Hilton Hotel - Social and Professional Aspects of the Workplace - Case Study Example

Major Essay Name of Student Institution Social aspects of the workplace Working at Hilton Hotel Adelaide is a pleasant experience. Employees at the hotel form an important part of its quality delivery strategy. For this reason, excellent relations among the employees and with management are encouraged and fostered. Employees treat each other with respect, and a brotherly-sisterly relationship exists among them. This is one of the first things I noticed when I joined the organization. My first days at work were pleasant. Fellow employees did everything they could to make me feel welcome. There was always someone to lend a helping hand when I faced difficulties fitting into my new duties. This is the kind of treatment that every new employee at the institution receives. Members of staff and management go to great lengths to assist in the integration process. The level of cooperation among employees in executing their duties is impressive. When one is not able to execute a certain duty, others are willing to help where they can. I was impressed to observe that each employee takes his/her duties seriously. There is a culture of taking personal responsibility for anything that goes wrong. Employees do not blame each other for things that go wrong in their departments. Excellent relationships also exist among employees and the management. Various dynamics at the workplace explain this state of affairs. The organization structure at Hilton Hotel Adelaide has significant influence on employee relations. Goswami & Goswami (2010) opine that the different levels of an organization structure and the people who occupy them define the relationships existing amongst them. Holtzhausen (2002) further states that the organization structure determines reporting lines, interaction patterns, task allocation and coordination mechanisms. These views hold true for this organization. Hilton Adelaide’s organization structure facilitates open communication among employees and management. The management invests heavily in team building, to foster good relations among employees. These activities also break the organizational barriers that may exist in communication or flow of information. The employer’s expectations also have significant influence on employee relationships (Ingram, 2012). The hotel’s employees are expected to exhibit high levels of professionalism in their conduct. They are also expected to adhere strictly to ethical codes in the hospitality industry. Employees are required to ensure that their departmental goals are met. This involves working together as a team and building lasting relationships amongst themselves. These expectations explain the friendly nature of the employees. This is the reason why everyone feels like a part of a big family, and assistance is readily available. To the employees, it is important to meet the employer’s expectations. This is because this is because a positive reflection on their performance earns them bonuses and other rewards. The systems theory of management is reflected in various aspects of employee relations in the organization. The theory posits that organizations are made up of subsystems that determine the success of the larger system (Ingram, 2012). Employees are considered the most important element of a company. They make fundamental subsystems of the company, whose harmony and interdependence is crucial for its success (Ingram, 2012. Employees of this hotel depend on each other’s competences in completing various tasks. They also depend on management for assistance, training and solutions to the problems they face. This interdependence creates harmony, and explains the absence of antagonism among the different groups and levels of employees. The management of the hotel plays a significant role in creating and maintaining healthy employee relations. Innovation and creativity is fostered through a culture of minimal supervision from of employees. This gives employees space and chance to exercise their creativity and innovations. This is particularly effective in the food and beverages processing department. Employees are allowed to assist each other to come up with creative additions to the menu, under minimum supervision. New ideas and creations are appreciated, even when they do not come from the top. Professional issues in the workplace The hospitality industry is different from other product industries. This is as a result of the experiential nature of products offered in the hospitality industry (Wuest, Kandampully, Mok, & Sparks, 2001). Quality of products is measured in terms of customer satisfaction and pleasure (Matusitz & Breen, 2009). The customer comes into contact with the emp0ployees of an organization at every moment of service delivery. For this reason, professionalism in the handling of staff is pertinent in this industry. This includes; training, maintaining healthy relations, motivation, conflict solution and rewarding them. During my tenure at this hotel, I found the managers to be very professional. They exhibit professionalism in the way they handle employees, their supervisory roles, customer relations and other managerial duties. Managers in this hotel are well trained to ensure that the employees perform their duties diligently. This is done without being overbearing. They motivate employees to perform better by complimenting them on positive results. They also reward good performance. I have noticed that there is a managerial culture of keeping supervision at a minimum. This gives the employees space to work under low-tension environments. This keeps stress levels among employees at extremely low levels. The policies of an organization reflect its image and its target market (Maxwell, 1994). The Hilton has cultivated an image of excellence and this is reflected in its policies. This image is sustained by the performance of its service teams. To keep the level of standards high, managers involve employees in decision making, and in implementing changes within the organization. Maxwell (1994) expresses the opinion that managers who set good examples and inspire employees register better results in their teams. Managers at the hotel relate with employees in a professional and respectful manner. When communicating, they use professional language. They set good examples for the employees on how to relate with each other. By treating them in a friendly but firm manner, the managers inspire employees to be friendly and helpful towards each other. This creates a healthy relationship among the employees and with the management. The managers are empathetic towards the employees. When one is faced with problems even outside the working environment, they are ready to assist in any way they can. Employees feel that they matter to the organization as a result of this. They are also inspired to be helpful towards each other. This has helped to avoid the “everyone for himself” attitude that characterizes many workplaces. The presence of a strong listening culture in an organization facilitates interpersonal interaction and fosters effective communication (Brownwell, 2004). These are crucial in the accomplishment of organizational tasks. The hotel’s managers encourage communication between the employees and management. They operate under an open-door policy where employees are encouraged to ask questions and express their opinions. Employees can approach managers and communicate with them freely. My observation is that this has created an environment where information is shared freely. There is an almost seamless flow of information in the organization. The professionalism of the managers at the hotel is deeply ingrained in the management culture of the hotel. Employees become aware of it the moment they start working for the hotel. This professionalism also stems from the expectations of