Organizational Structure Of A Hotel - Small Business

We handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.Small Business|Business Models & Organizational Structure|Types of Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure of a HotelBy Sampson Quain, Contributor

Regardless of its size, a hotel must have an organizational structure that services its customers most effectively. Although the number of staff may change in a big hotel, typically, the structure remains the same, and the chain-of-command and the roles and responsibilities of each department are essential to maintaining a well-functioning organization.

Owners and Executive Managers

The executive level of a hotel usually consists of the hotel owner and the general manager. In small hotels, the same person sometimes occupies these positions, but in most cases, two different people occupy them. The hotel owner sets the standards and policies of the hotel and delegates the implementation of these standards and policies to the general manager. The general manager's responsibility is to manage the hotel's day-to-day activities and to oversee the functions of various departments such as food and beverage, laundry, and housekeeping.

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Assistant Managers Supporting the General Manager

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In many hotels, the assistant manager is the general manager's right hand and provides support for a number of daily tasks. For example, it's the assistant manager's job to communicate with all department heads and ensure that they are handling any and all issues that could affect the performance standards of the hotel.

In bigger hotels, there are typically several assistant managers, each assigned to oversee a specific division or department of the hotel. Responsibilities can include assigning work schedules, handling patron complaints, and ensuring that hotel events are well organized. An assistant manager may also take on the role of a general manager if the general manager is ill, takes a vacation or is otherwise unavailable.

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Mid-Level or Departmental Managers

Mid-level hotel managers are a tier below assistant managers, and usually include positions such as the front desk manager, food and beverage manager, sales manager, housekeeping manager, marketing manager, financial manager, and human resources manager. The front desk manager's duties include handling reservations, handling guest complaints, and ensuring that the proper department handles guest requests. The food and beverage manager is responsible for handling room service, catering, and the daily activities of a hotel's bar and restaurant. The housekeeping manager oversees all aspects of cleaning and maintaining the appearance of the hotel.

The marketing manager is responsible for implementing promotional campaigns to attract guests, and the financial manager handles hotel accounting, budget, and expenses. The human resources hotel manager oversees the recruiting, training, and development of all hotel staff, and also ensures that each staff member is compensated according to the hiring protocols. Human resources hotel managers must also ensure that the hotel adheres to legal safety policies as well as employment practices that comply with the law.

Operational and Guest-Facing Staff

The operational staff of a hotel includes all the people that work in the different hotel departments such as food and beverage; housekeeping; the front desk; the bar; and the restaurant. Staff positions include chefs, cooks, dishwashers, guest room attendants, laundry room attendants, room service waiters, porters, and customer representatives that greet guests, guide them to their rooms, and relay special requests to the front desk.

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References

• Hierarchy Structure: Hotel Management Hierarchy
• Politeknik NSC: Hotel Organization and the Front Office Manager Chapter 2
• Org Chart: Hotel Organizational Chart - Introduction and Sample

Sampson QuainContributor

Sampson Quain is an experienced content writer with a wide range of expertise in small business, digital marketing, SEO marketing, SEM marketing, and social media outreach. He has written primarily for the EHow brand of Demand Studios as well as business strategy sites such as Digital Authority.