Chapter 4: Human Resources

H.R. Department Roles

Line managers Making final employee selection decision Providing departmental- H.R. is both specific orientation line & staff Initiating ongoing training function Supervision activities (e.g., performance appraisal) H.R. specialists Helping line managers with H.R. related duties - employee selection - orientation - training - evaluation - compensation

G.M. must define authority boundaries between line- & staff managers.
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department Roles (continued)

How H.R. personnel assist in hotels overall operation
Implementing policies to effectively recruit, select, motivate, and retain the most qualified management and non-management staff Developing and delivering orientation, safety, security, supervisory, and some department-specific training programs Developing and communicating H.R. policies that are equitable and fair to all employees while protecting the rights of the hotel Interpreting, implementing, and enforcing the ever-increasing body of laws and regulations Helping to maintain appropriate standards of work life quality and ethical business policies and practices
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Staffing the H.R. Department

Job descriptions
A list of tasks that an employee in a specific position must be able to perform effectively Statements about duties, responsibilities, working conditions & specific job activities Example: H.R. Director (recruitment, selection, evaluation, promotion)

Job specifications
A list of personal qualities necessary for successful performance of the tasks required by the job description

Two staffing tools

Statements about knowledge, skills, education, physical & personal characteristics Example: H.R. Director (considerable knowledge of principles & practices of H.R. management)

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2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Employee Selection

Bonified Occupational Qualifications (BOQs): Qualifications to perform a job that are judged reasonably necessary to safely or adequately perform all tasks within that job
Legitimate BOQs

Education or certification requirements Language skills Previous experience Minimum age (for jobs such as waitress or bartender)
Physical attributes (amounts able to be lifted, carried etc.) Licensing
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Employee Selection (continued)

Tools to screen employee applicants Employment applications
Only provide info directly relating to the job Demographic info, employment history, educational background, criminal history, employment status, references, drug testing Race, religion and physical traits should not be asked Age may be asked only for the purpose of legal requirements Follow strict state guidelines and requirements for preemployment drug testing Obtain applicants permission in writing for background and reference checks
2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Interviews

Testing Other

Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Employee Selection (continued)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Employers cannot discriminate against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) Immigration Reform & Control Act (1987) Prohibits discrimination against job candidates with disabilities Protects individuals 40 yrs and older Prohibits hiring illegal immigrants

Protects young workers from Fair Labor Standards Act employment interfering with education (1938) or that is detrimental to health
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Employment Relationships

At-will employment
Employers can hire or terminate any employees with or without cause at any time Employees can elect to work for the employer or terminate the work relationship anytime

Employment agreement
Document specifying the terms of the employer employee work relationship Indicates rights and obligations of both parties

Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier

2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Workplace Laws

Sexual harassment
One cannot ask favors of a subordinate in exchange for employment benefits; neither can one punish an employee if an offer is rejected. A G.M. should follow strict zero tolerance policy & procedures - issuing of appropriate policies - conducting applicable workshops - developing procedures to obtain relief - developing written protocols for reporting - investigating & resolving incidents & grievances

Family & Medical Leave (1993)

Hotels (employing 50 or more staff) should provide up to 12 weeks of leave (unpaid) to an employee for a birth, adoption of a child or serious illness of immediate family members.
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Workplace Laws (continued)

Compensation
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime work rates, and equal pay regardless of gender.

Employee performance
Employee evaluation (assuring work performance [nothing else] forms the basis for employee evaluations) Discipline (effectively communicating and consistently enforcing workplace rules and policies)

Termination (preventing unacceptable termination of employee/s)

Unemployment issues
Unemployment insurance (allowing temporary financial benefits to employees who have lost jobs)

Unemployment claim (asserting the worker is eligible for unemployment benefits)

Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Legal Aspects of H.R.: Workplace Laws (continued)

Employment records
Selected employee records should be maintained. Examples of record keeping: - Department of Labor records (e.g., employees name, address, gender, job title, work schedule, hourly rate, regular and overtime earnings, wage deductions and payday dates) - any deductions from wages for meals, uniforms, or lodging - amount of tips reported (for tipped employees) - covered leave and amount of leave for eligible employees (Family & Medical Leave Act) - employment eligibility verification (Immigration Reform & Control Act) - personnel matters & benefit plans (Age Discrimination & Employment Act)
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Recruitment

Internal recruiting External recruiting Hiring from outside sources Newspaper and other media advertisements / job fairs / executive search firms / recruiting at schools / help wanted signs Attracting external candidates

Focusing on internal applicants for vacant positions Promotion from within Alerting friends and Recruitment relatives of current methods employees Recruitment is not solely the job of H.R. department Current staff can impact hotels turnover rate
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2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Selection

Selection: Evaluating job applicants to determine those more qualified (or potentially more qualified) for positions. Selection devices Preliminary screening (reviewing application) Employment interviews Employment tests Reference checks Drug tests
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Orientation

Orientation:
Providing basic information about the hotel which must be known by all its employees.

Goals Reducing anxiety Improving morale Reducing turnover Providing consistency Developing realistic expectations

Contents Hotel overview (mission statement) Guest service / relations training Emphasis on teamwork Policies and procedures including handbook Compensation and benefits Guest safety & security Employee & union relations Property tour
2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier

H.R. Department at Work: Training

Training is absolutely critical to the hotels success ! Improve knowledge or skills of staff New employees and experienced staff need training Ongoing professional development can motivate staff and help employees advancement opportunities Implement train the trainer program Group training
Effective when several (or more) staff must learn the same thing Use of a role-play (e.g., upselling training for front desk agents)
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier

Individualized training
One-to-one training method Mainly responsible for individualized line departments
2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Performance Evaluation

Determine where staff can improve performance Assess eligibility for pay raises and promotions Improve morale Assure legal compliance Develop policies & procedures for property-wide system Communicate these policies & procedures to all staff Address and resolve employee concerns as they arise File performance evaluation results in employee records

Goals

H.R. Dept. Roles

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2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Performance Evaluation (continued)

Steps of performance appraisal system Performance standards are established for each position Policies (e.g., frequency of rating) are established

Data is gathered about employee performance

Raters must evaluate performance Discuss performance evaluation with employees Evaluation information is filed
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The H.R. Department at Work: Compensation

Compensation: All financial & non-financial rewards given to managers & nonmanagement staff in return for their work. Direct financial compensation
Salary / wages

Indirect financial compensation

Benefits (health insurance, paid vacations, etc.)

Effective compensation programs should be:

Legal / fair / balanced / cost effective / viewed as reasonable by staff

Establish pay for specific positions based on:

What other employers attempting to attract the same applicants pay. What employees working on different jobs in the hotel are paid. What other employees working on same jobs within the hotel are paid.
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Employee Safety & Health

Work-related accidents & illnesses Work to be done
e.g., cooks using knives

Working conditions
e.g., greasy floors in kitchen

H.R. staff assistance for health related activities

Developing and selecting programs to help employees cope with stress Developing procedures applicable to workplace violence Communicating updated info about HIV in the workplace Providing info about cumulative trauma disorders
Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier 2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

H.R. Department at Work: Workforce & Work Quality Improvement

T E C H N I Q U E S

Professional development

Improving work quality

Cultural diversity

Continuous quality improvement

Hotel Operations Management, 1/e Hayes/Ninemeier

2004 Pearson Education Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458