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Making the appointment (French & Rumbles, 201 0) The first consideration is to define the job description (statement of scope, main purpose and responsibilities of the role) and the personal specification desirable and essential experience, skills, qualifications and attributes required to fulfill the role). Each item on the specification should be clearly related to the job requirements and should be non discriminatory. Applicants may come from the internal or external labor market. Promoting from within can enhance the organization’s reputation amongst its workforce and contribute to a strong brand.
In certain cases, it may, however, perpetuate discrimination. An external appointment may bring a valuable mix of skills, knowledge and experience, which may be particularly useful in senior roles. Currie 2009) The Excelsior Hotel is a new organization, so internal recruitment is not an option. Externally, the hotel could utilities the networking and experience of a recruitment agency, which would match potential candidates to the personal specification and job description. Their experience of adhering to the legal framework surrounding recruitment combined with the limited resources of the hotel at present may make this option attractive.
However, recruitment agencies charge for their services, which adds cost. Therefore, the hotel could be advised to place their own advertisement(s) in swappers, specialist press, the job centre, as well as social media outlets. Most of these options have relatively low costs and allow the organization to design and word the advert as specifically as they like, within the boundaries of the legal framework. Time would be required to design the advert and plan where to place it. When creating the advert the hotel must be aware of relevant legislation e. G.
Equality Act 201 0, Equality Act 2006, Work and Families Act 2006, EX. Directive 200/78/CE on Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation and the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999. JOG, 2014) The job advert will help to sell the organization to potential employees. Wording should be concise and positive, with a clean and professional layout. The advert conveys images of the organization, its services and its overall philosophy. (Taylor, 2005) A method successfully utilized by Caduceus Speeches is a self-selection questionnaire as part of the application to allow candidates to assess if they meet the company’s requirements. Murphy, 2005) If the company possesses a website, e- recruitment could be used. According to a CUPID recruitment report based on revues in 1 999 and 2007, 75% of employers made use of electronic media such as websites when recruiting. Additionally, research has shown that website design has a major influence upon users perceptions of the organization and its attractiveness as a perspective employer. (Williamson et al, 2003) Whichever method is adopted, it is crucial to define a closing date for applications, after which the managerial team at the hotel should draw up a shortlist from the applications.
The person specification and job description should guide this process to ensure that decisions are as fair and objective as Seibel. The interview presents a good opportunity for both employer and prospective employee to learn more about each other and validate information they have each provided. However the reliability and validity of the interview as a predictive device is open to question. There is also debate surrounding data protection and confidentiality as well as other legal issues. (Leighton & proctor, 2001) However, if adequately planned and conducted, interviews can give insight into candidates’ abilities and suitability.
A number of selection methods could be used for such a vital role. A structured interview could be used to improve the validity and reliability of selection decisions. The interviewer should prepare questions, to be asked of all candidates, based on job requirements, as defined by the job description and person specification. Ideally, someone should be present to make unbiased notes of candidates’ responses, which will allow the management team to analyses the answers more accurately at a later point. Currie, 2009) Personality tests could be used to assess the extent to which candidates possess characteristics associated with successful job performance. These would need to be admit existed by a suitably qualified practitioner. As a practical exercise, candidates could be given a set amount of time in which to construct a cosseted menu to complement the hotel’s objective of being a high quality establishment. This would illustrate innovation, creativity and experience, and give the managerial team an insight into how the perspective employee reacts to pressure.
It may also prove beneficial to examine the self-selection questionnaires completed with the application, and ask each candidate to complete a DiSC report. DRP Meredith Beeline defines successful team as “A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members” (Beeline, 1 993) understanding how different personalities will function and relate to one another in a team setting could prove invaluable in forming a team capable of achieving the success desired.
When interviews and other selection tests have been completed, the management team should analyses the applications and results, check references if this has not already been done, again referring to the job role and person specification ND agree which candidate meets the requirements. The appointment can then be offered to the preferred candidate. Assuming the candidate accepts the job on the terms offered, they can be issued with a statement of the main terms and conditions of their employment. The recruitment and selection procedure can be found in Appendix A.
Induction Programmer An induction programmer represents the employer’s opportunity to build on the work begun during the recruitment process to communicate the organization’s culture, values and vision and to integrate new employees into the organization, ensuring they feel settled and become effective in their new oleos as quickly as possible. Here, the manager has to induct an entire staff team into a new undertaking and so, must ensure that the opportunity to define the employer’s brand and communicate it clearly is taken.
