Hotel chain XYZ – Training for the future: "What changes can be made at Hotel Z Queenstown to meet future organisational training needs?"

Abstract

I conducted this project for Hotel Chain XYZ, focusing specifically on the Hotel Z Hotel in Queenstown. Four research questions were investigated to build a report looking at the future demands of training used by Hotel Z. The research questions looked at: the current training conducted at the hotel; whether this training was relevant to the business needs; how the current training compared to what was being delivered by tertiary providers in the area; and what changes would be necessary for the Hotel Z to meet future organisational training needs. Research was conducted through interviews with human resource (HR) staff and departmental managers in the areas of housekeeping, front office and food and beverage. I surveyed staff to gather information about the levels of training they had received, and their satisfaction with the amount of training given for them to perform their job. Finally, a focus group was held with staff from HR and management to allow comment on the recommendations before they were finalised for the report. My research outcomes show that Hotel Z Queenstown is committed to providing training for staff, both at an operational level, so that staff are 'job ready', and also at a corporate level to develop a basic level of training for staff. Concurrently Hotel Chain XYZ encourage the completion of nationally recognized qualifications in hospitality. The research shows that there are some areas of the training currently conducted at the hotel that would benefit from further investigation, and that some of the methods used by human resources could be stream-lined to ensure maximum benefit by the organisation. I believed the use of the corporate training body (College XYZ) needs to be reconsidered at a hotel level and possibly at a regional level. Further investigation into strategic HR management of the Queenstown area is required, and included in this I have proposed the development of a training position to encompass Hotel Chain XYZ hotels in the Central Otago and Otago areas.

For Hotel Z Queenstown to prepare itself for future training needs it is recommended: Internal (Hotel level) 1. Cost effectiveness analysis be conducted on all training programmes 2. Training programme times be reconsidered to best meet demand 3. Training programme delivery to be reconsidered to best meet staff and departmental needs 4. Continued utilisation of succession planning as a tool to is fostered 5. Retention of trained staff from tertiary institutions who are looking for work placements, tourists on work visas, and the HSI Modern Apprenticeship scheme to be utilised 6. Training requirements be related to managers performance appraisal Corporate (Hotel Chain XYZ level 7. Consideration of a regional training position which to deliver Hotel Chain XYZ based training to Hotel Chain XYZ properties in Queenstown and new hotels in the region 8. Hotel Z to consider the benefits of College XYZ to deliver training 9. Consideration of the role of a strategic human resource position 10. Consideration of a separate budget for training