Analysis Of Industrial Management At Marriott Hotel Sydney

Question 1:

Reflect on your journey of securing your industry placement position in the context of employability requirements and the selection process both from a candidate’s perspective and hotel industry perspective.

Question 2:

Provide a brief overview of your organisation and evaluate your induction process into the organisation and your department. Reflection on your learning and obsersvations, what recommendations can you make to enhance a new employees induction process & experience?

Questions 3:

Identify and analyse the organisation’s training programs for developing potential leaders. Critically evaluate the training program against a competitor’s training program.

Question 4:

Identify the business objectives of your organisation and what strategies have been implemented to meet these objectives.

Question 5:

From your observations, experience within your department and academic research, identify and analyse the value of interrelationships between various internal and external stakeholders to achieve your department’s objectives, linking this to the organisation’s business strategies from question number 4

Question 6:

Conduct a fair and honest evaluation of your performance in industry by answering the following:

• Based on your performance so far and your placement evaluation what do you consider to be your main strengths?
• Based on your performance so far and your employer evaluation what are the areas you need to improve on?
• What has been your biggest achievement during placement?
• What have you learnt about leadership during your placement? Building on your experience what do you want to achieve in the next twelve months, how will you achieve these goals?

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of industrial management during my stint as an intern at the Marriott Hotel in Sydney. I worked as an intern at the hotel in the housekeeping department of the hotel as a room attendant. Such internships were included as part of our curriculum so as to ensure that we received hands on, practical knowledge along with theoretical knowledge. This would enrich our education and prepare us for when we finally received placements. I had gotten selected through the Interview of the agency. I had appeared for a number of interviews but ultimately landed this internship. It was for a period of six months, and it was an educational experience that helped me gain insight into the intricacies of the hospitality industry. In the following paper, I would analyze the various aspects of my internship and industrial management that I witnessed during the period of six months.

My internship at Marriott Hotel began on the 15^th of April. It was for a period of six months, beginning from April till September. Marriott Hotel is one of the most luxurious hotels in Sydney, located in the heart of the city in Darling Harbor. I considered myself lucky to have been part of such an esteemed organization. Apart from the ideal location of the hotel, the organization is known for its opulence and luxurious amenities. Moreover, it has hosted several upscale and important events and I was fortunate enough to be able to witness some of them. There were a few reasons why I chose to pursue an internship in the housekeeping department. One of the major reasons why I chose Marriott Hotel over other opportunities was the brand value. This hotel is one of the most prominent and luxurious hotels in the city. Working as an intern here would prepare me for more varied experiences in the long run. As part of our curriculum, we are required to work as interns in various departments of the hospitality industry. I had initially planned to work in the Foods and Beverages department, but to my dismay, I was not selected. However, as it turned out, this opportunity was a blessing in disguise. By working in the housekeeping department, I got a glimpse into the intimate world within the hotel. This has made me aware of what exactly goes on inside the management of a hotel, helping me distinguish between right and wrong approaches. The process of selection was through the career placement agency at our school. This agency has supported me all throughout. From preparation of my resume to helping me with the interviews, this agency has prepared me for the grueling process that lay ahead of me. Although I had to face rejections and felt quite demotivated by the end of the process, I was glad to have received this opportunity. Working at the Marriott Hotel in Sydney would give my career the push it needs.

Question 2

The recruitment process at the Marriott Hotel in Sydney is quite extensive and involved a combination of skill tests, group activities and personal interviews. However, since I had studied in this field, I was more or less prepared for the questions that the Human Resource department threw my way. As a matter of fact, I was even able to pass the skill tests with flying colors. This is primarily because our school had ensured that we receive practical experience before stepping out into the world as interns. I struggled a little with the group interviews. Since I have always been shy and was not used to presenting my views and opinions in front of a group of people, I found the experience to be a little intimidating. In the personal interviews, the questions ranged from information about my personal life, my family, my preferences and choices, passions and some questions related to the hospitality industry. I realized during the course of the interviews that the managers there were testing my ability to communicate effectively. In the hospitality industry, one of the most important personality traits would be communication skills. If I am not able to communicate my point of view to my listeners, it could lead to misunderstandings as well. We were also shown presentations about the hotel, which contained generic information about the hotel and also mentioned our roles and responsibilities and the expectations the management had from us. The group activities were interesting. We were asked to perform a task in groups of 10, which would test our skills that we acquired as part of the curriculum. The hotel was to host an important conference, and we were asked to work on the event. I was put in charge of food and beverages and my duties and responsibilities were explained to me beforehand. Based on the event, we were judged on our management skills, our communication skills, our decision making and problem skills and our ability to act under pressure. This was important because in the hotel industry, we are often faced with high pressure situations where we would have to remain calm and composed in order to find a solution. They also tested our creativity and capability. After the completion of the screening process, we were asked to wait for a couple of days. After an excruciating wait of three days, I was finally informed that I had been selected for the internship. This was one of the turning points of my life because it helped me regain confidence in myself and my capabilities. We were informed that we had to start our internship from the 15^th of April.