Marching and Wilkinson (2011) draw on work done by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CUPID), noting that almost 1 in 5 new starters leaves an organization within six months and as many as 1 in 25 employees leaves because Of poor induction. Where induction is not comprehensive and well planned, new staff may feel isolated, lacking in information about the organization and unable to learn to do their jobs well.
Their ultimate expression of dissatisfaction would be to leave and for a new hotel such as the Excelsior, this would be financially costly and damaging to the reputation of a hotel looking to become an employer of choice. To help the hotel become such an employer, the brand must be developed. This will help to attract and retain highly qualified staff if it continues to be clearly communicated to staff through every stage of the employment relationship, including induction.
The ACS Guide to Recruitment and Induction notes that the “benefits of a good induction programmer are a more settled employee, a ore effective response to training, lower employee turnover and improved employment relations. ” (ACS, 2014) The General Manager will aim to ensure that his new staff clearly understands the hotel’s culture and values and the importance of their roles in demonstrating these. S/he will be concerned to begin the process of demodulating which should be consolidated through operational experience.
Equally important will be the communication of the required standards of performance. The manager should ensure beforehand that all staff, including part time or temporary staff and those with any additional needs Or disabilities are able to attend. If staff have any particular requirements, these should be accommodated to allow everyone’s full participation. The programmer set out at Appendix B is designed to deliver these things, whilst avoiding information overload and allowing new staff to contribute to a meaningful evaluation of the programmers effectiveness.
Discipline and Grievance The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recommend that a professional discipline and grievance procedure is in place to provide the organization with a clear structure to decisively and effectively resolve any difficulties that arise in working relationships. (CUPID, 2013) Whilst the ACS Code of Practice states: “Disciplinary procedures should not be seen primarily as a means of imposing sanctions but rather as a way of encouraging improvement amongst employees whose conduct or performance is unsatisfactory. (Barreled & Clayton, 2010) Disciplinary and grievance procedures are implemented for the benefit of both employer and employee. An employer may seek to impose disciplinary action on an employee if they have conducted themselves in an appropriate way or under performed. Whilst an employee may raise a grievance if they feel discriminated against, unfairly treated or have an issue with management conduct or behavior. Disciplinary action can be initiated for a variety of reasons.
Employee misconduct covers a spectrum of ill behavior scaling from committing an illegal offence, which is deemed as gross misconduct within the workplace, to continued lateness and failure to follow instruction competently. Having a clearly defined procedure allows employees to be aware of their expected conduct and the subsequent consequences that will be enforced if they fail to adhere. These procedures not only provide a framework for working through employee misconduct and conflicts that could arise between employees, but also reduce the risk of employment tribunals.
Employment tribunals are an unnecessary burden to any organization with the financial and commercial implications that are associated. One of the main causes of employment tribunals is employees raising cases of unfair dismissal due to a lack of clearly structured procedures. (Marching & Wilkinson, 201 1) If a case reaches a tribunal the procedures can be used as a reference against an employee that is claiming unfair treatment. It shows the employee in terms of standards what is expected of them and the way they perform and conduct their tasks at work.
If these standards are compromised a disciplinary procedure will explain the likely consequence of continued slipping standards. If a case reaches a tribunal and the organization does not have a structured disciplinary and grievance procedure then the case will be examine against the ACS framework. (Ihram et al, 2011) The Excelsior Hotel will need to create their own procedure for dealing with disciplinary and grievance issues, therefore familiarizing and following the ACS (2013) Code of Practice is a necessity.
A recommended disciplinary and grievance procedure can be seen in Appendix C. Work-Life Balance Currie (2009) describes work-life balance as “a reflection of the importance that individuals attribute to each of the various aspects of their lives. It is a reflection of how much time and attention a person gives, and is able to give, to the responsibilities, obligations and activities including leisure that he/she carries out at work, home and elsewhere. Societal changes have meant that there are increasing numbers of women in the labor market, many with child or elder care responsibilities in addition to their paid employment (Marching & Wilkinson, 201 1). The 2001 Census notes that, of the 15. Million employees aged 16-74 in full time work, 1. 6 million provide at least some unpaid care (ACS, Flexible Working and Work-life balance, 2013). People 1st note that 59% of the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism workforce is female and approximately 55% of these women work part time, possibly making work-life balance more of a female issue (B. W. People SST. Co. UK, 2014). This makes flexible working initiatives extremely relevant to employers in these industries. Redden & Wilkinson (2008) note that “many employees are working longer hours, feeling more pressurized in heir job and at home and are struggling to maintain a healthy balance in their lives” At the same time, employers have to respond to customer expectations that many goods and services will be available outside traditional working hours.
