Chapter-1

Training: A Conceptual Framework

1.1 Concept of Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management is to employ people, to develop resources, utilizing

and maintaining as well as compensating their services of the employees in order to

accomplish job and Organizational requirement. It is an administrative function that

helps top level management to recruit, select, train and enhancing the potential of

candidates for an Organisation. People’s dimension is the main focus of an

Organisation.

According to Michael J. Jucius

“Human Resource Management is the field of management which has to do with

planning, organizing, directing and controlling the functions of procuring, developing,

maintaining and utilizing a labour force, such that the-

a) Objectives for which the company is established are attained economically and

effectively.

b) Objectives of all levels of HR served to the highest possible degree.

c) Objectives of society are duly considered and served.” [1]

1.1.1 Human Resource Management in Hotel Industry

Human assets is one of the critical part of hotel industry.HR creates first contact

between the association and clients. Business of hotels is specifically influenced by

the auspicious and great administrations gave by the lodging to their clients. Workers

are most essential assets of Hotel Industry to give best administrations, live up to

client’s desires and attain advantage. Hence viable administration of human assets is

extremely critical for the accomplishment of the business. Administration practices of

lodging industry fundamentally incorporates high work turnover, absence of

preparing, work increase, and so forth. [2]

1.1.2 Human Resource Department in Hotel Industry

The role of HR Manager in Hotel Industry is to direct employees so that they all

perform well together, but firstly he or she must train their employees as a competent

worker so that they must know how to perform their job. If employees are not

performing well then they will get bad reviews; so proper management of human

resources is very important in every Organization.

Luxury Hotels hire number of employees for diversified jobs in functional

department, it is necessary to control over employees of all departments. As all

departments have their own managers who instruct their departmental employees but

effective supervision is the main focus of HRD and the respective Departmental

Heads communicate all the information to the Top Management. Each Hotel has their

own HR policies which are conducted by one of the responsible executive to provide

guidance. [3]

As for the example: Lalit follows the policy which is written on the information

board which generates the sense of motivation and feeling of belongingness towards

the Hotel.

I am proud

I am Excited

I am Empowered

I am Lalit

1.2 Concept of Training

Preparing employees for the better performance is a vital role of Human Resource

Department. At the point when the representative chose set and presented he must be

furnished with preparing sessions. Preparing enhances representative information,

bent and conduct towards the necessity of the occupation and association. It alludes to

the learning, motivation and performance sessions conducted with end goal of serving

parts of Organization so they can gain and apply for the information and capacities

required by a specific occupation and association. The primary point of Human

Resource Department is to give information, aptitudes and state of mind to the

representatives who will enhance their present and future occupation execution and

hierarchical viability. Organisations help their workers to learn new aptitudes as to

perform all the work more successfully. Organisations with more dynamic individuals

turned approaches have exceeded expectations, deserting the opposition. This is on

the grounds that when associations use in individuals, in their preparation methods,

what they really receive in exchange is higher aptitude and more prominent capability

that enhances self-assurance and benefit of the Organization. Organization’s

Development and Worker's Development are joined with one another to increase long

term benefit.

Jawaharlal Nehru once cited: "It respects have goodwill; it respects have

excitement. Anyway it is key to have Training".

The fruitful Organization without bounds is a learning association which concentrates

on making and picking up information for enhancing the execution of representatives

and building aggressive edge and also serves to scaffolds the contrast between

occupation necessities and representative's particulars. Organisations without bounds

will find how to strike individuals' dedication and their ability to learn at all levels. [4]

1.2.1 Features of Training

· Improvement in Employee Performance.

· Updations in Employee Skills.

· Preparing Employees for Promotion and Administrative Succession.

· Retaining Employee.

· Motivating Employee.

· Creating effective and efficient Organization.

Training – Employee Excellence

· Optimum utilization of resources.

· Development of Skills of Employees.

· Goodwill

· Healthy working environment

· Health and Safety

· Morale

· Profitability

· Productivity

· Team spirit

· Organizational culture

1.2.2 Objectives of Training

The main objectives of Training are as follows:

· To ensure the accessibility of a capable and willing personnel to an

Organization.