Question 3

The Marriott Hotel in Sydney is one of the most luxurious hotels situated in the prime location of the city. The hotel is a walking distance from the Opera House and The Rocks. Circular Quay is also near to the hotel. The hotel has 595 rooms and suites, of various types depending on the price ranges. It is almost thirty years old and retains an old world charm that is attractive to the guests. The owners have spent a significant amount of money on refurbishments and this has contributed to the competitive advantage of the hotel. The five star hotel has thirty two stories, apart from food and beverage sections. The hotel is internationally renowned with respect to its exemplary restaurants and bars. Additionally, it has art work boasting of the Sydney theme all over the public areas. The hotel boasts of restaurants, bars and cafes that serve world class food to its guests. On an average, there are at least a 1000 guests staying at the hotel during peak seasons.

An induction process plays a key role in helping new recruits and interns acclimatize them with the operations and processes of the organization (Melton & Hartline, 2013). An effective induction process would familiarize the new recruits with the operational methods and processes involved in running the organization and would also elaborate on the roles and duties of the new employees (Allen & Shancock, 2013). The induction process at Sydney Marriott Hotel was divided into two segments – the orientation process followed by the training. In the orientation, which lasted for two days, we were given a presentation about what the organization stands for and what was expected of us. As part of the orientation process, we were able to assess the efficiency of the operations and observe first hand how our seniors executed their duties. In short, we were able to understand the quality of service our supervisors expected from us. We were also told about our duties and the respective departments we would be working for. We were also introduced to the various heads of the departments and the managers who would be supervising our work. The most important part of the orientation was the rules and regulations. Like any organization, Marriott Hotel also upholds its rules and policies which had to be followed at any cost. We were also given an employee handbook. This was quite helpful, because as newcomers, it would be impossible for us to remember every minute detail. These are the lessons I took back from the induction process:

• There was an introduction session on the first day where we had to introduce ourselves and speak about our backgrounds. Such an interactive session helped me get to know my peers better.
• I also learnt about the values and the mission of the hotel. The hotel operations are powered by its aim to become the premier choice when it comes to luxury hotels in Australia. As an employee of the company, I would be expected to uphold these values and abide by them.
• I took notes on the information we were given about hotel policies and facilities. This was important because we did not want to come across as incompetent if guests came up to us with queries.
• The induction process also introduced us to the basic essential policies in a hotel, including health and safety factors, fire training and bomb awareness.
• At the end of the orientation process, we were all given a questionnaire that we had to fill up and submit to our superiors. The questionnaire was based on topics that had been covered in the orientation process itself. Using the results of the questionnaires, our supervisors assessed us on our understanding of hotel policies and operations. There was also a question – answer session where we were allowed to clarify our doubts.

Question 4

In short, the orientation was an all encompassing process. However, there are some recommendations I would like to make, based on personal observations.

• The orientation process was a two day affair. This meant that the new employees had to stay back for more than twelve to fourteen hours each day to complete the process. It would have been better if the orientation had been spread out over three days.
• Although we were introduced to our supervisors, we did not get an opportunity to interact with them. An interactive session could have been arranged between the interns and the managers to pave the way for smooth and effective communications between us.

The training process is one of the most crucial aspects of the induction process of an organization (Messersmith & Wales, 2013). It is important to remember that interns are new members of the organization and are not entirely familiar with the policies of the organization they are interning at (Elnaga & Imran, 2013). Moreover, every organization is unique and has different expectations from their employees, which must be communicated to the employees (Jehanzeb & Bashir, 2013). Additionally, a strong training program would help improve the performance level of employees, reduce chances of error and increase the overall productivity of the organization.

