The Role of Human Resource in Hospitality Industry:Issues and Challenges

Hospitality industry is a billion dollar industry, which generates its income from the availability of leisure time and disposable income of its customers worldwide including India (WTTC). As per Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, there has been an increased growth in number of International as well as domestic hotel chains have forayed into Indian Subcontinent. Recognizing these very facts Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has anticipated the increase in demand for human resources for this sophisticated trade.

The challenges lie multifold; it includes attracting new talent to meet the growing demands of Hospitality and tourism industry. Employee-expectation management and talent retention will be two pivotal challenges that hospitality will be dealing with in near future. With the recent economic recovery, the work force is once again hoping for revival of study pay scale hikes and performance incentives. Given the current under construction pipeline of hotels and resorts in India, our human resource talent pool is going to be under further duress and hence, retention becomes an issue. In some respects, the employment landscape in the HCT sector, particularly in relation to training and development, has not changed radically as a result of recent economic turmoil. Notwithstanding the complexity, fragmentation and diversity of the sector, it has long been recognized that education, vocational training, training upgrades and HRD are Key requisites for the operational effectiveness of the sector.

The competitiveness and productivity of the industry depends on the skills level, the professionalism, the commitment, passion, loyalty and soft skills of the workers, training and skills development remain a priority within the sector. The major area of concern for the Hotel Management is the sustainability of its Human Resource. Skilled and trained Human Resource will ensure the delivery of efficient, high- quality service to the guests. It is the Human Resource which adds the tangible aspect to the services of Hotel Industry. This paper elaborates the issues and constrains relating to sustainability of Human Resource in Hospitality Industry.