IGCSE, A Level Business Student Forum

13 Discuss the importance for a large hotel of staff training & development. [12]

Possible Structure:
[Def] Training & Development

Point in Favor of Argument (Advantages of training & dev)
[KN] >> [APP] >> [AN]

Point against the Argument (Disadvantages of training & dev)
[KN] >> [APP] >> [AN]

Evaluation:
[L1] Judgement [L2] Develop Judgement [L3] Development in Context

Development and training refer to activities that improve the skills of employees and their performance.

Training staff would enable them to produce higher-quality products and services. For example, in a large hotel, where staff are frequently trained to keep everything in its best order, they are more likely to face fewer complaints about the service and receive more good reviews. This means customer satisfaction is high, which would lead to more people opting for the hotel to stay in, resulting in higher revenue for the hotel. This also strengthens the brand image, which is important if the hotel is in a competitive market. Furthermore, when staff are trained to remember frequent guests’ preferences, they can make them feel valued rather than “one of many,” which strengthens customer loyalty.

However, when staff are being trained, their daily duties may be neglected. For example, during busy days, receptionists and housekeeping staff could be gone for training, ignoring customers, which would reduce the service capacity. This would create delays or long waiting times, harming the guest experience, and also increase the workload for the remaining staff. In the short run, training the staff would also raise the business’s costs, and if the staff leave after a short time, the hotel would have to reinvest in training new employees.

Overall, training and development are more beneficial, as they strengthen the hotel’s ability to maintain high standards. While it does require time and resources, investing in staff training means they can cope with sudden changes and unexpected guests. It is also necessary because it enhances teamwork, helping the hotel run smoothly. This makes training and development a long-term investment to keep quality consistent

Training refers to the process of acquiring essential skills for a job for eg a chef while development refers to broader focus on the skills for eg decision making .


Staff training nd development is important in order to bring the staff to a higher level of skill .this is because hotel is a service business .the training improves the workers performance and they are motivated as they feel valued by the hotel .most importantly training to the managers is required as they need constant development to gain better relations with the employees and the customers and to understand the hotel pilicies better.thus overall increasing the productivity of the hotel nd contributing to the overall objectives of the hotel .


However it can be expensive to train the employees which can ultimately lead to lower peofits for the hotel.moreover it takes time to train the empolyees which can act as an interruption to their normal work schedule especially if the hotel chooses an on-the-job training process .hence it can jncrease the level of demotivation for such employees that may view the training as unnecessary .


Overall, a large hotel will have a variety of jobs all which require staff developmwnt and training eventho it might be xostly but it will also give the hotel a distinctive culture of service whixh in return will attract nd retain new customers hence giving the hotel an edge over its competitors .

[Def]

Training and development is when a business teaches employees new skills or improves existing ones to help them do their jobs better and grow professionally.

Point in Favor (Advantages of Training & Development)

[KN]
Training improves staff skills and knowledge, which increases efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction.

[APP]
For example, at a large hotel like Marriott, staff may be trained in front desk procedures, housekeeping standards, food service, and guest relations.

[AN]
Firstly, well trained staff work faster and make fewer mistakes.
Secondly, excellent service improves guest satisfaction, encouraging repeat bookings.
Thirdly, training motivates employees because they feel valued and confident in their roles.

Point Against (Disadvantages of Training & Development)

[KN]
Training can be costly and time consuming, and not all employees may stay long enough to benefit the investment.

[APP]
For instance, if Marriott spends money training new receptionists or chefs and they leave after a few months, the hotel loses the money spent on their training.

[AN]
Firstly, high training costs can reduce short term profits.
Secondly, staff absence during training can temporarily disrupt hotel operations.
Thirdly, some employees may not apply the skills effectively, reducing the benefit to the hotel.

Evaluation

[L1] Judgement
While training and development has costs and risks, it is crucial for maintaining high service standards in a large hotel.

[L2] Develop Judgement
The benefits, such as improved service quality, efficiency, and employee motivation, often outweigh the costs. Training also helps the hotel remain competitive and maintain a strong reputation.

[L3] Development in Context
For a hotel like Marriott, well-trained staff ensure guests receive excellent service, boosting bookings and customer loyalty. To maximise effectiveness, the hotel should combine training with retention strategies, such as incentives or career development opportunities.

[Def] training is when employees learn the skills and knowledge needed for their current job
[KN]training and development help employees perform tasks more accurately and confidently.
[APP]eg, a hotel may train reception staff in customer service skills such as handling bookings and managing guest complaints
[AN]thus this can improve effectiveness because employees make fewer mistakes when dealing with guests. hence this can reduce complaints and improve customer satisfaction. staff work faster and more confidently they learn to use new systems or technology overall this can increase productivity
Moreover, trained staff deliver better quality service thus helping the hotel achieve higher guest ratings and repeat bookings.