• Multicultural workforce– Since the Marriott Hotel is an organization of international repute, there are people belonging to different countries and cultures staying there. Due to a large number of international tourists, the hotel has a multicultural environment. Similarly, there are people belonging to different cultures working here. As members of the organization, we are expected to keep in mind the unique nature of each culture and respect the values and traditions of different people. We were encouraged to inculcate a respectful workplace within the hotel.
• Safety training– Hotel security was one of the first trainings we received. Like all hotels, the Marriott Hotel in Sydney had its own security protocols which we had to learn by heart. We were given handouts of the protocols so that we could refer to them if needed. Building security protocols, evacuation plans, safety measures including natural disasters, basic fire training – these were some of the topics covered in the training.
• Housekeeping– Since I was working in the housekeeping department, I had to be trained with respect to the hotel policies regarding cleanliness, hospitality and housekeeping duties. I was trained by the housekeeping supervisor who explained to us our duties right from room housekeeping to laundry. We were even tested on what we had learnt at the end of the week. We were given situations and had to come up with our course of action in such situations.

• Although the training process was all encompassing, there was no cross department training. On the other hand, the Park Hyatt Sydney provides cross departmental training. Such a training method ensures that there is interaction between the various departments of the hotel (Keep, 2014). If we were simply to be restricted to one department, our horizons would be limited. For example, it would be beneficial for us if we were to be trained in the food and beverages department or bar trained along with housekeeping training, which is the primary goal of the internship.
• The Park Hyatt hotel first carries out an investigation into what the trainees already know about the roles and duties. The training programs are customized accordingly. However, there is no such analysis in the case of Marriott Hotel. Irrespective of our levels of expertise, we are offered the same training.
• We received our itinerary on a daily basis and not in advance. Thus, every day we would have to go in without being sure of what our tasks would be throughout the day. At Park Hyatt, trainees are provided a detailed time table stating their duties on each day of training. This is both time and cost efficient.
• The method of job instruction training could have been used. In such a training method, trainees are trained about each individual step involved in a particular task (Tyler, 2013). This kind of thorough training method would prepare them for leadership roles in the future.
• Apprentice training could also have been included as part of the training programs. At the Park Hyatt hotel, apprenticeship training would help in honing skills and improving communication practices.

The primary goal of the brand is to attain a brand position that places it as the premier choice in luxury accommodation in Sydney. The business objectives of the organization are based on principles of customer service, top notch amenities and excellence. At the Marriott Hotel, customer service forms the pillars of success. The customers are expected to be our top priority, and we are required to go out of our way to satisfy the needs of the customer. Every customer has his or her own set of expectations and it is the duty of the service provider to incorporate that into the business objectives. In terms of amenities, the hotel ensures that adequate resources and facilities are available to the guests. The quality of the amenities is of utmost importance. Our work at the hotel was subject to quality checks which took place at regular intervals. It is the onus of the service provider to ensure that the quality of the service provided is consistent and of high standards. This would win the goodwill of the customers and also improve customer retention rates.

The human resources department of the organization consists of a strong group of individuals who are warm and friendly and were always ready to help us in case we required assistance.

• A policy of inclusion and diversitywas followed in the workplace. Diversity and policies of inclusion are crucial in the workplace. It must be remembered that each person working at an organization would have a different set of values and beliefs. As employees, we are encouraged to respect each other. Moreover, adequate measures are taken to ensure that each member of the workforce feels included at all times. Such inclusive policies would boost the morale of the employees and keep them motivated.
• Recruitment policiesare regulated. Earlier, interns and new employees were selected based on a simple screening process. However, that led to deterioration of quality of service provided to the guests. As a result, the recruitment process has become all the more progressive now. As mentioned earlier, interns and potential recruits are now screened over a period of almost two weeks, where they are subjected to interviews and group activities. The skills of the employees, their communication skills, capabilities strengths and weaknesses are tested before recruiting them.
• Employee retentionis another human resource goal. In the hospitality industry more than other sectors, an organization is entirely dependent on its workforce (Das & Baruah, 2013). The productivity levels of the employees would determine the quality of service provided. Thus, the human resource department takes necessary measures to ensure that the employees are kept motivated throughout the process (Terera & Ngirande, 2014). This would not only ensure that employees are focused on their job, but would also improve their performance levels. For example, interns and existing employees were rewarded with incentives at the end of each month if we managed to surpass quality levels on a consistent basis.
• The training programswere another aspect of human resources as Marriott Hotel that should be admired. As new recruits, we were trained for a period of three weeks before we were actually allowed to carry out our daily tasks independently. Apart from that, the existing employees too took part in training sessions which were educational and informative in nature.

