The Role Of The Human Resources Department In A Hospitality ...

We handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.Small Business|Human Resources|Human Resource PlansThe Role of the Human Resources Department in a Hospitality OrganizationBy Danielle Smyth, Contributor

In the hospitality industry, one of the greatest difficulties is employee retention and satisfaction. Reputation makes or breaks businesses in the hospitality industry, and with customer service as the crux of the industry, the employees are on the front lines. This makes the role of human resources critical to hospitality industry businesses.

HR in the Hospitality Industry

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, human resource managers oversee the recruiting, interviewing and hiring of staff and serve as the bridge between management and employees. In the hospitality industry, HR must not only cultivate a skilled and dedicated talent pool but also retain it in a demanding job field.

Human resource managers direct the administrative functions of the business. While it takes many others to implement these functions, HR looks to attract, motivate and place employees in the best-fitting positions. When employees are happy and motivated, they provide the desired level of customer service required for the business's success.

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HR in the hospitality industry plays an essential role: HR keeps employees happy so that they maintain the excellent reputation of the business and keeps customers happy by ensuring employees behave appropriately and according to company policy.

Unique HR Challenges in Hospitality

Positions in the hospitality industry are usually hourly rather than salaried, making employee retention challenging to maintain. Employees work long hours, including nights, weekends and holidays. Additionally, customer-facing positions come with their own set of unique challenges.

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Having to meet the high demands from the business and customers – and with such a strong focus on customer service – these positions are physically and mentally exhausting. When businesses are understaffed, employees lose possible flexibility in scheduling, leading to frustration and burnout.

Recruiting Hospitality Industry Employees

Attracting skilled employees begins with the job posting. Detailed job postings that lay out the desired skills, experience and benefits of the position ensure that applying candidates understand the job and know whether their qualifications meet the requirements.

When faced with shortages, HR can hire seasonal employees under the H-2B visa program as detailed at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. Alternatively, human resource managers in the hospitality industry may turn to staffing agencies for help with their shortages. Some of these employees can become permanent later on if they meet expectations and a need arises.

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Employee Morale and Retention

In the hospitality industry, it's essential that employees are professional and happy because their attitude reflects strongly on the business itself. This task usually falls to human resources.

Offering good benefits and proposing incentives is an excellent place to start. Discounts on the company's own services and employee recognition programs effectively increase employee happiness in the workplace. However, employees want to know that there are growth opportunities within the business to stay. Additionally, they want promises of retirement plans or health insurance.

In-house professional development programs and hiring from within are ways for new hires to see a future in the industry. Preparing employees for future leadership opportunities within the company shows employees that their time with the company can be a viable career option.

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Uniting Management and Employees

HR in the hotel industry often serves as the bridge between management and employees. HR should look to streamline communications to decrease the potential of misunderstandings and frustrations between the two.

Best Practice Institute suggests that eliminating information silos in the organization's levels allows for experience and knowledge to be readily available, increasing performance and employee satisfaction.

Pay is critical for employee satisfaction and retention. HR should ensure that pay is based on regional market rates, and help employers handle tips under the federal tax code. Issuing cash bonuses for raising productivity is another way of improving employee satisfaction within the hospitality industry.

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Human Resources and Liability

It is critical for the human resources department to understand state and federal employment laws to guarantee the business complies. Jobs within the hospitality industry can be hazardous and must abide by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety codes. Businesses that don't abide by safety codes can face penalties, fines and lawsuits.

It's also HR's responsibility to investigate misconduct claims, provide the necessary disciplinary actions, and ensure businesses abide by a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination.

Additionally, human resource managers ensure that the business complies with the National Labor Relations Act as described by the National Labor Relations Board. Many employees are often union members. It's HR's responsibility to make sure employers do not keep employees from joining or taking part in unions. HR also serves a chief role in negotiations between union leaders and management.

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References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Human Resources Managers
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers
• Best Practice Institute: The Best HR Practices in the Hospitality Industry
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Home
• National Labor Relations Board: National Labor Relations Act

Danielle SmythContributor

Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing, and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. She also runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity.