week 11

Revision and Review

• Importance of human resources to service delivery in hospitality.
• Human resources are a key result area, at the front line of service delivery.
• Importance of a systematic approach to Human Resource Planning (HRP) in assisting the employee in delivery.
• Ensuring the right person is in the right job is of central importance.

Seminar Objectives

• Introduce the recruitment process as a key result area in effective HRP.
• Address the issue of establishing a staffing need.
• Highlight the key steps in the recruitment process.
• Evaluate a number of recruitment sources in terms of strengths and weaknesses of each.

Opening Comment

• Quoting Thompson and Abbott (1993): "Getting the best out of hospitality staff requires, in very basic terms, the best possible ‘people management’ possible. Our labor pool is changing significantly. Managers must look to new and innovative ways of recruiting, motivating, and retaining staff."

Recruitment and Selection

• Starting point in "growing the human resource" is developing a systematic recruitment and selection process.
  • The process involves attracting the highest caliber applicants.
  • Selecting the best individual from these applicants.
• This process is not easy due to:
  • The competitive nature of the labor market.
  • Industry image/industry practice (hours/pay/myths).
  • Highly mobile, transient workforce.
  • The cost factor.

Selection vs. Training

• Many organizations invest time and energy in training frontline service personnel.
• Training is only effective if the correct selection decisions have been made.
• No amount of training will solve service performance problems caused by shoddy selection procedures.

Recruitment and Selection Process

• Establish staffing need with specification/job analysis.
• Develop selection criteria.
• Selection strategy and tools.
• Where to look (internal or external).
• Select recruitment method (coverage and cost).
• Screen applicants and develop a shortlist.
• Interview short-listed candidates (2nd interviews).
• Check references.
• Make final selection and offer of employment.
• The need for orientation/onboarding and follow-up.

Establish Staffing Need

• What are we looking for?
  • Full-time, part-time, casual (consider cost and flexibility).
  • Qualifications determined by position.
  • Technical skills and previous experience.
• We must also consider the softer ‘people skills’:
  • Service orientation.
  • Level of maturity and self-esteem.
  • Level of social and communication skill.
  • Level of tolerance for contact.
• Matching job requirement with necessary skills.

Selection Criteria

• Once a job requirement has been analyzed, the selection criteria must be developed.
• Crucial when selecting staff for service jobs.
• Identified as essential or desirable covering skill, knowledge, and attitude mix.
• Normally expressed as qualifications and/or specific prior experience.

Common Service Selection Criteria

• Presentation - “if you can’t sell yourself, you can’t sell anything.”
• A liking for people - social skills and the right attitude.
• A quick mind - ability to act as firefighters.
• Value service - right orientation and believe in service.
• High tolerance of “ALL” customers - including “ME.”

Biases and Errors

• The selection process frequently forms wrong conclusions on candidates. Why?
  • Limited information available.
  • Biases creep in.
    • The “Halo-Effect” - over-reliance on one rather positive and/or negative aspect.
    • Stereotyping - basing our assessment on unjustified personal assumptions.
    • “Similar to me” phenomenon.

Selection Strategy

• Must then devise appropriate selection strategy.
• Entails determining the particular types and mix of selection tools to be used when assessing applicants.
• Sources of data or ways of getting information on applicants.
• Assist with the process by allowing us to make predictions about an applicant's likely performance.
• Present means of comparing different applicants.

Selection Tools

• Consider the advantages and disadvantages of:
  • Application.
  • References.
  • Presentation.
  • Question probing.
  • Stress interviews.
  • Role-play / giving scenarios.
  • Work tests - psychological testing.

Internal vs. External

• Before any decision on recruitment is made, we must consider ‘promotion from within.
• Consider the experience and qualifications of current staff.
• Quality improvement technique in own right (morale factor).
• Advantages and disadvantages with both.
• Must also consider personal referrals.

Internal vs. External Recruitment

• Benefits of Internal:
  • Cost savings.
  • Builds staff morale.
  • Permits succession planning.
  • Selection is based on actual performance from experience.
  • Provides career paths.
• Benefits of External:
  • Brings in new skills and ideas.
  • Brings in current knowledge and know-how.
  • Encourages competition.
  • Exposure in employment market.
  • Marketing opportunity.

Recruitment Sources

• Wide range of options available.
• Determined by position and cost.
• Numerous other factors to be considered:
  • Format of advertisement.
  • Specifics of job description.
  • Form of reply and closing date.
  • Positive advertising.
• Comply with Equal Opportunities Legislation.

Screening of Applicants

• Number of approaches here:
  • Telephone screening (limits direct applicants saving time and money).
  • Screening direct applications (must at least meet minimum criteria).
• Depending upon both the number and quality of applications, these criteria may either increase or decrease.
• Permits the development of a short list which in turn will lead to interview and offer of employment.

Staff Orientation

• Form of socialization process.
• Designed to help new members of staff familiarize themselves with their new working environment.
• Begs the question - how should it be undertaken?
• Requires reinforcement and regular review.

Underlying Considerations

• Whatever the approach, there are a number of fundamental considerations which should underlie recruitment policy.
• Should not be considered in isolation, but in the context of the overall HR plan.
• Need to consider both technical and social competence.
• Must comply fully with all legal requirements and recommended codes of practice.

Summary

• The hospitality industry is characterized by high levels of customer contact.
• Places the customer contact employee in a rather unenviable position.
• Key to the eventual level of customer-perceived service quality.
• Organizations must ensure that they are able to deliver.
• Requires due attention and diligence at the recruitment stage.

Additional Reading

• Berry, L. (1995). On Great Service: A Framework for Action, Free Press: 166-187
• Johns, N (1996). The Developing Role of Quality in the Hospitality Industry, in Olsen, M.D. Teare, R. and Gummesson, E. (Eds), Service Quality in Hospitality organizations, Cassell: 9-26
• Thompson, K and Abbott, V (1993). Hospitality People Matter, Knowles Associates, NZ, pp7-25
• Van der Wagen, L (1994). Building Quality Service, BH, pp45-89

Reflect on what you’ve learned!

• What are the management implications of inverting the organizational hierarchy?..
• Why is recruitment and selection of staff in services more difficult than in a manufacturing context?
• What do you understand by the term “job orientation”? Who is it designed to benefit?
• Explain the importance and main stages of human resource planning. Discuss fully the benefits of human resource planning.