Hospitality and tourism provide the impetus through which tourists, as well as employees, can be immersed in unique cultural experiences. The outcome is that insights can be attained concerning how other individuals lead their lives (Baum, 2015). By 2050, it is forecasted that the minority groups residing in America will have formulated a major part of the locally available population. Currently, Hispanics account for 40 million individuals in the population whereas Arizona is indicated to be among the states that will be heavily populated by minority populations by 2027. The dynamics are also evident in the hospitality and tourism industry where the workforce constitutes of individuals from backgrounds which are diverse. Moreover, 59.7million guests are received In the U.S from different nations (Vassou, Zopiatis & Theocharous, 2017). The research aims at evaluating different aspects of diversity relevant to the industry that deals with hospitality and tourism with regards to the views offered by clients and employees. More specifically, the practices adopted at Marriot Hotels and Resorts will be analyzed.
Diversity heralds innovation among employees. Employees whose backgrounds are diverse often have different styles that they rely on for the completion of the tasks designated to them (Sheehan, Grant & Garavan, 2018). Their interaction provides an environment in which feedback can be offered resulting in unique ideas. Other workers might have the experience necessary for the execution of the concepts newly developed. For example, Marriott was ranked among the most creative as well as innovative companies. The company’s endeavors commenced when it was integrated with Starwood Hotel and Resorts. The outcome was the acquisition of over 6000 hotels which are located in more than 240 nations (Madera, Dawson, Guchait & Belarmino, 2017). The opportunity resulted in a situation from which clients would enjoy unique concepts as a result of being part of the offered loyalty programme.
Employees indicate that diversity improves their overall productivity. For companies such as Marriot Hotels and Resorts, this has paved the way for the extensive support offered to employees regardless of the differences evident in their culture or even background. The engagement among organizational employees often depicts an increased improvement when the environment is inclusive of individuals irrespective of their cultures. According to Kalargyrou & Costen (2017), companies which manage their racial or even ethnic effectively reported a 35% increment in their financial returns annually.
The vast regions in which organizations operate pave the way for language barriers. Such hurdles present obstacles where an enterprise decides to expand (Sakdiyakorn & Wattanacharoensil, 2018). Diversity is indicated as a source which champions for economic empowerment through the incorporation of the efforts of individuals from different nationalities. For Marriot, this has resulted in the expansion of the company’s footprint globally. Moreover, the company’s determination is evident with its intent to guarantee a positive cultural legacy which emanates from working with the communities living locally. In locations such as Haiti, locals are encouraged to apply for over 200 positions available in the establishment (Madera, Dawson & Neal, 2018). The outcome is that an impetus is offered to ascertain interactions with an extensive client base.
Guests frequenting facilities offering hospitality and tourism-related services indicate an improvement in respect to their overall experience (Malik, Madappa & Chitranshi, 2017). This is because their needs are catered for by employees who are not only attentive but also vigilant. For example, the guests who prefer the Marriot indicate that the relationship that the enterprise has with its clients is often given a priority. The implication is that new benefits can be seamlessly offered to clients upon request or part of the general package (Sheehan & Anderson, 2015). Clients can be informed of events such as wine tasting on a private basis or even museum tours. In addition, they can rely on the services of an efficient team to facilitate the activities that they may undertake at a given destination.
The challenges that clients encounter are resolved by relying on a diverse array of solutions. The needs evident among clients can be customized for solutions that would result in reviews which are positive to be obtained (Madera et al., 2018). The Marriot caters to clients from different global regions. The programme used by the company indicated that clients preferred seamless communication to ensure that their needs were adequately catered for. The result was the redesign of the apps commonly used by Marriot (Singal, 2014). Hence, guests could communicate with various hotels concerning their preferences using their mobile handsets before getting to their respective destinations and in the course of their stay.
Clients frequenting various hospitality or tourism related facilities noted the efforts made to ensure that the services offered were personalized to increase the value offered (Hsiao, Auld & Ma, 2015). Team diversity communicates the enterprise’s need to ascertain exceptional experiences are offered to guests. For example, proper relations among employees made it possible for a client’s preferred hotel suite to be noted so that it could be offered to them upon request. From the McKinsey and company report, the indication offered is that companies ranking highly in respect to gender, ethnic as well as racial diversity were better positioned to have an increment in their returns financially by a 35% margin (Grobelna, 2015).
Customers value the diversity depicted by an enterprise (Hatipoglu & Inelmen, 2018). The Center for Talent and Innovation clients are often comfortable where they make purchases from enterprises which are a reflection of their respective communities. Diversity fosters an increased understanding of the needs prevalent among clients. For example, female attends are better positioned to understand the issues that might be affecting their female clients (Ariza-Montes, Arjona-Fuentes, Law & Han, 2017). The outcome is that the solutions bound to ensue will be unique to the challenge encountered by the guest.
Marriot has a Board of Directors with the mandate to ensure that organizational targets are achieved by adhering to set guidelines. In the company, 35% of the board comprises of Blacks, Latinos as well as Asians (Yap, Ineson, Tang & Fong, 2015). The women who occupy positions in senior leadership are estimated to be 37.9%. The philosophy that guides operations at the Marriot emphasizes the need to cater to the needs prevalent among associates so that they can focus on guests.
