Emerging Trends in Training and Development in West Bengal Essay

The progressive labor force with dynamic management and responsive government and responsible society are the pillars of the tourism industry. 1 Issues and Constrains in Manpower Supply in Indian Hospitality Industry, P. Srinivas Subbarao, W. P. No. 2008-02-03 February 2008. 50 Traditionally, the employment has been seen as an area that is reactive to changes in the wide business environment. There is a widely accepted assumption that the role of people within organizations is required to change and develop in response to developments in markets, products and technology. Most of the large hospitality companies recognized this assumption and has started organizing work and support human resource functions such as training and development. This is possible only when the external labor market permits employers to adapt these changing dimensions. Human resource in hospitality industry – Supply side 2 Some of the services required in the tourism and hotel industries are highly personalized, and no amount of automation can substitute for personal service providers. Human resource development in the tourism industry normally includes manpower training in two main areas, the first being the hospitality and catering sector and the travel trade and tourism sector. 2 Issues and Constrains in Manpower Supply in Indian Hospitality Industry, P. Srinivas Subbarao, W. P. No. 2008-02-03 February 2008. 51 The hotel and catering sector is now highly personalized. Customer satisfaction is the prerequisite for a smooth and successful operation in the hotel industry, requiring professionally trained and highly skilled personnel. According to estimates of requirements for additional hotel rooms, the number of personnel who will need formal training in the hospitality and catering sector would increase by about 25 percent, from 16,000 to 20,000 people a year by 2010 end. The existing training facilities currently produce only about 5,000 to 6,000 trained personnel a year. Different types of jobs are available in the hospitality industry at different levels. The central government and the state governments have collaborated to provide resources in order to train people in the hospitality sector as part of overall development efforts. As per the survey the requirements for trained manpower at each level of employment would focus on general management trainees, trainees in kitchen management, housekeeping management, operational trainees, front office and accounting management, chefs, butlers, captains, bakery, confectionery and other specialized cooking. 52 Middle management positions would be filled by people holding three year diplomas, while other jobs could be filled by craft trainees. Craft institutes could be targeted for expansion in order to meet the needs for lower level skill areas. Working towards this objective, the Government run Institute at the Institute of Hotel Management at Kolkata has increased their seats. Human resources in Hospitality Industry – demand side In India there is a tremendous shortage of trained manpower in the hospitality sector. Tourism sector on an average requires more manpower than what is available from the catering colleges. Thus there need to develop required human resource in various segment of the tourism industry, as a consequence of the rapid growth in tourism, changing technology and markets both national and international level. By the very nature of tourism as a service industry, its efficient administration and successful operation depend largely on the quality of manpower. In the Asian and Pacific region, the shortage of skilled manpower poses a major threat to the overall 53 development of tourism. International tourism is a relatively new phenomenon and therefore the lack of managerial capability exists at all levels of the industry. In particular, the rapid expansion of hotels of an international standard in the region is creating a high level of demand for skilled and experienced staff. The nature of the decisions facing hotel management is continually expanding. For their business to remain competitive, managers must be skilful in many diverse areas. For instance, they must possess a good understanding of how current events and the economy affect the market and develop skill in marketing their products. They must also strive to keep up with the technological innovations in the operational side of the industry. As part of the service industry, tourism is labor intensive and generally requires well developed social and language skills in a cross cultural working environment. These demands have placed considerable strain on small, independent operators, who cannot rely on the broad management expertise available to their multinational hotel chain competitors. The availability of skilled and trained manpower is a crucial element in the successful long term development and sustainability of a tourist destination. In the 54 ultimate analysis, skilled and trained human resources will ensure the delivery of efficient, high quality service to visitors, which is a direct and visible element of a successful tourism product. High standards of service are particularly important in sustaining long term growth, since success as a tourist destination is determined not only by price competitiveness or the range of attractions available, but also by the quality of the services provided. Repeat visits, a vital factor in maintaining growth, will be deterred if standards of service do not meet expectations. 55 2. Link of Training and Development with Human Resource. 3 Training and Development helps in optimizing the utilization of human resource hat further helps the employee to achieve the organizational goals as well as their individual goals. On the other hand, Training and Development helps to provide an opportunity and broad structure for the development of human resources technical and behavioral skills in an organization. It also helps the employees in attaining personal growth. Training and Development plays a vital role in inculcating the sense of team work, team spirit, and inter team collaborations and inculcating the zeal to learn within the employees.