Training for the top
Working in the hotel industry can give you a headache - there's simply too much choice. How do you decide whether to work for a budget, boutique, country house, business-orientated or resort hotel? Then there's location - should you set your sights anywhere in the world, or stick to the UK? What size company? What type of job?
The next few pages aim to make it simpler for you. First, think long and hard about what you want from your career. Then look for the type of hotel company that can give it to you.
Certainly, now is a good time to be in this industry. Recent research by TRI Hospitality Consulting shows that UK hotels have seen a strong start to the year, with revenue per available room up 5.5% in January. And the sector is a big employer, too. According to Caterer findings, there are about 48,000 hotels in the UK, turning over about £27b and employing 280,000 people - which is about 17% of hospitality workers. Read on to make sure one of them is you.
BOXHEAD: Inside Info
from human resources manager Mary Sivier
BOXTEXT: The four-star Donnington Valley hotel is part of the Sir Peter Michael Collection, which includes the five-star Vineyard at Stockcross, Vineyard Cellars, DVH Property Services and Donnington Valley Golf Club.
The 58-bedroom hotel is undergoing a £12.5m refurbishment to add a further 42 bedrooms and a spa.
There are 76 staff and low staff turnover, but April and May will probably see a summer recruitment drive.
Sivier takes on a number of work-placement students each year from local schools and universities. She also works closely with the West Berkshire Education Business Partnership and takes part in "adopt a school" schemes with local primary schools to stimulate interest in hotels as a career.
BOXHEAD: Getting the right tools
BOXTEXT: The 203-bedroom Claridge's hotel in London's Mayfair has recently stepped up its training and development programme by introducing a new appraisal system for its 350 staff. Under Talent Toolbox, all employees - from kitchen porters to the chief executive - fill out an appraisal form online. Learning and development manager Debbie Hole stresses that managers and staff still discuss issues at regular reviews, but the appraisals are more structured.
The benefit is that the HR department can quickly see what employees want from their career, identify where they are unhappy, and then devise individual training and development plans to help them reach their goals.
Under the system, designed by training provider Learnpurple, all staff get a personalised training programme when they join Claridge's, and will spend as long as two months being inducted in several departments before starting their own job, to build confidence and good relations.
Staff are rarely penalised if they don't meet their competence targets. Instead, Hole will devise training solutions. "We've spent time and effort recruiting," she says, "so, once staff are in, we prefer to develop them."