The portfolio developed by the Marriot concerning company ownership is equally diverse. The company also encourages hotel ownership by fostering the introduction of female enterprise proprietors who are not only successful but also from diverse backgrounds ensuring the economic as well as the social vitality of the enterprise. Therefore, the enterprise can enjoy an edge over competitors (Reynolds, Rahman & Bradetich, 2014). The implication is that the growth evident in the business can be categorized as being sustainable. In addition, owners are made to understand the benefits of an enterprise which operates on a franchise basis.
The company launched the TakeCare initiative which is global to cater to its employees. Through the programme, the wellbeing of employees is prioritized while ensuring that the environment in which individuals work fosters unity (Gibson, 2017). Employees at Marriott relate with each other as family. The services available to employees relate to stress and weight management, financial wellbeing as well as smoking cessation. The outcome is that the engagement sought from employees must be positive. The company has also launched a programme dubbed the Talents Network Teams. Through the platform which is available online, employees can issue notifications to senior project leaders to develop the solutions necessary for resolving the challenges evident in the enterprise.
Guests are welcomed at the Marriot to enjoy experiences which are comprehensive offering the support necessary for initiatives which are geared towards diversity. For example, the campaign dubbed as #LoveTravels offers some encouragement for travelers to celebrate unique perspectives which align with their passions (Sheehan et al., 2018). Hence, regardless of the personal preferences which may be evident among clients appropriate measures, they are guaranteed a suitable environment to capitalize on their preferences.
Individuals in management positions are provided with the tools necessary for building awareness concerning the differences that might exist among cultures. The focus of Marriot Hotels and Resort has been to ensure that the workforce that is generated is multigenerational. In addition, associates are considered to be instrumental in driving inclusion as well as diversity. The outcome is that veterans and individuals who may suffer from different forms of disability will have their needs effectively covered.
The company has also created a programme that is diverse for its suppliers. The result is that programmes geared towards global economic development can be fostered globally. The organization is also part of forums which cater to suppliers who had been previously excluded. Such forums include the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in addition to the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Marriot Hotels and Resorts concede that every individual has some respective rights. Hence, partners with whom the business interacts with are expected to indicate responsibility. For example, suppliers must align their actions with company standards as well as policies which relate to diversity. In case the provisions stipulated are not adhered to, the ability of such enterprises to interact with the Marriott may be jeopardized.
Marriot’s employees are expected to consider how they relate to each other carefully. In situations where the provisions outlined by the establishment are not adhered to, some repercussions might become evident such as the loss of the position held. However, other measures which relate to performance management might also be taken into consideration. Where managers fail to subject associates to effective supervision effectively and discriminatory tendencies become evident, they might also be forced to assume liability.
In situations where the diversity requirements at Marriott are not adhered to, it is often anticipated that lawsuits might ensure. More specifically, the enterprise is required to ensure that reasonable care is exercised especially where some discriminatory behavior might become evident. Where lawsuits are advanced, the intention is often to offer some compensation for the inconvenience which might have been caused in addition to the humiliation suffered by the victims. For example, the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center faced some litigation from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which is located in the U.S (Madera et al., 2017). The predicament befell the establishment when one of the employees was subjected to some slurs which were racially inclined. Aside from the guidelines set by Marriot, the company failed to ensure that incidents relating to racial discrimination were eliminated.
Employees with high potential should be mentored even though they might just have joined an enterprise. The team that is formulated to offer leadership must be capable of indicating some appreciation for diversity. The programmes implemented must be of a nature that is formal. The implication is that the processes developed concerning business are bound to ensure that the engagement of employees is enhanced. The outcome is that increased loyalty is likely to be obtained from the organization’s associates.
Associates with the potential to grow must be exposed to business situations which are diverse. The study conducted by the EUI indicates that were the teams formed feature diversity, they are bound to formulate concepts which are unique (Sheehan et al., 2018). However, the management of such teams requires increased flexibility and the leaders must be sensitive to the culture of the parties involved. Exposure to varying business situations ensures that the perspectives held by individuals are effectively challenged to foster appropriate actions.
Employees must be empowered to deal with the challenges that might be evident in an organization’s strategy. The implication is that the different styles which can be relied on to deal with conflicts can be understood concerning the background of the parties involved (Madera et al., 2017). The result is that procedures are bound to be highlighted to ensure that negotiations occur according to set principles. Extensive zero-tolerance measures which ensure that discrimination is eliminated can also be adopted.
Communication may be stifled in respect to practices that foster discrimination. The outcome is that different channels can be established through which employees can communicate their concerns. The methods can feature anonymity for practices which might not be ethical to be underscored for the appropriate measures to be undertaken (Vassou et al., 2017). For example, a hotline which is toll-free can be used regionally to report issues which may compromise the integrity of the establishment. In addition, regardless of the position held by the party making the claims, they should not be subjected to any form of retaliation. Appropriate measures can also be implemented to ensure their protection.
Conclusion
The demographics evident at workplaces continue to experience a shift as different markets emerge internationally. Diversity in environments where work is performed serves as a necessary indicator of the differences that an enterprise is ready to embrace. The result is that some respect which is mutual is fostered among workers regardless of the work styles that they might prefer. Where workers accept their differences, the outcome is that any of the conflicts which might ensue can be amicably resolved. Hospitality and tourism organizations must foster an environment that encourages diversity for an image that reflects positively among its respective publics. Moreover, the diversity of employees’ backgrounds of the increases their exposure ensuring that their capacity to handle any complexities that may emerge is adequately enhanced. The result is an improvement in the experience offered to clients.
References
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