of greater opportunities for them to improve their skills for example team leading skills can be improved by such
trainings.
Regular meetings and trainings with my senior, I can understand my role and responsibility towards Hotel and customers in a
better way. I can improve my weak areas like presentation skills and problem solving skills in such a way that I can provide quality
service to Hotel's customers. Training within groups will also help me to improve my team working and oral communication skills.
This training will help me to enhance my communication skills, become an efficient problem solver. This will make me a good
listener, deliver my thoughts in a better way. I can enhance all the above skills by focusing on my training, practising and learning.
This will help me to become a confident person who will be able to fight with their weakness confidently. All such things will bring
me new opportunities both inside and outside the hotel.
I will also attend coaching classes so work under my mentor so that I can improve my skills and fulfil my needs. Attending
coaching classes will help me to identify all the areas where in commit mistakes or skills which I lack. These coaching classes will
help me to improve my skills in a better way. These various kinds coaching classes will also help me in improve my analytical skills,
so that I can easily improve ways in which I can collect and analyse information in order to solve a problem effeciently.
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