[KN]although training is helpful, it also has some drawbacks and may not always lead to the biggest improvement in performance.
[APP], a hotel may improve performance by offering bonuses for good guest reviews, such as rewards for high cleanliness scores or excellent customer feedback.
[AN]training may not be the best way becauseit can be very expensive especially for hotels with many staff hence this can reduce profits without guaranteeing better performance. employees may forget skills if not used often hence this can make the training ineffective over time. training sessions take workers away from their duties causing delays and slower service. moreover the hotel might gain better results from cheaper methods like motivation, better supervision, or improved working conditions

training and development allow hotel staff to adapt quickly to unexpected situations and deliver consistent service. It also boosts teamwork and helps employees feel more confident in their roles. While implementing training requires time and resources, the long term benefits include higher service standardsfewer mistakes, and better overall guest experiences however training and development require time and financial resources

def] makig the employ expert in managing the hotel chores and making sure the hotel customers satisfied

kn] there is very important to manage the hotel and staff performance correctly as big hotels have big chores to handle in time which make it difficult so trained staff in the hotel is necessary for the hotel sales and customer satisfaction as more satisfaction will increase the loyalty and repeated sales would e expected for the hotel this will increase the brand image of the hotel

kn2] on the other side more focus on employ salaries will increase the staff motivation and energy which will motivate them for more work and perform more efficiently in the firm for it


AN] as more training and development is consider more good for large hotel staff training instead of high saleri because high salary will just make them to perform good but not how to perform

[DEF] Staff training and development is the process of improving employees skills and knowledge so they can perform their current jobs effectively and prepare for future roles within an organization.

[KN] with training we can improve employees service quality.
[APP] For instance serena hotel regularly trains its front desk staff on how to handle guest complaints politely, process reservations using modern booking software, and follow security procedures.
[AN] when staff would be well trained so will provide better service to guest which improve customer satisfaction which leads higher bookings for hotel and overtime will build a strong brand image of the hotel.

[KN] training might get expensive for the hotel and their are different types of with different learning techniques.
[APP] for example k.k hotel trains its employees but due to different learning ways some might not get the level of expertise expected by the owner and the training and money might be wasted.
[AN] this can lead to inconsistent service standards across departments, reducing the overall impact of the training and potentially harming guest satisfaction.

[EVAL] training and development allow hotel staff to adapt quickly to unexpected situations and deliver consistent service. It also boosts teamwork and helps employees feel more confident in their roles. While implementing training requires time and resources, the long term benefits include higher service standards fewer errors, and better overall guest experiences however training and development require time and financial resources.

KN: Training and development are expensive.
APP: Small businesses may not afford professional training programs.
AN: This increases business costs in the short run.
+AN: High costs can reduce short-term profits.
KN: Training is costly but beneficial in the long run.
APP: Skilled workers perform better and stay loyal.
+AN: Therefore, investment in training is the best way to improve employee effectiveness despite short-term costs.

Def-training and development is training the employees to do a particular thing related to work-or to improve service or whatever work they are doing. (K)It helps them gain new skills or better improved ones for better performance and work. (App) employees in hotel trained how to play with customer's emotions what makes them happy etc- leads better service and pleased customers.(An) trained staff leads higher pleased customer. Means more customers from referrals or recurring ones which is source of revenues. Also generally speaking trained staff make less mistakes- which means less customers complaining in hotels- again more consumer base. (An+) good quality service gives good impression- which is important for recurring customers-long run.
(K)However other factors relating to motivation and morale important too-which if not checked will not lead benefits from this. Like overworked,poor pays etc demotives employees and lowers impact of training them.
(App) Hotel staff forced to work whole day 8 hours, training them doesn't help because these workers already depressed-want to get rid of work. So they just want to get the work done-lower impact of learning new skills then firm wants to achieve. (An) means firm not focussing on these means wasted money which oppurtunity cost- also less improvement in service means lower pleased customers. (An+)Also if employees already demotivated from start- training them may worsen their service- already depressed- displeased customers not coming again in long run.
(Eval) Training and development along with other things. Because if other factors relating to morale and motivation wrong will lead poor service as workers bad motivation and morale means they just want to get the work done-the base don't want o go extra with what they trained with. E.g employees given customer service communication training, but not rewarded for better service- same pays- so won't be motivated to talk better etc.