the Hilton brand managers. Managers are encouraged to be professional to set a good example for the people they supervise. Maintaining high professional standards has assisted the hotel to remain popular with customers who are satisfied with the professional services they receive. Financial issues in the workplace The hospitality industry is fast changing, and managers require financial management skills. Every department needs elaborate financial budgets and plans. These financial plans should take into consideration the size of the department, its needs and its contribution to the overall success of the organization (Goswami & Goswami, 2010). The hotel has a financial management team that handles the finances of every department. The departmental heads are involved in financial decisions concerning the department. However, departmental financial managers have the final say on the budgetary decisions in the department. Their decisions are subject to approval from the hotel’s board. The financial accounting practices of the hotel are effective, in my opinion. This opinion is formed from the limited access I have to the hotel’s financial records. It is also formed on the basis of my consultations with financial managers and personal observations. I have observed that sufficient amounts are allocated for the employees’ welfare. Continuous training and team building activities are well catered for under the departmental budgetary plans. The departmental requirements are met and the staff or customers do not lack anything because of inefficient financial management. The amounts required for the purchase of food, items for use by customers in the rooms, salaries for staff and other expenses are provided promptly. This proves that the hotel’s management takes financial management very seriously. Departmental heads and their financial counterparts are required to account for the funds released to their departments. The hotel’s policies require transparency in all financial dealings in the departments. This acts as a check against misappropriation of funds. Sound financial management practices in the hospitality industry require proper management of revenues collected from the business (Wuest, Kandampully, Mok, & Sparks, 2001). The financial performance of an organization cannot be measured by looking at one department only. However this can give an impression of how well funds are managed in the organization. I cannot comment authoritatively on the management of the entire hotel’s finances. However, from what I have observed from my department, I have formed the impression that financial management in the hotel is efficient. The management style and its effectiveness Organizations are managed differently from each other. The management style chosen by a particular organization depends on a variety of factors. These may include; the organization’s policies, type of business engaged in, personal attributes of managers and the organization structure among others (Brownwell, 2004). The management style adopted by a company has significant implications on its performance. It affects the performance of the employees, communication in the organization, and a host of other functions (Holtzhausen, 2002). The Hilton Hotel Adelaide pursues an open management style. This is a style of management that is hinged on transparency and openness (Brownwell, 2004). It encourages open communication at all levels, and the transparency creates respect between the employees and management. Managers at the hotel have a strong listening culture. This is not only apparent from the way they engage the employees in communication. It is also seen from non verbal signs. Most of the managers leave their doors open when they are working. This is a silent sign that anyone can walk in, and the person does not feel like an intruder. They also communicate effectively with employees. Frequent meetings are sometimes seen as waste of time. Not in this organization. Managers meet at least once a week with staff members to discuss various issues affecting their work and performance. The problems that any party may be facing are aired through these forums. This management style has created deep respect for the managers from staff members. ` The management of the hotel is characterized by transformative leadership. Managers pursuing this management strategy do not seek to control the people under them, or remain on top at all times (Ingram, 2012). The managers at the hotel act as motivators and guide employees on various issues concerning their work. They act as role models and show how things should be done by example. In this way, things get done and employees do not resist their authority. When new employees join the organization, managers take up the role of coaches and mentors. It is not clear whether the managers are more employee or task-focussed. This is because the management insists on the performance of duties as they should be. No excuses are entertained for being sloppy. Duties have to be performed even under difficult situations. The justification for this is that customers’ expectations must be met at all costs. Therefore, employees must perform their duties efficiently. On the other hand, there are elements of the leadership that show employee-focussed tendencies. A lot of emphasis is put on employees’ welfare by the management. There is open communication, employees are well motivated and adequately rewarded for good performance, and they are also well renumerated. Employees are most times, discontented, even when their interests are well catered for. But the level of contentment that I have observed among the hotel’s employees is impressive. The management seems to be both task and employee oriented. There is not clear demarcation between these strategies of management. However, in my opinion, the scale falls on the side of employee-oriented management. The managers at the hotel are good listeners. Brownwell (2004) says that a good listening environment motivates employees. It also makes them feel that they matter and are valued. When employees feel satisfied and valued, they perform better (Matusitz, & Breen, 2009). This is what I have observed at the hotel. The employees of the hotel feel that their contribution is appreciated by the organization.The management culture I have come to appreciate at the workplace is that of leading by example. Managers make sure that things get done. This is, however, not by being controlling and overbearing. They achieve this by being good examples and communicating effectively with the employees. References Brownwell, J. (2004). Creating Strong Listening Environments: A Key Hospitality Management Task. Listening Professional 3 (1), 11-24. Goswami, C. & Goswami, S. (2010). Role of Organization Structure in Facilitating Marketing. Global Business & Management Research, 2(2/3), 162-183. Holtzhausen, D. (2002). The Effects of Divisionalized and Decentralized Organizational Structure on a Formal Internal Communication Function in a South African Organization. Journal of Communication Management, 6(4), 323-339. Ingram, D. (2012). The Relationship between Systems Theory & Employee Relations. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/relationship-between-systems-theory-employee-relations-22465.html Matusitz, J. & Breen, G. (2009). Consumer Dissatisfaction, Complaints, and the Involvement of Human Resource Personnel in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 8(1), 234–246. Maxwell, G. A. (1994). Human Resource Management and Quality in the UK Hospitality Industry-Where is the Strategy? Total Quality Management, 5 (3), 45. Wuest, B. S., Kandampully, J., Mok, C. & Sparks, B. (2001). Service Quality Concepts and Dimensions Pertinent to Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Services. Service Quality Management in Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure, 3, 351-66. Read More