· To prepare the new entrants and existing employee to meet the present and

varying necessities of the profession as well as Organization.

· To avoid obsolesce in the Organisation.

· To prepare employee’s for higher level authority.

· To make sure the proper and proficient working standards of all the

departments.

· To ensure cost-effective productivity with excellence.

· To sustain each and every employee with intellectual, supportive attitude and

good inter-personal relationships.

· Develop competencies in employees to make improvements in their

Performance.

· Assist employees to grow within the Organisation to meet prospect Human

Resources.

· Limited learning time for the new entrants and to ensure that they will become

more competent as soon as possible. [5]

1.2.3 Principles of Training

1. Progress Information: The main responsibility of trainers has to give the right

information at the right time to the trainee.

2. Motivation: The trainer should find out the proper ways to motivate experienced

employees who are already enjoying better facilities.

3. Reinforcement: The rewards and punishments are the means to reinforce the

effectiveness of trainee regarding new skills and knowledge.

4. Practice: To make learning program more effective trainee should keenly take part

in training sessions conducted by the Management.

5. Individual Differences: Trainer is the one who has to adjust the training sessions

as per the abilities and talent of the trainee. [6]

Figure -1.1Principles of Training in Hotel Industry

(Source - G Pandu Naik “Training and Development-Text, cases and research”, 2007 edition)

1.2.4 Need of Training in the Luxury Hotels

Training is needed in organization to strengthen the employees and to improve their

knowledge and skills. Training is essential in any Organization to keep its main focus

on satisfying the beneficiaries. Training can enable them to:

Factors Purposes

Technological Advancement Improved Productivity

Organisational Complexity Prevention of Obsolesce

Job Requirements Preparing for Higher Level Authority

Human Relations

Top Management Support

Learning Principles High Morale

Personnel Functions

· Familiarizes employees with the mission, vision, rules and regulations and

working condition of the Hotel.

· Matching specialization of employee with the profile requirements as per the

desires of the Hotel.

· Existing employees of the hotel trained to refresh and enhance their skills and

knowledge.

· Help to cope up with the updations taken place in the technology.

· For the promotions and career growth to share the responsibilities of higher

level jobs.

· It becomes more responsive to gain the importance of good communication

and consultation.

· Provide employees to identify their responsibilities.

· Support those who are less interactive in order to improve their

communication.

It plays significant role for higher level authorities who have the main responsibility

to communicate. It helps in the development of employees working with that

Organization.

1.2.5 Basic Areas of Training in Luxury Hotels

v Policies of the Company

v Employees Skills

v Aspect of Human Relations

v Problems of Employees

v Administrative and Decision-making Skills.

1.2.6 Methods of Training in Luxury Hotels

Ø Sort by Objects of the Training

Training is differed by different groups, the three parties involved in are the top

management group, and the second is supervisory management and the third group is

employees who are working in these respective departments: Frontline department,

Food and Beverages department, Housekeeping department and Sales department

who are engaged in operations and offers premium services.

The top management group which includes HR Mangers, General Managers and

Assistant Managers of each department take care of making decisions for their

respective employees.

The Training in the organizations mainly consists of marketing, sales, financing and

cost controlling etc. Supervisory management is the group who supports all the

working teams in the Organization, such as supervisors, leaders of different teams etc.

they should be trained about management working which includes concepts of the

work, ability of the employees, professional knowledge they possess, services they

offers to their customers and how to deal with guests requests and complaints etc.

Front line office staff manages all the operations; Training imparted to them should be

mainly focused on their professional knowledge, technical competencies and working

culture and attitudes to improve their efficiency.

Ø Sort by Location of Training

As per the location where trainings take place, trainings are separated into in-house

training, on-the-job training and outside training.

