Training Personnel In Hospitality

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

The rapid evolution of technology and the constant changing of human mentality helped increase the number of vacant positions in companies. Due to this development nowadays there are jobs that a century ago people could not even dream of. This kind of dream jobs brought us to the next step of evolution. This evolution also affects the hospitality industry. The rate of job growth and job change in hospitality is among the most rapid of all; even the guests’ demands are changing daily. For this industry it is hard to keep up with the new technology and demands, and thus training is necessary.

"While employee recruitment and selection are crucial to an organization’s success, they do not guarantee that employees will perform well. Organization must provide training to new employees to transform their high potential into high performance. "[Managing Hospitality Human Resources, Robert H. Woods, 2006:188]

In this chapter of the dissertation the concept of training will be determined, what training means, how many types of training there are and the training objectives. After the concepts are determined it will be established the use of training in the hospitality industry. How many types of training are used in this industry and what are they liked.

2.2. Determining the concept of training

According to the Collins English dictionary the concept of Training is determined as "the process of bringing a person, etc, to an agreed standard of proficiency, etc, by practice and instruction" [Collins English dictionary, 2009]. Training can be associated with learning, educating, teaching employees’ new information. The concept of training is based on educating somebody, gathering new skills in a specific field, learning new things, to bring a person to an agreed standard of proficiency. Since the technology evolve quickly and the human mentality changes radically training had to be introduced to keep up with this rapid evolution.

Training is usually conducted when employees have a skill deficit or when an organization changes a system and employees need to learn new skills. Or every time the company recruits external personnel.

2.2.1 Identifying training needs

Before considering what techniques it will be used to train the personnel it may be useful to clarify why we actual need to learn, to develop new skills. The training need is associated also to the "performance gap". The service performance gap is the discrepancy between the development of customer-driven service standards and actual service performance by company employees. Standards must be backed by appropriate resources (people, systems, and technology) and must be enforced to be effective. When the level of service delivery falls short of standards, it falls short of what customers expect as well. Narrowing the performance gap, by ensuring that all the resources needed to achieve the standards are in place, reduces the customer gap.

One of the methods to narrow it the performance gap is indentifying the training needs. Usually the reason for poor performance is lack of competence, "lack of knowledge or skills in someone who has the ability to acquire that knowledge or skill" [Steve Truelove, Training in practice, 2006:4]. Tom Boydell in 1976 developed a framework to understand the training needs. This framework distinguishes between three types of need:

Organizational training needs are the one that applies to the whole organization. It can be generated by a changes that has been made within the company (new products and technology is introduced, new legislation affects the organization, new managerial system, the ownership has been changed) or to produce some changes (productivity is low, morale of the employees is low, employees are customer-focused).

Occupational training needs is the one that applies to a particularly category of employees. It may be aftermath of a wider organizational change, or it may have arisen for one group of workers in isolation. This also can be generated by changes made that influences the organization ( new software package for front office, new recipes introduced in the kitchen) and changes that are need to be made to increase the performance( middle managers are poor at solving problems, the waiters are to slow in taking orders from the guest, the bartender can’t keep up with the high level of coffee demand)

Individual training need may come in consideration to a specific individual as opposed to the whole category of employees. This kind of training need can be produced by changes (one of the bartender is now responsible to make the inventory) or it can be used to generate changes (one of the waiters needs to sell more to keep up with his colleges).

2.2.2. The Training Cycle

Most professionals consider that training has to be viewed as a cycle rather than as a single event. It has to be determined the need for the training, after that indentified the objectives of training according to what the training criteria is established. The selection of the trainees is a step from this cycle followed by pretest the trainees and choosing the training methods, implementing the training and at least evaluating the training program. If this cycle is respected then the company not only will reduce costs but the efficiency of the personnel will increase and with that the revenue. The training cycle can be seen in the table 2. 1.

Table 2.1 The training cycle by Robert H. Woods (2006:189)

2.2.2.1 Developing needs Assessments.

The first step in training is to determine the need of training. Experts typically identify three major factors to analyze: the organization, tasks and behaviors and individuals.

