DEPARTMENT SKILLS TRAINING

Guidelines
• All new employees, whatever their previous experience, will need to be trained in their new job. In some cases, this training will need to start with the very basics of the job description; in other situations, it may mean only a slight adjustment between the way the employee did a particular task in his/her previous job and how it is done at the Princess D’Annam.
• The on-the-job training is ultimately the responsibility of the Department Head, who should use his/her weekly meeting with the Team Leaders to ensure that the departmental skills trainer is carrying out the training effectively.
• Each outlet and section of the operation should have at least one trained skills trainer. The trainer may be a Team Leader, or a member of staff, whom the Department Head is preparing for promotion.
Recommendations
1. The Role of the Department Trainer
1.1 To improve the weaknesses (skills, knowledge and competencies) of existing staff.
1.2 To train new staff (including trainees) as soon as they have finished the General Orientation and Culture Orientation.
1.3 To train hotel staff on cross-exposure from other departments.
1.4 To train the staff to use a new product or carry out a new system.
1.5 To train staff in the skills and knowledge needed according to their career development plan.
1.6 To use the departmental training to reinforce and develop the core values and behaviours, which are essential to the development of a vibrant hotel team culture. The core values are: love ( warmth, care), passion, teamwork, integrity, empathy, creativity..

2. How to make a monthly training plan
2.1 The Department Trainer will consult with his/her Department Head and Team Leader about each member of staff’s weaknesses in job skills, knowledge, competencies, and core values, and also career development training needs, and decide which of these should be focused on in the following month’s training plan.

2.1.1 Full-time staff
Which skills, knowledge and competencies do the staff need to improve? Decide on your priorities. Ask yourself:
• Who should I train (first, second, etc.)?
• What skills, knowledge and competencies should I train (first, second, etc.)?
• What are the next training needs in the person’s career development plan?

2.1.2 New staff
• Are there any new staff who need to be trained?
• Use the skills training plan in the Service Training Manual to guide you about
what to train, and how to train it.

2.1.3 New trainees
• Are there any new trainees, who need to be trained, or who will be starting work during the month?
• Use the skills training plan in the Service Training Manual to guide you about
what to train, and how to train it.
2.1.4 Cross-exposure staff
• Are there any hotel staff on cross-exposure training in your section?
• Use the skills training plan in the Service Training Manual to guide you about
what to train, and how to train it.

2.1.5 Staff already following a training plan
• How much have they learned?
• What needs to be revised or retrained?
• What new tasks need to be trained next?

2.2 How much time are you able to spend training this month?
2.2.1 Make a monthly timetable according to the number of hours you can spend. For example: 1 hour every day, 3 hours per week, etc.

2.2.2 Give first priority to: a) the weaknesses, which are causing guest complaints;
b) new employees, who have just joined the hotel.
However, do not use this as an excuse to ignore the other training needs.

2.3 Fill in a Department Trainer's Monthly Training Form
2.3.1 The plan should be written, discussed with the trainer’s Department Head and Section Head, and handed in to the Human Resources Department by the Department Trainer 3 working days before the start of the month in which the training will take place. This is so that the Training Manager can arrange to attend a training session and provide any necessary coaching.
2.3.2 Fill in the name of your department and your own name on the form.
2.3.3 Decide Whom? What? When? Where? How? What materials?, and write down the details on the training plan.

3. Prepare for each Training Session
3.1 On the day before the day of training
3.1.1 Announce at the daily briefing the day before you conduct the training what you are
going to train the next day, to whom, where and when. Personally inform each
person whom you are going to train.

3.1.2 Read the relevant service task lists before you meet with the employee(s) whom
you are going to train. Make sure that you know what the customer expectations
are and how to perform the action.

3.1.3 Run through in your mind the training, which you are going to carry out. Walk
yourself through the service task list(s) so that you are sure what:
a) the training steps are, and what information you should give;
b) equipment and materials you will need;
c) problems might occur during the training;
d) questions the member(s) of staff might ask.

3.1.4 Prepare the equipment and materials, which you will need, as well as the place of
training. For example, if you need tables set up in a training room, have them set up
before the training class. Make sure that all the people, who will be trained, know
the details of the training sessions, the place and time.

3.1.5 Make any photocopies you will need.

3.2 On the training day, and before the training session starts
3.2.1 Use each day's briefing to announce what training you will train.

3.2.2 Make sure that all the equipment and materials, which you will need, as well as the place of training, are ready. Make sure that all the people, who will be trained, know the time and place of the training.

3.2.3 Reread the relevant service task lists before you meet with the employee(s) whom you are going to train. Make sure that you know what the customer expectations are, and how to perform the actions.
3.2.4 Be at the place of training on time.

4. Conducting a training session for new employees & trainees
4.1 Explain to the trainees what you are going to train, and why it is important that it is done this way.

4.2 Demonstrate how to do the whole task at normal speed.

4.3 Next, break the whole task into short stages. When you demonstrate a stage, say what you are doing and why you are doing it that way. Include any relevant guest expectations in your explanation.

4.4 Ask the person to perform the stage. As s/he performs the task, s/he should
explain what s/he is doing, and why it is done that way, including the points you have just made.

4.5 As s/he performs the task, observe what s/he says and does that does not conform
to the standard procedure stated in the service task list.

4.6 If s/he does the task correctly, praise him/her. If s/he did any part of the activity unsatisfactorily according to the service task list, tell him/her what s/he did wrong when s/he has finished the task.

4.7 Then say what s/he should have done and why.

4.8 Demonstrate the correct way. Explain how the task should be done as you demonstrate.

4.9 Ask the person to demonstrate the part of the job, which s/he did unsatisfactorily. As s/he performs the task, s/he should explain what s/he is doing and why it is done that way.
4.10 Praise the person when s/he performs the task correctly.

4.11 Repeat the process with each of the stages.

4.12 Then ask the person to perform the whole task. Make any corrections.

4.13 Finally, ask the person, if s/he has any questions, and finish the training session with some final words of praise.

5. Conducting a training session for new employees & trainees, who have experience, or refresher / remedial training
5.1 First of all, welcome the member of staff.

5.2 Explain to the employee what the training session is about.

5.3 Ask the person to demonstrate how to do the whole task. S/he should explain what s/he is doing and why s/he is doing it that way. Watch carefully.

5.4 Compare in your mind the employee's performance with the standard of
performance in the service task list. In particular, think whether the employee's performance meets the customer expectations outlined in the Service Training Manual. Listen carefully to his/her explanation of how to do the activity.

5.5 When the member of staff has finished the task, tell him/her what s/he did wrong or unsatisfactorily.

5.6 Then say what s/he should have done & why. Explain the customer expectations.

5.7 Demonstrate the right way. Focus on the part, which the employee did
wrongly and demonstrate how to do it correctly according to the service task list. Explain how the task should be done as you demonstrate.
5.8 Ask the person to demonstrate the whole task again. As s/he performs the task, s/he should explain why it is done that way, including the points you have made.

5.9 Give feedback. If the employee still does it wrongly, repeat 5.5 to 5.8.

5.10 Praise the person when s/he performs the task correctly.

5.11 Next, ask the employee to perform the whole task from start to finish.

5.12 Ask the person, if s/he has any questions. Finish the training session with praise.

6. Recording the Results of the Training
6.1 Take the training plan to your department’s office for recording
Take the training plan to the person in the department office responsible for recording in the software what training has taken place in your department. Explain the training plan to him/her so that s/he knows clearly who has been trained, and what training s/he should record. The only training that should be recorded is training that the employee can now perform acceptably well.