In-house training is planned by the Human Resource Department, using the facilities

such as the room for training, staff canteen (pantry) etc. On-the-job Training is

conducted by each department includes supervisors, team leaders and trainers of each

department who are responsible for the training sessions, knowledgeable worker

trains the employee. (Dessler 2006, 157) .Outside training is the training which is

imparted to the employees outside the hotel. Trainees focus on seminars and

conferences and participate in the training sessions conducted outside the hotel

premises, or go out of the country to other sister hotels for training.

Ø Sort by Contents of Training

Trainings are usually conducted, to help the new entrants to get familiar with the hotel

and also for improving employee’s proficient skills; therefore, the different contents

of trainings can be divided as:

· Orientation Training

The main idea of Orientation Training is an Introduction with other employees as well

as with the premises. New employees require being familiar to the premises of Hotel,

Culture and principles of Hotel.

· Apprentice Training

Apprentice training is essential for the new employees to know about the general

information and basic skills which are needed to perform the work. This kind of

training helps in creating good relationships with the other employees and the

management. Besides, it helps the new employees to situate up the positive attitude

towards work.

· Safety Training

Safety training is imparted to the new entrants as well as the existing ones so that they

can take care when they are working.

· Promotional Training

Promotional training in simple sense means “to promote” .It is provided to the

employees who are working excellently as per their duties and responsibilities gets

promoted to the higher level.

· Certification Training

As per the practical and theoretical trial employees receives specialized certificates

from the hotels. The main purpose of these trial sessions is to improve knowledge and

skills of employees and motivates them.

· Simulation Training

Simulation training is practical based training session which aims to make

improvements in the system of working and also focuses on efficiency of work by

placing on the actual workplace. These training sessions are arranged by the Human

Resource Department. This training is in continuation in day to day work. Heads of

each department plays a very imperative role by imparting proper training

arrangements.

· On-the-job Training

Specialized quality of employee’s is the key of hotel services, the basic attitude of

working are taught in this kind of training by the trainers, as well, politeness, manners

and techniques of handling interpersonal relations are taught by the trainers. The main

aim of such training sessions is to perform tasks in the best possible way to achieve

effective results.

· Language Training

Employees who are working in the hotels are required to be familiar with one or two

foreign languages, English is used as an international language, each and every staff

member needs to be familiar with and other language which is required depending on

the locality of the Hotel.

· Hotel Services and Administration Training

For improving the administrative services training sessions are arranged by the hotels

which includes telephone techniques, maintaining guest relationships, skills used for

sales, maintaining public relations, general information of the hotel, security and

safety etc.

· Cross Training

Cross training is used to support employees in gaining knowledge and skills and also

to communicate with the employees working in other departments as well as to cope

with the changing environment.

1.2.7 Benefits of Training in Luxury Hotels

Training helps employee to enhance their capabilities and strengthen competitive

edge. Effective training improves professional capabilities. It benefits employees,

management, as well as customers also as they get good quality of products and

services.

I. Management Benefits

1. Sustaining Standards

Training helps the employees to introduce with the principles, policies and procedures

of Organization to maintain its standard and system.

2. Evaluating Employee’s Performance

Trainers sort out those employees who are instant learners and those who posses

better skills by involved in special training methods for the better outcome.

3. Identify Employees for Promotion and Transfer

Trainers identified the capabilities and personalities of the employees as some

employees are suitable for other position. Management makes best possible use of

employees according to their abilities.

II. Employee Benefits

1. Allows Employee to become more Productive

Training helps employees to relate with the responsibilities, understanding the

techniques which helps to improve employee’s capability and increases efficiency.

2. Fosters Self- Development and Self- Confidence

When training gets over employee will identify with their duties regarding their job

position with knowledge and experience they obtained during their training sessions

as a result they will become more confident with their work and provide better

services to their customers.

3. Increases Job Satisfaction

Training helps the employees to understand their duties, responsibilities, how to

perform task in the Organization. It helps to make them understand their work profile

in better approach and be in love with whatever they perform by understanding their

job procedures.

4. Helps Employee to become more effective Problem Solver

During training sessions practical knowledge is also provided to the employees so that

they can deal with the problems and sort out their solutions.

III. Organizational Benefits

1. Increases Profitability

After Training, productivity and better services results in more profits in return.

