The shift to remote or hybrid working was sparked by the enormous challenges this new business environment presented to the hospitality workplace. Not only does this have an impact on how we work, but it also has a big impact on how we pick up new skills. It presents a number of difficulties for learning and development teams to make sure that workers are completely capable of adjusting to the change that comes with their new work surroundings and rising to the challenge of digitalisation while attempting to realize their own potential.
01.Training Employees in a Hybrid Workplace
The new business environment for many organizations has sparked a permanent change in working methods, with people now working from home or combining home and office work. Learning programs must change to match the changing nature of the workplace. Learning from home should be as simple for employees as learning from the office or a training facility, which is a fundamental problem.
Additionally, collaborative learning needs to be handled so that teams can train together from different places as needed. Line managers and team leaders must also acquire the abilities needed to encourage and support staff members as well as create efficient methods for keeping track of the job being done.
02.Keeping Learners Engaged
As businesses move away from more conventional, classroom-based training courses, how can learning programs be developed that maintain learners' interest? Even if using the internet to access training may be practical, it can be challenging to concentrate owing to constant interruptions such as incoming emails and phone calls, the desire to explore the internet, and disruptions from daily life.
The difficulty for L&D teams is to create training programs that pique learners' interest and appeal to their learning motivations, such as advancing their careers or having their abilities recognized through an industry-recognized accreditation program. It is crucial to check that the course format also promotes a positive learning environment. Successful learning outcomes can be enhanced by gamification, short, bite-sized courses, and interaction.
03.More Flexible Learning
A cultural change has occurred toward creating highly individualized, employee-centered training interventions as a result of shifting workforce demographics. Although flexible learning has real advantages, there are drawbacks as well. To ensure the effective completion of flexible learning programs, concerns such as how to establish prospective contact with trainers and fellow learners, through to ensuring that employees are fully supported in allocating time to learn, need to be properly addressed.
04. Growth of Soft Skills
Employers have put a lot of effort into testing their employees' resilience, mental health, and capacity to handle ambiguity. Learning & development teams must make sure that training takes into account employees' well-being because many employees work remotely, which limits opportunities for regular face-to-face contact with coworkers. Along with this, there is a push to acquire the soft skills necessary to keep in touch with clients when in-person interactions aren't always feasible.
05. Consistency of Training
Training must be delivered consistently across numerous locations, which necessitates meticulous planning that goes well beyond the course material. The correct training topics must be readily available, together with enough learning hours, because courses must be equally accessible to everyone. The necessity to take into account linguistic and cultural differences, as well as various time zones, magnifies consistency challenges for international hospitality businesses.
Conclusion
The world has seen unanticipated change and uncertainty during this economy, and this has been reflected at work. The fragmentation of workplaces and the amplification of skills gaps are just two key labor market trends that have been sped up by it.
Innovative approaches to learning and development hold the key to solving these problems and assisting organizations in resolving present skills gaps as well as laying strong future foundations. To encourage employees to learn, it is essential to provide adaptable training programs that are employee-focused and tailored to the unique needs of each learner.
References
Almuth McDowall (2010), “employee training and Development”, international journal of employee training and Development.
Bee, F. and Bee, R. (1994), "Training Needs Analysis and Evaluation", London: Institute of Personnel Management.
Laird, D. (1985), Approaches to Training and Development, Wiley, New York, NY
The hospitality industry has undoubtedly faced numerous challenges over the past few years, including the shift to remote and hybrid working (Gupta, 2022). As you rightly pointed out, this has had a significant impact on learning and development, and it's crucial to address these issues effectively. Your insights on the importance of training employees in a hybrid workplace (Lo, 2021), keeping learners engaged (Levy & Ramim, 2021), providing more flexible learning (Delaney & Landis, 2020), the growth of soft skills (Liu, Huang, & Huang, 2021), and consistency of training (Gupta, 2022) are all spot on.
ReplyDeleteIt's evident that L&D teams must keep pace with the changing nature of the workplace and develop innovative approaches to address the skills gaps that have emerged (Levy & Ramim, 2021). Adaptable training programs (Delaney & Landis, 2020), employee-focused learning interventions, and tailored approaches are all necessary to ensure that employees can realize their potential and adapt to new challenges (Liu, Huang, & Huang, 2021). Thank you for shedding light on these critical issues.
