Question:
Discuss About The Resource Management For Hospitality Tourism?
In this assignment, the importance of operations management in tourism and hospitality has been considered. The company selected is Thomas Cook, which has garnered considerable reputation as a popular travel agency around the world. The aspects of human resources and public relations will be discussed in the mentioned report to understand how the smooth functioning of the organisation can be maintained to derive standard competitive advantage and sustainable position in the market. The company is one of the largest travel and tourism organisations operating in the UK. While the Thomas Cook AG was operational for several years, the merger with My Travel Group plc was announced in the year 2007 (Thomas Cook, 2017). The merged groups own series of tour operators and airlines facilities. Being one of the most sought after names in the service industry, there are considerable management issues that are existing. Hence, proper approaches are needed to be taken to address the same.
In order to function in a systematic manner, any organisation is required to distribute the necessary functions in various departments. It establishes a more organised approach within the workplace and the chances of errors are also eliminated with reduced confusions and chaos. The same is being considered by Thomas Cook as well. The processes followed by the different employees to attain the set targets of their respective departments are aligned with the organisational objectives (Heizer, 2016). Thus, it is maintained that a proper coordination is established between the various departments while striving to attain a single objective. Thus, by being on the same board it is maintained that the company is able to operate in a systematic way and is capable of attaining the desired outcomes from the different strategies which are being followed.
Out of the multiple departments of the company, the two very essential aspects for the organisation are the human resource and public relations. It is important that these aspects are not only able to perform in best interest of the organisation, but also able to introduce certain credits to the organisation that will make it stand out from the rest of the competitive set. Hence, the managers of the mentioned company are required to be efficient in selecting the most suitable methods with appropriate research and monitoring the performance of the strategies which are being followed (Krajewski, Ritzman & Malhotra, 2013). Thus, with proper management of the functioning a consistency in the overall performance of the agency can be attained. Below is the discussion regarding the management of the operational procedures in regards with human resource and public relations that would be most suitable for the organisation to hold the position that it has gained in the hospitality industry over the years and enhance their brand value considerably.
It is an undeniable fact that the human resource is one of the most valuable resources for any business organisation. It is the efficiency of the employees in various departments and ob roles which drives any organisation of any specific sector towards its goals. When it comes to service centric organisation, it can be said that the essentiality of skilled se of human resources gets all the way more important. It is on the basis of the service extended by the workforce of a specific organisation, the overall experiences of the clients are shaped up. The same is needed to be recognised by the Thomas Cook as well. Thomas Cook has grown to become one of the major global brands in the recent times. Hence, it is important that the company is able to live up to the expectation. The necessity of skilled set of employees is, hence, undeniable. In any travel and hospitality agency, there are various job roles that are needed to be undertaken. For each specific job, there are certain set of theoretical as well as practical knowledge that is needed to be present in any prospective employee. The business of Thomas Cook is spread over various geographical areas (Thomas Cook, 2017). The company strives to provide standard performance from these multiple branches.
Considering the above mentioned factors, it can be said that the company needs consistent and skilled workforce in various departments and branches. These departments can be managerial, human resource, customer service, finance and accounts, marketing, research and development, technological assistance, public relations and so on (Slack, 2015). Other than that, the soft skills and cultural background of the employees are needed to be understood by the human resource department as well. It can be said that the organisation is needed to follow certain steps in order to determine their needs of the human resource and draft the most suitable steps to identify the most suitable individuals and extract their best performance in order to meet the organisational needs.
With a proper analysis, the positions needed within the organisation can be identified. In any travel organisation there are various positions. This can be the role of managers, supervisors, employees, assistants, and helpers (Robinson et al. 2016). Being one of the largest names in the service industry, it can be said that the company needs numerous numbers of employees in various locations in order to ensure that the position is maintained by the company in a global platform.
Apart from the full time employees, it is also important that the organisation is planning the requirements of part time employees and casual volunteers as well. It can be said that investing on cost effective alternatives are one of the steps that can be considered by any company. By being able to hire considerable amount of part time employees and volunteers, it can be ensured that their resources are being saved by cutting down of the cost, at the same time, standard performances are derived in favour of the company (Cetin & Dincer, 2014). Hence, in departments like customer service or sales, considerations of part time jobs are needed to be done. Currently, the company hires with almost 33,000 full time employees and hundreds of part time employees (Thomas Cook, 2017).
The numbers of employees are required to perform various duties within their workplace. It can be said that while managers are required to ensure that the various strategies are framed with appropriate planning and research and implemented in the most suitable manner, the researchers and marketing department are required to understand the needs and requirements of the target audience and ensure that their services are channelized in a manner that would suit their necessities (Legrand, Sloan & Chen, 2016). The employees in accounts and finance departments are responsible for keeping track of the monetary resources, the cash-flows within the organisation, the reports describing the revenue, profitability and allocation of budget to the various projects and so on. Additionally, the human resource employees are responsible for ensuring that the employees in different other departments are able to function n a manner that enhances their overall engagements towards the company. The most crucial job role is the customer service. This includes direct interactions with the clients. Hence, it is important that the employees hold ample knowledge regarding the processes of the company for addressing the queries of the clients. Additionally, being able to receive the feedback and identify the scope of improvement is another major skill that the employees in customer service are required to possess along with ensuring that the attained experience of the clients is favourable for the image of the brand (W. O’Neill & McGinley, 2014).