Training helps the Organization to increase their profit level by satisfying the needs of

customers and provide those best possible services.

2. Reduces Accidents

Effective and Organized Training helps those employees to prevent from accidents

who work with the dangerous equipment.

3. Organizational Development

Advanced technologies and effective way of working develops the Organization. Staff

training develops the quality of competitiveness in employees. Training brings good

quality, competitive and loyal employee to the Organization.

4. Reduces Employee Turnover and Wastage

In the Hotel Industry wastage of resources are found commonly which can be avoided

with the help of proper training of employees. With the help of regular training

sessions work pressure and employee turnover can be minimized which results in less

labour cost with the better services can be achieved.

1.2.8 Process of Training in Luxury Hotels

“The single factor for the growth of Hotel Industry is the lack of Trained

Manpower”.

"Training is the systematic modification of behavior through learning which occurs as

a result of education, instruction, development and planned experience" (Armstrong

1999)

It is a process of increasing the knowledge and skills for doing a particular job. It is an

organised procedure by which people enhance knowledge and skills for a definite

purpose. The purpose of training is basically to bridge the gap between job

requirements and present competence of an employee. It is never ending or

continuous process.

Training procedure is basically an integral part of HRM. In Hotel Industry Training

process follows the following steps

Figure-1.2 Training process model

1. Assessing the Training Needs

The very first step in training process is assessing the need for Training. The need for

training results from the actual and desired performance. Initially training is

imparted to the employees so that they get familiar to their job and with the existing

employees. TNA is important to push up the knowledge of employee and to train

them to perform their task effectively.

2. Plan the Training

The next step is the planning of Training which focuses on objectives of training,

design of training plan and training methods selection scheme. On this stage training

ASSESSING THE TRAINING NEEDS

PLAN THE TRAINING

CARRYING OUT THE TRAINING

EVALUATE THE TRAINING

target, scheme, period, formation, place and choice of trainee’s etc. should be

answered by trainer.

3. Carrying out Training

In this phase Training is provided to the Employees with respect to their duties and

responsibilities. Trainers impart knowledge regarding what to do? How to do? During

the training sessions for the success of Organization and How to proceed for the

future training.

4. Evaluate the Training

In the final phase of training method of Hotel Industry is evaluating the output of the

training. Evaluation is important to measure the Effectiveness. It is essential to access

that the training plan met the target set in the absence of implementation phase of

planning. For more Effective Training improvements or changes are required. [7]

1.2.9 Training Effectiveness in Luxury Hotels

In today’s modern era business of hotel is all about Employee’s Competence and

Qualities. Capability of employee depends on the level of service quality, knowledge,

skills and thoughts are the qualities which led to the hotel’s development. Staff

training is important as it increases productivity of employees, motivates and inspires

employees by providing all useful information related to work and help employees to

identify the importance of their job. Training is one of the important aspects in the

implementation of HRM practices. Staff training is the major developing strategy of

the successful luxury hotels. All the repudiated Luxury Hotels initially train their

employees to increase their working efficiency to perform well and to maintain their

job standards.

Effectiveness is generally

· The degree to which training objectives are achieved.

· Cost of training on return (ROI – Return on Investment).

To avoid wastage of resources and to attain return on investment there should be a

need to measure the Effectiveness of Training Program. Several Training programs

were conducted in order to understand the training procedure and to solve the

Organizational problems. Firstly Organizational problems can be identified correctly

so that Effective Training helps in accomplishing affirmed objectives but not

succeeded in resolving the Organizational problems because the problem cannot be

identified properly. Before the training started the objectives should be clearly

understood. If the training objectives are valid, perfectly designed and having

meaningful data as well as employees held accountable to use what they learned then

it is possible to attain training effectiveness.