Organization analysis.

When the training program is developed for a specific department it has to be taken in consideration how it affects the company as a whole. It example if in the hospitality industry the servers are trained to use new abbreviations to write the guests orders and the cooks don’t have the same training, it will be a chaos. Each company has to incorporate its own management philosophy into its training programs. The personnel within the training have to learn the company policies and the standards too.

Task and behavior analysis.

Every job is different, just like every person. The objective in the task and behavior analysis is to determine which task tasks fits the best an individual. The first step in this analysis is to conduct a job analysis. Job analysis, descriptions and specifications identify three critical elements for managers to consider before beginning any training program. These elements encompass the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the various task associated with the job.

Individual analysis.

Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the employee performing that job. Sometimes training programs are designed for the entire departments, but there are situations when only specific employees benefit from training, at example for higher managerial positions.

2.2.2.2 Conducting needs assessments.

After the reasons are identified, we can examine methods conducting them. Below there are listed the 12 methods that can be used in the training program. The methods are not necessarily related to each other, each of them has got its own advantage and disadvantage.

Advisory committee. Typically it consists from mangers that review job skills and behavior demands and compare these to the current level of employee performance. These kind of committee if consists from different level employees (line-level and managerial) can establish the best for the company.

Job descriptions and job specifications. Typically is conducted by managers in a given department, but it can be helped by an advisory committee.

Work sampling. An analyst is hired to observe the work, not performing it, and according to that it can be developed a training program. It is more costly for the company, but it can be effective too.

Job performance measurements. It is similar to the work sampling, but in job performance measurements the analyst not only observes the job, but it performs it. It is one of the least cost-effective, because of the time it takes and the amount of money what is spent on hiring the analyst.

Attitude surveys. It means determining when training is required to improve the behavioral side of service. It can be useful also to pinpoint what employees like or dislike about their job, in this way can increase employee satisfaction and reduce unwanted employee turnover.

Performance appraisals. It identifies individually every employee needs of training.

Skills Tests. It measures an employee’s ability to perform different tasks, and according to the results the training needs can be determined.

Performance Documents. Reports pertaining to absenteeism, sales guest complaints, commendations and productivity are some of the performance documents useful for pinpointing individual training needs.

Guest feedback. Guest not always complains so manager’s ca not relay on this

Questionnaires. It can help the company because of the large amount of data collected throughout the company.

Exit interviews. Personnel that are leaving the company can give useful information that can reduce turnover.

Critical incidents. This is method is particularly useful when case studies are used

2.2.2.3 Designing the training program.

To create an effective training program, managers has to establish the training objectives, the establish criteria to meet those objectives. Final trainees that is fit for the company is vital to the firm’s success. Selecting employees and assessing their skills is important, because in this way managers can forecast the results of the training.

Establishing training objectives.

Fall into four general categories: reaction-based, learning-acquired, on-the job behaviors and results oriented. When developing training objectives, it is important that managers identify what they hope to accomplish in a clear and a measurable way.

Establishing training criteria.

The training program is successful only when the criteria are clearly outlined. Such criteria establish a benchmark for measuring what will be learned or gained from the training process.

Selecting trainees.

Trainees can be selected internal and external, according to the needs of the organization.

Pretest trainees.

Managers have to establish the current knowledge of the employee’s according to what a successful training program can be developed.

2.2.2.4 Choosing training methods.

The training methods are grouped in the following categories: training for managers, training for non-managers and training for all employee levels.

Training for managers:

Case study training. Challenges participants to identify the problems and propose solutions

In-Basket training. Presents a wide array of daily tasks and problems similar that a manager can found in their in-basket at work. It helps to determine what task can be delegate and the priority of the problems

Conference training. Is similar to brain storming when a group of people try to solve a problem together

Behavioral modeling. Takes advantage by actually showing a behavioral model to the participants to see how it acts in certain situations and in this way to instruct participants how to perform.

