Cross-training for front-line employees in hotel industry. Case study: Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre
Nguyen, Mandy (2018)
Nguyen, Mandy
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201801311857
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201801311857
Tiivistelmä
Training is widely recognized as one of the core management concerns in hotel industry. Researchers have proved the importance of training in service quality, work productivity, and employee’s career development. New training methods are continuously designed to adapt to the ever-changing environment in hospitality industry. One of the methods is called cross-training, in which employees are trained to work in more than one department.
The aim of the thesis is to research the advantages and challenges of this training for front-line employees in hotel industry. The thesis is conducted in a research-based type with the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The thesis commissioner is Holi-day Inn Helsinki Centre hotel (HIHCC) located in Helsinki, Finland. A set of preliminary sug-gestions for a cross-training program in HIHCC is presented in the thesis. It serves as a ref-erence for further development for managers of the hotel.
In literature, cross-training is shown to be highly beneficial in hotel industry because it is an effective solution to seasonality, demand variability, and labor shortage. It increases share knowledge and transparency in all departments, which subsequently leads to better service quality and productivity. Multi-skilled employees who have received cross-training are con-sidered great assets to service organizations.
On the other hand, cross-training is not for every employee because some people prefer to work sorely in their fields of expertise and it is costly to cross-train all staffs. Therefore the question of how many employees and who are chosen to cross-train should be revised care-fully by hotel managers.
In order to collect opinions on a cross-training program, the thesis writer interviewed the management board of HIHCC including General Manager, Duty Manager and Managers of Front office, Food and Beverage (F&B) and Housekeeping department. For employees, questionnaires were created and distributed.
The results revealed the necessity in HIHCC to organize a cross-training for Reception staff at the Lobby bar and for F&B employees at Meeting and conference. Managers at HIHCC acknowledged the importance of multi-skilled employees and they are willing to develop a cross-department working environment. Cross-training is more preferred in Front office and F&B department; and not all employees chose to work at other departments.
A simple cost calculation is also set up to demonstrate the possible financial effect of cross-training in employee’s hourly cost in HIHCC.
The thesis is conducted based on personal experience, books, published articles, reports and academic journals.
The aim of the thesis is to research the advantages and challenges of this training for front-line employees in hotel industry. The thesis is conducted in a research-based type with the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The thesis commissioner is Holi-day Inn Helsinki Centre hotel (HIHCC) located in Helsinki, Finland. A set of preliminary sug-gestions for a cross-training program in HIHCC is presented in the thesis. It serves as a ref-erence for further development for managers of the hotel.
In literature, cross-training is shown to be highly beneficial in hotel industry because it is an effective solution to seasonality, demand variability, and labor shortage. It increases share knowledge and transparency in all departments, which subsequently leads to better service quality and productivity. Multi-skilled employees who have received cross-training are con-sidered great assets to service organizations.
On the other hand, cross-training is not for every employee because some people prefer to work sorely in their fields of expertise and it is costly to cross-train all staffs. Therefore the question of how many employees and who are chosen to cross-train should be revised care-fully by hotel managers.
In order to collect opinions on a cross-training program, the thesis writer interviewed the management board of HIHCC including General Manager, Duty Manager and Managers of Front office, Food and Beverage (F&B) and Housekeeping department. For employees, questionnaires were created and distributed.
The results revealed the necessity in HIHCC to organize a cross-training for Reception staff at the Lobby bar and for F&B employees at Meeting and conference. Managers at HIHCC acknowledged the importance of multi-skilled employees and they are willing to develop a cross-department working environment. Cross-training is more preferred in Front office and F&B department; and not all employees chose to work at other departments.
A simple cost calculation is also set up to demonstrate the possible financial effect of cross-training in employee’s hourly cost in HIHCC.
The thesis is conducted based on personal experience, books, published articles, reports and academic journals.