1.2.10 Factors affecting Training Effectiveness in Luxury Hotels

· Valid Objectives

· Knowledge and Attitudes

· Continuous Participation

· Rewards and Incentives

· Support of Top Management

· Combination of Training Methods

· Flexibility

· Involvement of Trainees

· Regular Feedback

· Training Period

· Personal Assistance

· Proper Trainees should be selected. [8]

1.2.11 Evaluation of Training Effectiveness in Luxury Hotels

The American professor, Donald Kirkpatrick developed the Training Effectiveness

Model which is known as Kirkpatrick Four Level Training Effectiveness Model. This

Model measures the Effectiveness of Training which is generally used by all these

Luxury Hotels. It consists of four levels:

Level 1: Reaction

The very first step of this model is the Reaction of Trainee about the Training and

how the Trainee “feels about the course”. The feedback sheet of the course is the

Kirkpatrick Evaluation Level 1. All Luxury Hotels do such type of measurement and

analysis. This level answered the questions regarding the perception of employees like

how happy you were with the training program. , was the material at work place is

significant to their job? etc. this sort of evaluation is generally called “Happy

Sheets”. At the initial level each plan must be evaluated. For the improvement in the

training program, the only disadvantage is that trainer does not know whether trainee

learnt something or not. Employee’s reaction at this level is important for the learning

consequences (level 2.).

Level 2: Learning

In the second level of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model improvements carried out on

the basis of pre- test and post- test as for matching the results. With such method

trainers decide that the training delivered information and trainees understand at that

time or not. The Organizations who evaluate the training program of employees are

enough confident that the trainee have learnt something at the time of training

sessions. This level of evaluation training sessions accessed the learning that has

occurred because of the training session.

Level 3: Transfer

This level measures the “Behavior”. At this level training sessions results in the

employee’s behavior. It is about the skills and knowledge that has been applied to the

working procedure for the better performance.

Level 4: Results

At the final level the accomplishment of the training program should be measured.

Increased production, better quality, low costs, sales increment, lower accidents,

higher profits, etc are the factors affecting by the well training program. In the

evaluation of training four parties are involved, they are:

· Trainee gives feedback on personal expectations and learning objectives.

· Trainers concern about the training effectiveness.

· HR Department analysis the best use of available resources.

· Managers of different department’s analyses that is there any positive

improvements in the knowledge, skills and attitudes of employees

·

Figure-1.3 Four Levels of Training Evaluation Model based on Kirkpatrick

Source - G Pandu Naik “Training and Development-Text, cases and research”, 2007 edition)

1.2.12 Components for the Successful Evaluation of Employee’s of

Luxury Hotels

1) Support of assets of Hotel during the process of Evaluation. Supportive assets are

Personnel Department Resources, Investment, Tools, Time, Accessibility of data

sources and records.

Level 4

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

·

Reaction: How did the employees feel about

the training? Did they enjoy it? Did they

consider relevant to their needs?

Learning:

Increases Knowledge and Capabilities.

Transfer: Extent of Behavior,

Capability Improvement and

Implementation.

Result: Trainee’s performance

results in Effect on the business

of organization

2) Top management and employees of the respective departments who are involved in

providing information creates an open communication channel in the Organization

3) Sound management process exists in the Hotel. [9]

1.2.13 Impact of Training on Employees Performance

A worker preparation for better performance has vital association with the

representative's execution. As numerous preparing sessions are organized the

representatives builds their level of execution. The competency and ability level of

representatives are predominantly reliant on the kind of preparation they get. General

execution of representatives has its coordinate connection with general profit of firm.

All these extravagance lodgings give best administrations to their focused clients

according to their needs. The connection in the middle of preparing and execution is

extremely critical throughout today's directors as they need more proficiency,

precision, and viability with the base cost and time and this could be accomplished

just through legitimate outline, improvement and sending of impeccable preparing

sessions for the representatives.

These extravagance lodgings are extremely imperative business spots on the grounds

that the individuals from India stay there as well as from overall individual’s

utilization to visit these extravagance hotels. Hence these extravagance lodgings are

the principle hotspot for producing income for overhauling their business.

Employees working with these Luxury Hotels feel that they get motivated, they can

make more productive use of resources, training sessions helps them in their

promotion, pay scale as well as in Administrative Succession. Training mainly help

employees in enhancing their performance which results in overall better productivity.

[10]

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