The various departments that are divided within the Thomas Cook are needed to be aligned in a manner that the coordination and synchronisation is maintained. It is important that all the said departments are working to attain the organisational goals. Hence, it is important that appropriate monitoring of the works done by the employees are done. Therefore, a proper hierarchy can be set up within the organisation. Each department may be further divided into sub-groups having one team leader each (Van der Wagen & Goonetilleke, 2015). The team leaders can report to the supervisors of the specific departments. These supervisors can sit for meetings with the managers to discuss upon the processes which are carried out by their specific departments. Thus, understanding the functionality of other departments will be easy. The managers can further provide the supervisors with their feedback and welcome ideas from other individuals in the meeting to better the existing performance and eliminate the chances of potential risks. The shareholders and owners are the ones who will take update regarding the progression of works in various fields from the managers.
It is recognised by the company that the employees are their biggest assets. Hence, considerable amount of effort is needed to be taken from their side to ensure that their potential is utilised in the best manner possible and the employees are retained within the company. Therefore, it can be said that the requirement of the employees are addressed properly. In addition to the basic facilities like salaries, healthcare, safety at work, incentives and so on, the scope of enhancing personal abilities are needed to be provided as well. Hence, methods like training and development is essential to ensure that the organisation is able to get the best performance out of the individuals (Cook, Hsu, & Marqua, 2014). It will not only enhance their individual skills that can be effective for them in future, but also increase the productivity of the organisation considerably. Additionally, it is also needed to be maintained that the individuals who are recruited within the organisations are not only possessing the required skills for specific job roles but also are dedicated in a manner that their personal objectives are aligned with the organisational targets (Tsaur & Lin, 2014). This would ensure that the feeling of belongingness is more in any employee and they are able to adjust with the organisational cultures considerably.
The staffing related to seasonal business will be managed with the help of appropriate contracts. It will state the terms and conditions relating to the employment in clear manner. The individuals will be hired only if they are willing to work in accordance with the terms and conditions regarding the duration, remuneration and other associated aspects of the job roles in a proper manner (Osman, Johns & Lugosi, 2014). Additionally, it is also important that appropriate organisational policies are drafted to ensure better welfare of the employed staff. Thus, the workers within the organisation will be able to get retained and the consistency can be maintained.
It can be seen that the operations of the mentioned organisation is widespread. With an approximate of 19 million annual customers, it has grown to become the second largest travel company existing in the Europe. Hence, it can be inferred that the information relating to the brand may be of certain public interest. It is the responsibility of the company to engage in suitable public relations techniques that would hold the reputation and image of the company in front of the internal as well as the external public and provide the opportunity to enhance the brand value considerably (Smith & Puczkó, 2014).
It can be said that in order to stay relevant in the business environment, continuous effort is needed to be taken by the organisation and implement standard planning and strategies. Maintenance of this is not enough though. It is essential that the related stakeholders are having a good attitude towards the organisation (Cheng & Wong, 2015). When it comes to a brand like Thomas Cook, which are basically customer driven and service centric, one of the most essential aspects is to establish a strong bond with the existing and potential clients. In addition to this, being a global brand, the requirement of assistance from the media channel is also important. It will ensure that the correct image of the organisation is being displayed on the global platform that can assure the customers to put their faith on the brand and attain services from them (Nickson, 2013).
Apart from this, maintenance of suitable relations with the local and national governance of the areas here the organisation is operative is compulsory as well. It will ensure that no political complications are imposed on the organisation and appropriate and systematic functioning of the company is maintained (Law et al. 2015).
It is needed to be understood that in any business organisation the chances of dealing with sudden crisis may erupt. It is the responsibility of the public relations officer to be able to figure out the most suitable solutions for the existing situation and maintain that the dignity of the organisation is maintained in situations as such. Crisis management is one of the most important aspects that the company needs to undertake (Boella & Goss-Turner, 2013). In order to ensure that the organisation is portrayed in a positive light in front of the associated public, it is important that the issues the organisation is facing are being accepted by the public relations manager. Maintaining a transparency is sure to enhance the bond of the stakeholders towards the organisation. However, it is also important that thoughtful proposals and the steps considered by the organisation to mitigate such situations are also explained (Mok, Sparks & Kadampully, 2015). This would further throw light on the fact that the challenges are faced by the organisation in a standard manner.