• The company ensured that their online presence was strengthened through active use of social media and other online marketing tactics. The purpose of such marketing strategies was to lure in potential customers.
• The business strategies implemented at the hotel are customer oriented. Our tasks and activities during the period of six months revolved entirely around the customer and interactions with them.
• The company carried out quality checks from time to time. This helped in ensuring that hotel staff members were consistent in terms of service and quality. The importance of consistent customer service cannot be reiterated, especially in the hospitality industry. We were asked to abide by certain codes and policies and failure to adhere to these regulations would reflect negatively on our assessment.

A stakeholder refers to any individual or a group of people who are directly affected by any kind of change in the organization. A stakeholder also has the power to influence change at an organization. While analyzing the strategic management present in an organization, it is important to take into account the involvement of the stakeholders (Verbeke & Tung, 2013). Every plan or innovative strategies and change would be implemented in an organization to ensure that the expectations of the stakeholders are met.

Question 5

An internal stakeholder refers to an individual or a group of people who are directly affected by the business. These people are intimately associated with the business operations and are involved in the day to day activities. Any change in the business operations and change in strategy would have a massive impact on the internal stakeholders, which could either be positive or negative (Davis, 2014). A large hotel like Marriott Hotel is a corporation, which includes owners, managers and all the employees involved in the operations. In case of this hotel, there is little or no contact between the owners and the employees. There is a team of managers that acts as the intermediary. Within the boundary of internal stakeholders, the relationship between the employees and the managers is crucial. This is because both parties are closely linked to the operations and smoother interrelationships between them would pave the way for more harmonious functioning. It is also the responsibility of the managers to ensure that the employees are working up to the mark in order to enhance stakeholder management. Internal stakeholders in an organization play an integral role. Smooth functional relationships between them would promote organizational values and a favorable corporate culture.

The external stakeholders of an organization refer to people who are not involved in the company operations but would still be affected by implementation of new strategies or policy changes (Doh & Quigley, 2014). In a hotel, the external stakeholders include the customer, the competitors, the suppliers and the surrounding local communities. For any organization, the customer is the chief asset of the enterprise. All our services revolve entirely around the customer. We ensure that from the moment a customer steps foot into the hotel, they are provided with exceptional services and amenities. Customers who would be satisfied with our services would be twice as likely to return, thus building brand loyalty. The customer service department at our hotel has been entrusted with the responsibility for promoting and improving corporation client relationships. The suppliers of raw materials and other resources in a hotel are equally important. Without them, it would be impossible to maintain a smooth flow of services. In Marriott Hotel, the suppliers are all local. This reduces costs involved in transportation of supplies. For Marriott Hotels, there are numerous competitors that must be taken into consideration. Sydney is one of the most popular tourist spots in Australia, with a large number of affordable and luxury hotels spread out across the city. As mentioned earlier, the Park Hyatt Hotel is one of the leading competitors of the organization. A competitor analysis of the hotel would establish its position with respect to its competitors. In the hospitality industry, other stakeholders like travel agencies and tour operators are also significant. It would also be beneficial to study the impacts of hotel operations on the surrounding communities.

• Stakeholder mapping is one of the strategies that are implemented by Marriott Hotel. Such a method analyzes the company and identifies the stakeholders who play an important role in the organization. This helps the organization gain insight into its internal and external stakeholders and also identifies the expectations of these stakeholders. It also helps the company understand if there is room for improvement and if there are adequate resources.
• It is important to analyze how far a stakeholder would be able to affect the organization. For example, at Marriott Hotel, the customer and their needs would have a massive impact on the organization as compared to employees. In all organizations, some stakeholders have greater influence than others. It is thus necessary to understand the extent to which a stakeholder can influence change in the organization.
• The Marriott Hotel has a policy in place which helps identify triggers which would provoke stakeholders. For example, different stakeholders would have different reactions to implementation of change. While some resistance is common, some stakeholders might have a stronger reaction. This could take a toll on the whole organization. For instance, during my internship, due to some technical glitches the hotel management was unable to confirm online bookings through their website. The stakeholders concerned in this case were the customers. In order to compensate for it, certain extra privileges were provided to these customers to prevent complaints or unfavorable reviews.

Question 6

I believe that one can make the most of any experience if one is able to learn from it. My internship at the Marriott Hotel in Sydney was one of the most enriching and fulfilling experiences of my life. So far, I had only studied theory and had an idealized idea of what the hospitality industry was like. However, the internship gave me practical experience which has prepared me for future roles. On reflection, I have identified strengths and weaknesses and room for improvement which have been discussed in this section.