Training for non-managers:

On-the job training. On employee is asked to teach another employee some desired skill. The disadvantage of this is that being good at the work does not mean that it is an effective trainee. Training can be conducted during business operations in actual work setting

Lectures. The oral presentation of the information to the audience. It is cost-effective; because of the lack of two-way communication the audience did not get the necessary information for a long term

Coaching / Mentoring. It is cost-effective because it can be used internal trainees, such as managers or supervisors and they can closely monitor the performance of the employees.

Training for all employee levels:

Job rotation. Involves moving trainees form one job to another. it is effective because in this way the employees see how the work is performed in different jobs.

Role-playing. Allow the participants to experience real life or exaggerated situations.

Business games. A type of simulations through which participants learn how to deal with a variety of issues in a business environment

Vestibule training. Is a simulation that allows performing the job off-site, in this way is not affecting the business, and trainees learn how to handle different situations.

Team training. Is a team building, where employees learn how to work together, and be more productive and effective as a team.

Diversity training. As the work force becomes more and more multicultural, the personnel have to know how to handle these issues.

2.2.2.5 Implementing the training Program

Some managers make the mistakes that they develop the perfect training program, but they do not implement it, because of the costs and the time. But to the training to be effective and productive in the future it is not enough that the program is developed, it has to be implemented too.

Implementation of the training program, can involve a variety of approaches, and sometimes creativity generates the best solution. Front desk agent could be allowed to play a hotel management game in slow times, in this way they learn something and have fun in the same time. The training materials should be presented as a learning experience, even though the employees consider the training process as an orientation program, they learn something new about how to perform their job, the company.

A critical point to implement correctly the training would be the instructor, who has to be a subject matter expert. Whatever questions is he asked, he should be able to answer them, and teach the trainees using his experience also.

2.2.2.6 Evaluating Training

One of the most important steps in the training program is to evaluate the outcome. After the program ended periodically the employees can be evaluated to see if the program was worthwhile or not. If the responses during the evaluation are negative the training cycle starts from the beginning.

The organization will need to know if the training and development activities are achieving the forecasted results. They are trying to establish the reliability and validity of training program. In some case, like in the Food and Beverage department is more tangible ( the waiters learn how to carry three plates or the bartender learns how to make a good coffee), in others are intangibles ( Front Desk Agent learns to greet the guest with a big smile). The central point is to establish a relationship between the training methods used and some measure of performance, and this can only be achieved by assessing the trainees’ capability after the training has taken place.

"We refer to internal validity when it is found that the training objectives are met after the trainees are assesses at the end of the training programme. On the other hand, external validity is achieved if after completing the training programme, the trainees’ performance is in line with the laid-down standard" (Human Resources Management, a concise analysis, Eugene McKenna and Nic Beech 2002:242)

To evaluate the trainees’ at the end of the program a questioner like a test could be introduced to measure the level of understanding, learning and to help the future programs to achieve higher level. Another way would be the "job behavioral level", here the outcome of learning could be evaluated by the manager or supervisor. To establish whether the trainee changed his behavior or learned how to act according to the organization standards.

2.3 Establishing the use of training in the hospitality industry

The hospitality industry is one of the biggest on the Earth. The rapid evolution of it, and dramatically changes that are happening within this industry in one way is forcing the managers to constantly train the employees.

"Research on training needs is important, especially in the hospitality industry, which is known for its traditional approach in terms of human resource management." (Paul A Whitelaw ... [et al.], 2009)

Managers are trying to develop a training program that in the future will increase the productivity of the organization. In some cases this training program if is followed correctly then the results will be positive, but sometimes because of some internal issues, like high turnover, low budget it is not possible.

The training program within the training cycle can be adjusted easily to the hospitality industry.

If the training cycle is followed and implemented the costs can be reduced, and the results will be positive. This cycle fits every department from the industry: the food and beverage, rooms division, human resource, sales and marketing, etc.