The first and foremost step that the company can do regarding the functions which may hold public interest is to inform the media who may take initiative to cater the news to the wider audience. It can be said that utilisation of standard tools and techniques will be helpful in ensuring that all the major highlights regarding the information is provided to the concerned publics (J. Harrington et al. 2014). Hence, be it press release, conferences, interview or any other forms, appropriate techniques can be applied to ensure that the potent communication channels are being utilised to retain the relevance of the company.
It is important that a healthy relationship is maintained with the media professionals. Apart from providing appropriate information, it is important that follow-ups are also maintained as a source of reminder. While organising any major event, it is important that the media and the important stakeholders are sent invitation. Personally attending the guests can have a better impact on the overall impression of the company (Kheiri & Nasihatkon, 2015). Additionally, seeking feedback can be also a great medium to not only convey the fact that the ideas and suggestions of the guests are valued, but also be effective in recognising the scope of improvement for the organisation. Hence, it can be said that effective public relations is one of the major factors that the organisation may undertake.
In any service centric organisation measuring the success of the operations can be a little difficult. The intangible natures of the services being offered are one of the major responsible causes for the same. However, there are certain steps that can be considered by the managers in order to ensure that the services which are extended are aligned with the needs and requirements of the customers (Wood, 2013). It can be seen that in recent times organisations are growing increasingly competitive. The requirement of the business markets are also fluctuating from time to time. Hence, it can be said that appropriate steps are needed to be taken in order to ensure that considerable techniques are being applied for suiting the market requirements by most of the service organisations. However, while engaging in fierce competition as such it can be seen that considerable issues may arise. Thus, the overall quality of the organisation may get hampered. Therefore, it can be seen that in recent times appropriate consideration for monitoring the operations of the organisation are taken (Oakland, 2014). The managers of the organisations are indulging in standard techniques that not only give them the opportunity to reflect on the processes undertaken and the results which are being acquired. Thus, with the help of appropriate procedures as such, the organisations are able to maintain a standard position in the business market.
Trends like social media platform and appropriate utilisation of the mass media are done by the organisations in order to reach out to the mass (Leung et al. 2013). This ensures that the brand recognition is high and the performances of the organisation are aligned with the set objectives. Thus, the importance of effective operational management is being given appropriate consideration by the service centric companies.
Conclusion
Operation management is one of the most crucial aspects that any organisation may have to undertake. With the increase in competition in almost every field, it has become imperative for any company to ensure that a strong position is maintained in the business market. Thus, indulging on standard operations and considering steps for managing the functions of the company is important. This can be effective in maintenance of the latest trends in order to survive the competition. Additionally, a more structured approach can be followed by the organisations in order to attain their set objectives. Thus, it is important that proper approaches and strategies are being followed by organisations like Thomas Cook in order to enhance the overall experience of the clients as well as the other associated public and the existing issues are effectively mitigated that would ensure standard maintenance of the reputation of the brand.
References:
Boella, M., & Goss-Turner, S. (2013). Human resource management in the hospitality industry: A guide to best practice. Routledge.
Cetin, G., & Dincer, F. I. (2014). Influence of customer experience on loyalty and word-of-mouth in hospitality operations. Anatolia, 25(2), 181-194.
Cheng, S., & Wong, A. (2015). Professionalism: A contemporary interpretation in hospitality industry context. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 50, 122-133.
Cook, R. A., Hsu, C. H., & Marqua, J. J. (2014). Tourism: the business of hospitality and travel. USA: Pearson.
Heizer, J. (2016). Operations Management, 11/e. Pearson Education India.
Harrington, R., K. Chathoth, P., Ottenbacher, M., & Altinay, L. (2014). Strategic management research in hospitality and tourism: past, present and future. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 26(5), 778-808.
Kheiri, J., & Nasihatkon, B. (2015). Evaluating the effects of social media usage on tourist’s behavior based on different phases of travel process. SIT Journal of Management, 5(2), 21-40.
Krajewski, L. J., Ritzman, L. P., & Malhotra, M. K. (2013). Operations management: processes and supply chains (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Pearson.
Law, R., Leung, R., Lo, A., Leung, D., & Fong, L. H. N. (2015). Distribution channel in hospitality and tourism: Revisiting disintermediation from the perspectives of hotels and travel agencies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(3), 431-452.
Legrand, W., Sloan, P., & Chen, J. S. (2016). Sustainability in the hospitality industry: Principles of sustainable operations. Routledge.
Leung, D., Law, R., Van Hoof, H., & Buhalis, D. (2013). Social media in tourism and hospitality: A literature review. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), 3-22.
Mok, C., Sparks, B., & Kadampully, J. (2013). Service quality management in hospitality, tourism, and leisure. Routledge.
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Oakland, J. S. (2014). Total quality management and operational excellence: text with cases. Routledge.
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Robinson, P., Fallon, P., Cameron, H., & Crotts, J. C. (Eds.). (2016). Operations management in the travel industry. CABI.
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Smith, M., & Puczkó, L. (2014). Health, tourism and hospitality: Spas, wellness and medical travel. Routledge.
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