Chapter 1. A Case for Training and Development.

A1. Hospitality Today:

• No longer is it acceptable to satisfy the guest.
• The key to guest loyalty and commitment is exceptional service and, when problems do occur, quick and precise recovery approaches.
• Guest expectations that must be met and exceeded.
• Now lifelong learning (through training) is today’s business requirements.

A2. Today’s Work Force:

• The employees’ values and expectations are changing with time.
• Employers are providing learning opportunities and professional development in lieu of job security.
• Employee will remain with the organization as long as they are developing skills and meeting or exceeding their expectations for skill development.
• Employees’ motivations are tied to education, training, mentoring and growth opportunities.
• Employees view competencies as an asset; which can be traded for higher salaries.

Conclusion:

Today Training has become the survival tool, because the industry has realized that the competition to recruiting and retaining quality employees defines the business success. In order to reduce turnover which has severe impact of guest service, training in hospitality industry has become an important function if HR Department.

A3. Training and the strategic plan:

• Strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more, how it's going to get there and how it'll know if it got there or not. The focus of a strategic plan is usually on the entire organization, while the focus of a business plan is usually on a particular product, service or program. (http://managementhelp.org/strategicplanning/)
• Incorporating training into the organization’s strategic plan
• Viewing training as an on-going continual process, which will ensure the progress of employees and making clear connections between new skills and competencies and the positive effect on productivity and job performance.
• Relating comprehensive strategic training plan; in order to accomplishing organizational goals.

A4. Technological change

·         In today’s hospitality economy, efficient and timely control is determining the industry leaders who have better technology in the system.

·         It increases efficiency and decision making capacity.

·         Challenge for the employees is to work smarter through technological advances to meet ever increasing customer demands.

·         Trainer need to be technology conscious to organization while expanding the horizons and exploring new paradigms.

·         Selection of appropriate technology determines the efficiency of the skills and knowledge competencies transferred during training.

A6. Creative training:

·         Introduction of innovative training approaches, by producing synergistic affect (working along with the management team).

·         It depends on the mission of the organization, the staff members involve, and the resources available.

A7. Learning Organization:

·         It focuses to the organization which provides the environment of lifelong learning and growing opportunities.

·         Training act as the tool to bring and sustain this continuous learning process of the organization.

B. Adult Learning principles

• Adult learner theorist Malcolm Knowles emphasized that self- motivation is the best stimulus for learning with “need to know” and “readiness to learn”, are critical to success of adult learning.
• Introduction of the concept of WIFM to the group of employees is a very effective training technique. What’s in it for me? To draw the attention of the adult learners.
• Training should focus to life, task, or problem –centered related to adults.
• Experiential learning exercises should be emphasized (case studies, role plays , games etc)
• Use groups and teamwork rather than traditional classroom set-up.
• Enhance self-esteem and feelings of accomplishment are motivators in adult learning.

C. Promoting training:

• Training manager or director must support for and involvement in training throughout the organization, starting with senior level management.
• Creative marketing approaches will heighten the interest level among employees in lure of certificate, photos in news letter, etc.
• CEO or CLO should motivate employee to take the training programs, which will help to establish the appropriate learning environment for employees and build the culture of the business as a learning organization.

D. Training Issues of the Twenty-First Century.

Issues of the century have occurred due to the intense competition going in the environment. Quality issues and how business can gain the competitive edge has become even more vital. The importance of continuous employee training and development play paramount role in consistently delivery of quality service.  However the various issues comes front as a big challenge to overcome. They are:

D1. The scheduling of training: This issue focuses towards how the trainer is going to schedule the training program, how he is going to make assurance to the management that the training program will not hamper the operation of the business and at the same time ensures the productivity of the training will be positive.

D2. Negligent Training: It is applied in cases where customers or guests are injured because of the behavior of employees. A business owner whose employee commits an illegal action while on the job can find their business liable for the employee's actions, especially if the business did not exercise the proper care in training that employee. One good example of this is a case involving Wal-Mart in Wisconsin, where employees wrongfully, and with no reasonable cause, accused and detained a customer for shoplifting. The company was found to be liable for failing to train and supervise its employees                                                     ( http://blogs.findlaw.com/free_enterprise/2010/10/negligent-hiring-and-training-suits.html)

D3. Diversity: The changing business environment involves more complex workforce due to diversity in sex, gender, age, socio-economic background, literacy level, culture. The training program should be designed in such a way that the diverse work force is having the awareness, willingness, and adaptability to use different training approaches.

D4. Learning disabilities: Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. They arise in numerous ways like; visual, auditory, muscular, processing, social, attention. These problems can make it difficult for a trainee to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence.

      (http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/learning/learning_disabilities.html)

D5. Globalization: The process of increasing the connectivity and interdependence of the world's markets and businesses. This process has speeded up dramatically in the last two decades as technological advances make it easier for people to travel, communicate, and do business internationally.

Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around the world. Globalization in hospitality industry often starts with understanding cultural differences. Each organization 

has a different emphasis in its globalization depending on its level of maturity and integration.

E. Career options in Hospitality Training: The need of a good trainer to train its employees is important aspect of every organization in today’s hospitality industry. The career as a hospitality trainer has increased in recent years. Trainer jobs can be found in all departments, at all levels and in all types of hospitality organizations. The career options on the basis of level are:

E1. Department Level trainers: They are the hourly, non supervisory employees, hourly supervisors, or department managers who are responsible for imparting training to department level employees. They affect on new employees success, morale, and impression and socialization process

E2. Property level trainers: They are the coordinator or facilitator of training activities throughout the hotel, restaurant, and club. The trainer should have experience as a department level trainer and board understanding of the property.

E3. Regional and Corporate level trainers: They are responsible for the education and skill advancement on regional and corporate levels. Corporate trainers understand the goals of the organization and the skill level and educational needs. They are the personal at vice- president level of the business.