There are some reasons why a training program has to be implement within the hotel, one of them is when the hotel is opening. In this situation the company has to train, educate the personnel because usually there are entry-level employees. This is the easiest way to train, because they do not have background information to what to compare to newly learn ones. From the company’s point of view is easy because the personnel can entry this industry knowing the standards and policy within that specific company. Another advantage for the personnel is when there are promotions it is highly possible to be an internal one.

A change made in the law, or a new technology is invented that are affecting the hospitality industry training must be introduced.

More information about the methods of training actually used in the Hospitality Industry presented above, in section "Choosing training methods" can be seen in Chapter 4, Data analysis where an interview taken with a Human Resources Manager will be explained and analyzed.

2.4 summary

In the literature review, the researcher has provided background information into the concept of training and into the training process.

This chapter has presented existing information regarding methods of identifying training needs, the training cycle developed by Robert H. Woods, which includes the objectives, the methods of selecting trainees, the methods of training and processes of implementing and evaluating training.

This chapter also provided general existing information regarding the use of training in the hospitality industry. More information about this section can be found in chapter 4. Data analysis.

The next chapter details the methodology used to conduct the research.

Chapter 3. Methodology

3.1 Introduction

This chapter explains and justifies the methodology used in order to complete the research.

They type of dissertation undertaken is an empirical one. This type has a literature base and also requires undertaking a primary research. Literature base refers to articles, books, statistics, that have been already written in this topic.

The research strategy involves a survey which is designated for employees, and an interview for the recruiters involved in this research. In this way the quantitative and qualitative research data is involved.

3.2 Secondary Research

A research question or hypothesis can be answered through literature review. This requires the researcher to seek existing data sources for relevant information, and then analyze and summarize the data obtained. (Hale, 2006)

Secondary data is identified by Pape (2011) as existing data that has been collected and processed for the purpose of solving a particular problem that should serve as a starting point for the research project.

"Secondary research involves synthesis of existing research rather than primary research, where data is collected from, research subjects or experiments" [Crouch; Sunny Crouch, Matthew Housden (2003):19]. In this part of the research, the researcher consulted the already existing information about the topic, which can be found in the literature.

3.2.1 Literature Search

The purpose of the literature search is to obtain existing data that concerns the topic discussed in the present research.

In order to obtain existing information regarding training, the researcher looked for mainly Human Resources books that explains and clarifies the concept of training. Such books were found in the local library in the city of Brasov, and in the school’s library. Other information regarding the topic was found online, at Training Magazine (www.trainingmag.com), SAGE database, Manchester Metropolitan University’s online library and other online articles.

For the purpose of conducting the literature search, several keywords were used: "training", "training objectives", "training methods", "job descriptions and job specification", "types of training", "evaluating training".

The search for literature was mainly successful, as can be seen in the Literature Review chapter. The major problem was the lack of information regarding the use of training in the hospitality industry.

3.2.2 Literature Review

A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work.

The Literature chapter is categorized in two main chapters: "Determining the concept of training", and "To establish the use of training in the hospitality industry". This structure was formed according to objectives set in the Research Proposal: "To explore the concept of training" and "To establish the use of training in the hospitality industry".

Further information about the content of the literature review can be found in Chapter 2.

3.3 Primary Research

Primary research consists of a collection of original primary data. It is often undertaken after the researcher has gained some insight into the issue by reviewing secondary research or by analyzing previously collected primary data. Primary research can be accomplished through various methods: questionnaires and interviews, experiments and direct observations.

3.3.1 Primary Data

Primary data is information that is created by the researcher based on the information gathered in the literature review, through a series of research instruments. The data is then analyzed and interpreted. The primary data collected will be qualitative and quantitative.

The qualitative method investigates the why and how of the decision making, not just what where, when. Qualitative methods are used to capture what people say about their meanings and interpretations. The data for qualitative research is gathered trough interviews, on-site observations, and focus groups reproduced in a narrative rather than a numerical form.

The qualitative primary data used by the researcher for this dissertation will be an interview with an employee from the human resource department. According to the dissertation proposal there should be interview with a General Manager, and around three-four interviews with Human resource personnel. Meanwhile the researcher considered that one interview will be enough. From the interview only general data need to be obtained about what kind of training cycle is used in the researched organization.

"Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques" (Given, Lisa M. (2008). The Sage encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Los Angeles, Calif.: Sage Publications)

Quantitative data is any data that can be measured and transformed in numerical form such as percentage and statistics. In layman’s terms, this means that the quantitative researcher asks specific, narrow questions and collects numerical data from participants to data collection.

The quantitative primary data used by the researched is a questionnaire addressed to hospitality industry employees. The researcher expects that the data gathered from these questionnaires will help to determine the perceptions of the employees about the concept of the training.

3.3.2 Research Instrument design

The research instrument is the tool to collect data. The ones used in this dissertation are questionnaire and interview.

The first research instrument was a questionnaire. The objective of the questionnaire was to obtain the target audience’s opinions and perceptions regarding the employee’s point of view about the concept of training. The questionnaire was designed to acquire information from Hospitality Industry employees, about their perception of the training process. The questionnaire has a total of ten questions, each closed. Multiple choices are offered for the responders, where there can easily choose the answer for the question. The responses and the questions are based in the information gathered from the literature review, and in chapter 4 Analysis of Results will be compared.

The second research instrument was an interview. The objective of the interview was to see how the Human Resource department perceives the concept of training. The interview is a semi-structured one, because "The strengths of semi-structured interviews are that the researcher can prompt and probe deeper into the given situation" (Kajornboon, 2005, p. 6).

The interview has got six questions, based on them the researcher will try to understand how the Human Resource department perceives the concept of training. In the end, the data gathered from the interview will be compared to the information gathered from the questionnaire.

3.3.3 Piloting the research Instrument

A research instrument pilot has been formulated and tested in order to evaluate the efficiency of the questionnaire. The pilot survey was distributed for a total number of ten persons. The outcome result of the questionnaire piloting revealed minor changes of the research instrument. Three additional questions were added to the questionnaire to help to gather the necessary information for the data analysis. These additional questions are mainly about the responded personnel opinion about the concept of training.

The pilot questionnaire was handled to ten persons from the guest relations department. The researcher chooses the guest relations departments, because at that moment they have got a training session, so the respondent’s memory about the training process was fresh. The results gathered from the pilot questionnaire helped to improve the actual one.

The pilot interview was made with a representative of Human Resources Department in a customer service agency located in the city of Brasov. The questions after the pilot interview remained, because the researcher considered that they are good, for the final interview and it can get the wanted results.

3.3.4 Sampling Strategy

Sampling Methods are used to select a sample from within a general population. Proper sampling methods are necessary to eliminate bias in the selection process, and in this way it can help to reduce cost or effort in gathering the information.

The sampling method used for this dissertation is the purposive sample. The purposive sample method is a non-representative subset of some larger population, and is conducted to serve a very specific need or purpose. The researched choose this sampling method because it had a specific group in mind. This specific group of people that was targeted was comprised of employees from Kronwell Hotel Brasov, the organization where the research was conducted. The sample size for the quantitative research was the total number of the employees from Kronwell Hotel Brasov. And for the qualitative research on or maximum two interviews.

The sample respondents for the qualitative research were contacted via email, the copy of these can be seen in the appendixes, and for the quantitative research were contacted directly with the managers’ verbal approval.

3.3.5 Conducting the research

The research was conducted in the Hotel Kronwell Brasov. The first research instrument was a multiple choice questionnaire, where the respondents could answer in paper and pen format and at an online platform, where the questionnaire was placed (surveymonkey.com) A number of questionnaires were distributed to employees of hospitality establishment directly, and another series of questionnaires were distributed online, due to the fact that the employees at that were not available.

The type of the interview was semi structured. One final interview was taken, with a Human Resource official from a Hotel Kronwell Brasov. The interview was tape-recorded and then was transcribed ready for analyze (See Appendix). The interview length was 6:18 minutes. It was conducted according to the already set interview questions.

3.4 Data analysis

Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making.

