Training and Development

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR HOTEL HR

Training and development in Hotel is very necessary for an employee’s growth in the workplace. It is an essential part of Human Resource department for the implementation of HR practices and policies.

 BENEFITS OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

•  Training and development Helps employees learn jobs more quickly and effectively.
• Training and development Improves work performance of existing employees and keeps them up to date in specialist skills.
• Training and development Leads to a greater volume of work resulting from fewer mistakes and greater rapidity.
• Training and development Frees management time, less of which is spent rectifying errors, also reduces wastage.
• Training and development Can help to reduce turnover among new and established staff.
• Training and development Incorporating safety training can help reduce accidents.
• Training and development Can help to attract good workers.
• Training and development Is a precondition for flexible working.
• Training and development Creates an attitude more receptive to coping with change.

METHODS OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

• Socialization initiative: Particularly in terms of induction and becoming familiar with the prevailing organizational culture.
• Development initiative: This is more concerned with developing individuals, for example, preparing for promotion, coping with new technology or organizational change, such as attempting to become a more customer focused organization.
• Disciplinary initiative: Where some sort of training is offered to individuals who have fallen below the organizations acceptable level of quality, output or customer standards, and this could be about rectifying deficiencies in technical skills or attitudinal training.

NINE STEP APPROACH TO DEVELOP TRAINING IN A HOTEL

 STEP 1: ASSESSING TRAINING NEEDS

Analysing Training and development needs is a crucial part of HRD as the identification of needed skills and active management of employee learning is integral to developing corporate and business strategies. Many would argue that for training to be effective it is necessary to discern not only the training needs of the individual and the group, but also how their needs fit the overall organizational objectives. Essentially then training needs analysis allow for an appreciation of the need to ensure that there is a fit between training and the company culture, strategy and objectives. Equally, the training needs of the individual needs to be reconciled with those of the organization. In terms of developing a training needs analysis aspects such as job descriptions, job analysis, person specifications or whether performance objectives agreed at appraisals have been met may all potentially be useful indicators.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE TRAINING PLAN

The Training and development plan is concerned with outlining what needs to be done based on the training needs of individuals, departments and the organization as a whole. In effect the training plan provides an outline sketch of what the training should address, as well as considering practical aspects such as the method, time and location of the training.

STEP 3: SPECIFYING THE TRAINING OBJECTIVES

A key question to be asked before the training is operationalized is: what are the training objectives? It is important when employees are undertaking training that they understand what they should be able to accomplish when the training programme has been completed.

STEP 4: DESIGNING THE TRAINING PROGRAMME

Suggest a number of issues need to be considered in designing the Training and development programme, including:

• Programme duration.
• Programme structure.
• Instructional methods.
• Support resources (e.g. a training facility) and the selection of training materials (e.g. videos).
• Training location or environment, which may also be determined by the task,

for example, whether it involves practical skills.

• Instructor and instructor’s experience.
• Origin of the training programme.
• Criteria and methods for assessing participants learning and achievement.
• Criteria and methods for evaluating the programme.

STEP 5: SELECTING THE INSTRUCTION METHODS

There are a multitude of methods that organizations can use to train and develop staff. All of these various methods will have both strengths and weaknesses and in that sense there is no one ‘best’ Training and development method. Rather, there is a need for organizations to adopt a contingent approach to training in developing training methods. Although there are a great variety of Training and development methods, most can be categorized into three different types of training, in-company on-the-job, in-company off-the job and external off-the-job.

STEP 6: COMPLETING THE TRAINING PLAN

With the establishment of the main design features and the methods which are to be used, the training plan can now be completed. Note that a complete training plan will have details about the target group (e.g. all service staff), the topic to be considered (e.g. customer handling), method(s) to be adopted (e.g. role play), time (e.g. two hours) and location (e.g. conference centre).

STEP 7: CONDUCTING THE TRAINING

Suggest that if other aspects of the nine-step approach are followed the training activity/programme should be effectively delivered. Though there are a number of other factors that might impact on the Training and development, such as participant selection, ensuring the group feels comfortable physiologically and psychologically and ensuring the person delivering the training is properly prepared and has the right skills.

STEP 8: EVALUATING THE TRAINING

The eighth stage of the nine-step approach is to evaluate the Training and development in order to take feedback from the trainees. There are a number of methods of evaluating training:

• Questionnaires or so-called ‘happiness sheets’ are a useful way to elicit trainees’ responses to courses and programmes.
• Tests or examinations are common in more formal training courses and are useful for checking the progress of trainees.
• Projects can be useful in providing useful information for instructors.
• Structured exercises and case studies allow for trainees to apply their learned skills and techniques under observation.
• Tutor reports allow for instructors to offer an assessment of the utility of the Training and development.
• Observation of courses by those responsible for devising training strategies can be very useful in the development of future Training and development.
• Participation and discussion during the Training and development, though this requires a highly skilled facilitator.
• Appraisal allows for the line manager and trainee to consider the success or otherwise of training that has been undertaken during performance reviews.

STEP 9: PLANNING FURTHER TRAINING

After the training and its evaluation, training has, in effect, come full circle and the planning process can begin again.