From my own evaluation of my performance at the hotel, I realized that my greatest strength is my personality. The hospitality industry is a service business and more than any other sector, this industry requires the service providers to ensure a warm and empathetic environment for the guests. As such, I have always been polite and courteous to the guests I interacted with. As a matter of fact, I was rewarded at the end of my internship as recognition of the quality of service I provided. I also discovered that I had the potential to be a fine leader. Leadership is one of the most important characteristics if one is to make an impression in this industry. We were entrusted with leadership duties on a roster basis and I was allowed to head the team of interns for a period of two weeks. During that time, I was required to delegate tasks, supervise the work done by my team mates and resolve conflicts that arose. I realized that I had the capability of staying calm under pressure and was able to make urgent decisions without letting stress get in the way. As housekeeping interns, we were required to work under a lot of stress. However, I was able to execute my duties without losing my calm.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, one of the skills that I need to work on would be that of communication. I have always struggled with my communication skills and would like to work on it henceforth. As an employee of the hotel, I would have to interact with a number of people on a daily basis – like customers, superiors, my peers and other members of the staff. My inability to convey my points clearly have proved to be an obstacle.

I would like to work on a few skills which I think can be helpful in the long run. For example, I would like to receive training which would enhance my communication skills. As I saw at the Marriott Hotel, some of the guests might not be from Australia and might not even know English. In that case, I would find myself in an awkward situation which I would like to avoid under all circumstances. Moreover, I would like to gain experience in the other departments as well. This would give me a wholesome knowledge about the intricacies of the hospitality industry.

Beginning my journey at Marriott Hotel

The Marriott Hotel has a highly regarded rewarding system for its employees. Rewards and incentives are considered to be important motivational factors which boost the morale of the employees. The interns too are rewarded for excellent work. During the third month of the internship, I was rewarded for having delivered quality service over a prolonged period of time. It made me feel proud and motivated to have my work recognized and rewarded. I was overwhelmed and all the more motivated to put in more effort in the upcoming weeks. To be recognized by one of the top hotels in the city was a big achievement in itself.

In the coming twelve months, I would like to complete my educations and graduate. After graduation, I hope to work in one of the top hotels in the Sydney. I hope to have made a favorable impression on my supervisors and would be grateful if they considered me for a full time opportunity at the Marriott Hotel. Meanwhile, I would like to work on my communication skills and probably get experience in other departments as well. Through my endeavors, I hope to learn as much as I possibly can. This would prepare me for a flourishing career in this industry.

An evaluation of my internship experience at Marriott Hotel Sydney helped me understand the leadership is instrumental in driving the success of an organization. In order to ensure efficient operations of the organization, one would have to develop leadership skills which would enhance the performance of the organization, reduce employee turnover rate, boost profitability, manage change and promote a healthy and favorable organizational culture. According to me, these are the requisite qualities of a leader:

• A leader must have a positive attitudetowards his job, his duties and those around him. He needs to be tolerant of others and take into consideration the culture and ideologies of other people (Shoemaker, Krupp & Howland, 2013). Moreover, a leader would be expected to resolve conflicts which are common occurrences in hotels and also deal with high pressure situations in a calm and composed manner.
• A leader must be able to implement change effectively in the organization. No organization is entirely stagnant in nature. In order to boost sales, all organizations must regularly implement change which could be in the form of new policies or regulations (DuBois et al., 2015). In all cases of change, effective change management practices would have to be used. Such change management would be impossible without leadership (Goodwin, 2016). In implementation of change, there is often resistance from the stakeholders, which the leader would have to minimize as far as possible.

Conclusion:

To conclude, it can be said that the Marriott Hotel internship proved to be fruitful as far as my career is concerned. I was able to apply my theoretical knowledge during my internship. In turn, I gained a lot of knowledge on hospitality operations and how a hotel functions. This was an eye opener for me because I had previously been unaware of the hard work and dedication that such a demanding job requires. My experience has not only been enriching but has also prepared me for similar roles in the future. I now have better understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses and have a clearer idea of the areas of improvement I need to work on. Having observed the work of my superiors, I have been fortunate enough to imbibe some of the traits that make them efficient leaders. Apart from that, I have arrived at the conclusion that communication skills, a positive attitude and leadership capabilities would be crucial in improving the quality of service provided in the hospitality industry. I have also learnt that strategic management at any organization is extremely important. Any action we take or plan that is implemented must be aligned with the business objectives and mission. Our service must reflect the business values and ideological principles and must strive to improve the overall performance of the organization.

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