Thank you Praveen for your valuable feedback. According to a recent analysis from Horton International, there are more opportunities for workers who are demanding more than ever from their employers and more hurdles for leaders to overcome. "Consumer behavior is changing, the way we communicate has changed, and issues surrounding inflation, supply chains, and recruitment are all bringing new and rapidly evolving obstacles to the table," the paper stated.
DeleteHi Ramal, Given how vital the hospitality industry is to the overall economy in Sri Lanka you've picked a great topic, the feedback I received from many relatives and friends working in local hospitality is that it's always very challenging to retain talented staff because as soon as they have sufficient training and experience they look for opportunities overseas particularly in the Maldives and the Middle East, Nirmalan Nagendra (2022), a veteran hotelier notes that it is vital for the management of local hotels to think and rethink of retention strategies whilst considering major factors such as increasing the minimum wage rate, appropriate promotions and salary increments, incentives, etc, apart from the financial incentives what are some of the L&D initiatives local hotels can adopt to retain their staff?
ReplyDeleteBest Regards, Nithila
Hi Nithila.. Thank you for the feedback! Hiring and retaining personnel has always been a challenge for the hospitality sector. These issues don't just affect hotels; they also have an impact on other sectors like retail and restaurant that employ big numbers of service personnel. Unpredictable work schedules, low compensation, and a high rate of employee turnover are to blame for this shortfall.
DeleteAn interesting article Ramal! As you very correctly note the challenges faced by the hospitality industry in the shift to remote or hybrid working are significant. Learning and development teams must adapt to the changing nature of the workplace by creating training programs that are accessible and engaging for employees who are now working from home or combining home and office work. Collaborative learning, maintaining learner engagement, and promoting flexibility in learning are key considerations. Soft skills and consistency of training across different locations and time zones are also crucial factors to address. Innovative approaches to learning and development that are employee-focused and tailored to individual needs can help bridge the skills gaps and lay strong foundations for the future.
ReplyDeleteHi Hashmath! It's critical to comprehend the advantages of a hybrid workplace in order to comprehend its function. Adopting a flexible working style has benefits for both employers and workers. Additionally, companies will have access to a bigger pool of qualified applicants when the doors are opened to allow flexible locations.
DeleteThe hospitality industry is facing much more challenges in attracting talent, retaining, and developing existing workforce. The performance of the hospitality industry is very sensitive. It will frequently change with global changes. It may be climate, natural disasters, civil war, pandemic are directly affected to the industry. Hence most of young people are not willing to step into the industry. Therefor created a competition to attract the best talents. The their expectations are high. Also, there are plenty of overseas opportunities for the employees in the hospitality industry.
ReplyDeleteOn point! As you mentioned here I also agree with that & I would like to highlight this point as well. "Markets and Consumer Demands are Changing"; hotels must be flexible in order to react swiftly to changes in the market. Hotels must pay attention to client demands and modify their offerings in order to remain competitive. To suit the needs of its customers, hotels must be adaptable and agile in order to evolve in the market.
DeleteI completely agree with the points made in this comment. The shift to remote or hybrid working has definitely presented a new set of challenges for learning and development teams, and it is crucial that they adapt their training programs to match the changing nature of the workplace. This includes developing training that is engaging and flexible, while also taking into account the cultural and linguistic differences that exist in an international business setting.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the HR challenges I have seen this challenge for sustainability in the hospitality industry. Environmental challenges, such as climate change, are becoming more important ones. Hotels must embrace sustainable techniques to lessen their carbon footprint. This might entail actions like promoting sustainable tourism, employing renewable energy sources, and cutting back on trash. 83% of international tourists consider sustainability to be extremely important, according to the booking.com sustainability report.
ReplyDeleteHi Kasun. Yes, this is a different challenge for the hospitality industry. Digitalguest's major priority is sustainability. We are keen to move away from paper and print and toward a digital platform in order to make the hospitality sector more environmentally friendly. In order for hotels to save money and prevent food waste, we want to make hotel services available in a way that gives guests the freedom of choice. For instance, we want to allow visitors opt out of daily housekeeping or buy food in advance.
DeleteSimply switching to a digital solution is a terrific approach to reduce costs and improve the environment.