The hospitality sector is a prime example of this. Legislative changes e. G. The Work and Families Act, 2006, The Equality Act, 201 0 and The part time Workers (Prevention Of Less Favorable Treatment Regulations, 2000) have forced employers to review policies but there has also been a greater awareness of the business case for flexible working and work-life balance.
In helping staff to achieve this, employers can expect: increased flexibility, making it easier to provide cover for holidays and other absences improved, morale, engagement, motivation and commitment from staff which will support The Excelsior aim of becoming an employer of choice reduced absenteeism improved recruitment and retention of staff Redden and Wilkinson note the findings of a Yogurt Survey, 2006 that 39% of respondents rated flexible working and bonuses in their top 3 attractions to a job. (Redden & Wilkinson, 2009).
This resonates with the Future Laboratory’s 2005 report, “Freestyles at Work”, also cited by Redden & Wilkinson, which, in a survey of 1000 people aged 25-35, found that 75% said they were looking for another job because their needs were not taken into account. Hence, achieving a good work-life balance can benefit employers and employees. “Flexibility can be in terms of working time, working location or the pattern of working” (CUPID 2014). Flexible working practices include home working, teleporting, term time working, job share, compressed hours, part time working, flextime, Zero hours contracts and career breaks.
Not all these Will be suitable for all types of business and line managers will need purport from senior managers and HER professionals on how to respond to requests for flexible working. The policy shown at Appendix D suggests how The Excelsior Hotel might respond to requests for any of these working patterns. Reward Scheme The Excelsior Hotel is a new establishment, seeking to establish itself as a high end hotel, offering world class quality and service. It also wishes to become an employer of choice. To do this, its staff must be of the highest caliber and share the hotel’s goals.
The reward scheme must, therefore, be equal to the task of recruiting retaining and motivating such staff. Historically, pay has been seen as the main reason why people work, but as ACS notes, “pay and financial benefits are not the only motivator for worker performance”. (ACS, 2013). Nonetheless, financial rewards remain vitally important. While pay structures have traditionally represented a balance between internal and external market factors, Kessler added business strategy as a third element which underpins pay strategies. (Redden & Wilkinson, 2009).
This recognizes that employees are key to organizational success and financial and other rewards can help achieve the performance an origination needs from its staff in order to achieve its goals. There are several options available to the hotel in determining basic wage/salary rates for their vacancies. Initially, market research is needed to establish what constitutes competitive salaries locally and nationally in the case of senior posts within the structure. S/he also needs to decide whether there will be any sort of grading structure.
Given that the total number Of jobs is relatively small and disparate, this would probably be unduly complex and a rate for the job is recommended as an alternative. The Excelsior staff represents a significant financial investment and the hotel will wish to retain and develop competent employees. Financially, this could be done by offering service based increments or competency payments that recognize additional, valued skills, training and qualifications undertaken. Care needs to be taken with service based increments as these can be indirectly discriminatory against women who often take breaks from the labor market for family reasons.
An alternative would be for the hotel to develop a competency based progression scheme which would reward additional skills or training assessed as relevant to the job. As Redden & Wilkinson say, “… Reward is a … Complex issue which has to take account of three fundamental principles in determining systems and structures: internal equity, external equity and business strategy. ” (Redden & Wilkinson, 2009) The scheme outlined so far takes an assessment of local and national rates for each job as its benchmark for establishing basic pay (external) and supplements this with a hotel designed competency progression scheme (internal).
A strategic element, and one which will help the hotel stand above other establishments, would be the provision Of a total rewards package. This shows that, as an employer, it recognizes the needs of its employees and is prepared to take them into account. As the CUPID explains “Individuals are attracted and retained by a variety of financial and non financial rewards and these can change over time, depending on their personal circumstances”. (CUPID, 2014) The package of rewards could be flexible and offer a cafeteria system which could vary according to the level of the post in the structure.
More senior roles could be offered some additional benefits e. G. Private health care, improved pension provision or profit sharing, all up too restricted value, expressed as a percentage of basic salary. A more basic ‘menu’ of benefits could be available to all staff, possibly offering a choice Of child care vouchers, staff discount scheme at local shops, use of hotel facilities, flexible working patterns e. G. Compressed or annual hours, access to training or study programmer, again to a prescribed value expressed as above.
Staff should receive an annual statement showing the value of the rewards chosen. This would require assigning a value to each benefit, which could be time consuming and difficult initially. Additionally, monthly quality wards could be made to housekeeping, kitchen and front of house staff on a team or individual basis. These could be based on a managerial assessment of excellence, customer feedback, or a combination of the two. Using a total reward package would show very clearly the value the hotel places on having excellent staff who deliver consistently excellent service.