Strategic Management

ABSTRACT (150-200 words)

This paper aims to examine what talent management actually is, the importance of work-life balance (WLB) in the industry, the retention strategies in the hospitality industry as well as the roles that senior management and human resource play in the process. This study was done through an analysis of the key themes in the readings and articles about talent management. The paper uses its findings to show the biggest issues and challenges that face the hospitality industry and the talent management field.  It also aims to find solutions to the ever-growing problem with talent management in the industry as far as Millennials and females retention goes. Talent Management proves to be of a big importance to the hospitality industry as it helps with the pipeline of those entering and leaving the industry.

INTRODUCTION (200-300 words)

Talent management is more than just an issue of hiring people; it involves all the issues of recruitment, retention, and engagement within the hospitality organizations. Talent management is very important to the success of hospitality establishment because without it there would be entering and leaving of the industry pipeline. It is also important that there be a proper work-life balance for everyone involved in the talent management process for the hospitality industry.

CONTENT (2000-3000 words)

Work-Life Balance

Having a work life balance in the hospitality industry does not seem like something that is achievable to most. This is mostly due to the fact that the hospitality industry jobs normally consist of long hours and very long weeks. However, being able to have a work life balance in the hospitality industry can be achievable if we work together to get talent management issues under control so that more employees of the industry can enjoy life. Retention and training are just two of the cost-effective strategies (“Managing the talent,” 2015, p. 29) that can help lead to a better work life balance. These strategies will not only help the work life balance for the current employee but it will also help to keep them as well as make them the best at their jobs. As someone who is already part of the hospitality industry I struggle with this work life balance every day. I find myself not being able to see my family as much as I want to and I also miss lots of family events because of my long work shifts.

Another effect of not having a good work life balance in the industry is attitudes, mostly those of the employees. Not having any balance at all causes employees to both hate their job and adds to feelings of more stress in their overall life.  All of this in turn then causes employees to leave and retention rates as a result, drop. When a company loses a great employee because of this reason it is only more reason to make sure that talent management can do everything they can in order to help create more of a work life balance.

Issues with Talent Management

Work life balance isn’t the only issue that existing when it comes to talent management. Talent management is also about being aware of the labor markets, the need for higher education, recruitment, retention, engagement, the management development and career development, as well as senior management perspectives regarding the pipeline. (D'Annunzio-Green, Maxwell, & Watson, 2008)

The labor markets are being flooded a with plethora of valid candidates but most of the hospitality industry is finding that many of them are not a good fit for the industry or that they are just not well educated in the fields needed. This leads to the next issue with the need for higher education; in order for this to occur, the candidates have to feel the need to increase their education in the field and they also have to have the want to work in the industry.  

It seems that the vicious cycle continues because without the more well-educated candidates, recruitment into the hospitality industry can prove to be difficult.  That being said, the industry is trying to find strategies that will help aid in solving this problem. Without recruiting the right talent into the industry you can’t retain or engage them well. That is also why it is important for the talent management to have a good mindset as to what candidates are needed in order to keep the organizational culture of the company intact. As an organization and company, you want the best talent you can afford and keep, which is why it is also more important than ever to develop the current talent and management you have in order to help build careers.

Once these issues are taken care of it is then important to ensure that the senior management perspectives are also on the same page as the talent management teams. In order for this to occur, senior management needs to help to continue the development of supervisors as well as middle managers. From there the managers need to provide motivation, coaching, and mentoring as well as ongoing communication (D'Annunzio‐Green, 2008, p. 819) to those below them to make sure that the talent management issues are resolved.

The “Ideal” Hospitality Employee

Is there even such a thing as an ideal hospitality employee? Of course there is, and it is part of talent management team’s job to determine if individuals are the right candidates and to hire those people for the jobs in the industry. Here are several attributes that talent management should keep in mind when picking out the ideal hospitality employee (Alonso & O'Neill, 2011, p. 81):

1. Punctuality
2. Good with people / customers
3. Dependable / reliable / responsible
4. Hard-working
5. Good / right attitude
6. Loyal
7. Past experience
8. Energetic
9. Good personality
10. Trustworthy / integrity
11. Work ethic
12. Personal (with customers)
13. Willing to learn
14. Organized
15. Attentive
16. Neat
17. Team player
18. Multi-task
19. Quick
20. Passionate
21. Goodwill
22. Etiquette
23. Appearance

Most talent management teams aren’t going to find someone that necessarily fills all of the above attributes but the best candidate should cover a good majority of them. As a supervisor in my current job, I see the effects of not having an ideal employee every day. Part of the problem that I feel my sector of the industry deals with is the competiveness between the other employers in the industry and the need to try and out do them.