Hotels Must Train To Gain

Notes From The Front

Shruti Johri

Hotels are profit driven organisations where all objectives are based on maximum productivity while using a minimum amount of resources. Very often, training is considered to be a waste of time and money, thereby reducing productivity considerably. Rarely do hotels believe that training is an integral part of organisational mission, vision and objectives and that it helps increasing profits through enhanced guest satisfaction, employee satisfaction and shareholder satisfaction.

Exploring the reason behind this, we find that, the structure and design of training programmes are often incorrect or outdated leading to no results or partial results, which are profit based. We also need to change our outlook on training by understanding that not all results can be measured tangibly but there will be times that a particular training session will increase employee satisfaction leading to a healthy work culture. A healthy work culture will generate more quality work and productivity.

Let us try to understand the basic training needs of a hotel and how this need may be fulfilled through proper processes thereby generating higher profits.

Training Programme

Training processes and programmes must be based on a definite logic:

• Who are we training?
• What training does this group trainees need?
• How do we train them?
• How do we measure the effectiveness of the training programme?
• How do we bridge the gap between objectives and end results?

The first issue that needs to be addressed is that most of us in the industry still need to be trained. Training needs are different based on the job roles as well as the grasping power and interest of individual staff members. To decide on what type of training is to be given, it is important to know what trainees really need and to align this with company goals and objectives.

A few sources that may be used to collate this information in a hotel are:

• Guest feedback analysis
• Performance appraisal analysis
• Individual’s personal development targets
• Promotions/role enhancements
• Employee satisfaction analysis
• Service upgradation

All of the above should ideally be compiled by the training manager assigned to every department and the results circulated within the department. The department heads in turn must send a compilation in which the technical topics along with their prepared modules related to the training needs are listed.

Based on the above, the training department will calculate the training man-hours that need to be achieved and send it to various departments. Training needs are primarily of two types – one related to the technical capability of a person the second related to a person’s attitude.

For the latter, the programme needs to be behavioural training, which is essentially the training department’s core competence. In extreme cases, psychiatric counselling may be necessary.

The training tools and modes used depend on the module, which can be decided departmentally. The training manager must assess the training effectively, from time to time, by using any of the tools as shown in the picture. The general manager or any other senior person can also be involved to raise interest levels and morale amongst team members. The results again will help one to correctly analyse whether or not a department or staff requires further training and what kind.

(The author is ex-housekeeper with The Oberoi Group of Hotels. She may be contacted at shrutijoshi@sancharnet.in)