3.4.1 Quantitative data analysis

For the quantitative research a questionnaire was chose. The questionnaire was structured to ten questions, each multiple choice.

The researcher contacted the respondents directly, face to face, and via e-mail, for those who were not available to answer to the questionnaires in persons. The quantitative research was completed within a two week timeframe. To maintain the quality and effectiveness of the quantitative research, the researcher chooses to have at least 50 samples, the total number of employees from Kronwell Hotel Brasov.

The order of the questions in the questionnaire follows the training cycle presented in Chapter 2. Literature Review, in subchapter 2.2.2 The training cycle. The questions are based on objective number 4, "To analyze potential hospitality employees’ perception on the training procedures", from the Dissertation Proposal.

After the employee has finished the orientation program, he has to be introduced to the training process. Usually this duty is of the Human Resources Department. The first questions illustrated how well the Human Resources department explained the contents of the training session. The responses for this question are in a ranking scale: very well, fairly well, not very well, not at all.

The second question refers to the training materials that can be used in a training session. The respondent can choose between the training materials, most commonly used: visual aids, case studies, games, handouts.

The third question is in yes or no format, and asks the respondent about the job description. This question relates to the "conducting the needs assessment" step from the training cycle.

The fourth question relates to "choosing training methods" part from the cycle and asks the respondent, what were the methods were used during the training process. The respondent can choose from various methods of training: conference training, on-the-job training, lectures, coaching/mentoring, job rotation, role-playing, team training.

In the fifth question the researcher refers to the "implementing the training program" step from the cycle, by asking how much time did the respondent spent in the training session. The answer for this question is based on a ranking scale, from strongest to weakest: a great deal, a lot, a moderate amount, a little, none at all.

The sixth question refers to a specific training method, coaching and mentoring, where the actual training comes from the supervisor. The answer choices for this one are based on a ranking scale from the strongest to the weakest: extremely effective, very effective, moderately effective, slightly effective and not at all effective.

The seventh question refers to the "evaluating the training "step. It asks the respondent how often the company organizes follow-up training sessions. The respondents can choice between: weekly, twice a month, monthly, quarterly, every six months, less than every six months, never.

Question number eight and nine, ask the respondent about their personal perception about the training methods: which of them are more efficient and which of them are more commonly used. The answer choices are the same as in question four.

The final question ask general information about the respondent: name (optional), gender, age, city/town, country, occupation and years of experience.

Each number of responses was calculated as a percentage of the total number of responses. In this way the results were calculated in percentage, the analysis of these results can be seen in chapter 4. Analysis of Results.

3.4.2 Qualitative data analysis

For the qualitative research an interview was chosen. There are six questions in the interview designed for the Human Resource department. The questions are based in the Chapter 2 Literature Review, mainly on the training cycle, presented in the subchapter 2.2.2 The training cycle. The order of the questions follows the questionnaire questions order, but there are from another perspective, the Human Resource Department perspective. The interview is based on objective number 3. "To examine how hospitality recruiters use training and their perceptions on the value of training.", from the Dissertation Proposal.

The interview will be analyzed in the chapter 4. Analysis of Results.

3.5 Summary

This chapter detailed the methodology of research. It made a connection between the aim and objectives set in the Dissertation Proposal and the actual research.

It has three main parts:

The first part detailed the secondary research. What were the objectives for the literature, what kind of search mechanism was used, what key words and phrases were used in order to the researcher to be successful.

The second discusses the primary research. The objectives and purpose of the primary data, difference between qualitative and quantitative data, and which type was collected. It present the research instrument design , how was the research instrument piloted, who was the targeted respondents, and how was the actual research conducted

The last section describes the data analysis including the methods and processes that had been used and explains why.

The next chapter, chapter 4. Analysis of results presents the results of the primary data collected.

Chapter 4. Analysis of results

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Heading

4.3 Summary

Chapter 5. Conclusions, recommendations and reflections

5.1 Introduction

5.2 conclusions

5.3 Recommendations

5.4 Reflections & evaluation of methodology

5.5 Suggestions for further research