Skip to main content

Hotel Training

Image
By
Classroom, CDs, and online training: these terms all represent yesterday’s training methods. Today, hotels use gadgets like iPod and PlayStation to “engage” employees in training.
According to Jane Levere (The New York Times), these gadgets appeal more to younger employees. Moreover, the training content is not that expensive to create. A traditional 20-minute training DVD may cost $250,000, but an iPod training module only costs between $30,000 and $50,000.

These new hotel training methods reflect the changes of how people communicate and learn these days. As social media become a crucial part of people’s lives, communication and learning are all about “engagement” and interactions.

Because younger employees and younger guests have already used these gadgets to interact and stay connected with their friends, training employees with the “tools” they use every day may become more effective. Plus, many hotels have already used tech gadgets in operations (see iPad in Hotel, iPad App/Game for Hotel Training in my previous discussion). Hotel employees need to be familiar with the gadgets used in guest service.

In addition, some hotels have given up the traditional service model. For example, Andaz Hotels, a Hyatt brand, hire “hosts” instead of guest service agents. Hosts greet guests upon their arrivals, check them in, and cater to their needs. “Unconventional” training methods fit the “innovative” service model.

Last but not least, people prefer “shorter, punchier, more entertaining and more interactive” learning experience. “The more engaging and fun training is for adults, the easier it is to recall memorable concepts when they need to on the job.”

I believe hospitality professors are training future leaders for the hospitality industry. I wonder if professors shall develop some Podcast materials for classes so that students will be more prepared for the cutting-edge training experience in work place. Also, how important is the interaction between professors and students outside of classroom? In my case, will students be more familiar with blogging as a social media tool?

References:
The NYTime.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok09072010
Picture was downloaded from PopGadget.net: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok09072010P
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

By
Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P
28 comments
Read more

Where Coffee Meets Culture: My Experience with Orientation, Socialization, and Culture at Dutch Bros (by Karina Martinez)

By
When people think of Dutch Bros, they usually picture colorful drinks, loud music, free stickers, and baristas so friendly they’ll jump in the car with you.  As someone who has had the opportunity to work for Dutch Bros, I can say that the energy customers feel isn’t an act; it is the result of intentional and effective HR practices that are focused on orientation, socialization, and culture. From your very first day, you experience how these practices shape the entire Dutch experience.  Orientation, Socialization, Culture   In HR management, orientation is the introduction of the role and company to new hires. This is intended to help them feel welcomed and informed. Socialization goes beyond the initial training process; it’s how new hires grasp the organization’s values, behaviors, and traditions over time. Together, these fun...
5 comments
Read more

Average/Below-Average Looking People Can Earn as Much as the Attractive Ones

By
Research has shown that attractive people can not only charm interviewers (and thus get hired easier), they are also more likely to earn more as compared to those with average or below-average looks. Accordingly to a Wall Street Journal report , attractive people can earn 3% - 4% more than a person with below-average look. If such difference adds up over a person’s lifetime, an attractive person can earn up to $230,000 more than an ugly worker; even an average-looking person can make $140,000 more. Another relevant Wall Street Journal report also suggests that workers who exercise regularly can earn 9% more than those who do not. If that is the fact (I believe it is), is it legal? Can employers do that? Linchi Kwok and Otto @SyracuseU Career Fair To my knowledge, no law or regulation under EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) considers a person’s look as a protective class. It is true that people in general have an idea of what kind of person they feel attract...
33 comments
Read more