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Professional Development Programs

Hospitality Human Resources Management and Supervision7

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Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this chapter, you should be able to:

Explain the importance of professional development.

Describe basic professional development strategies.

Identify procedures for professional development planning meetings.

Provide information about professional development programs for managers.

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Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this chapter, you should be able to:

Explain three commonly used professional development methods.

Identify other professional development methods. Describe basic procedures for developing

succession plans.

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Develop Employees

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Overview of Professional Development

Professional Development refers to experience, training and education provided to help employees do their current jobs better and prepare them for other positions.

The term refers both to actions taken for a single employee and actions the operation takes to improve employees in general.

A professional development program can involve formal training activities or informal activities such as coaching.

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Overview of Professional Development continued

Employees require all skills needed for the job

A skill gap is the difference between the skills an employee presently has and the skills that are needed.

There are several ways that managers can learn about skill gaps

Personal observation. Reports by supervisors. Reports or complaints by other workers, customers, or

vendors. Routine performance evaluations.

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Overview of Professional Development continued

Advanced skills can increase productivity.

Employees need different knowledge and skills. Changes in equipment or procedures may be made.

New governmental regulations may be mandated.

Employees desire different jobs.

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Responsibility for Professional Development

The operation is responsible for providing professional development methods and opportunities, including paying for the costs. In return, an employee will be better able to help the establishment succeed.

The immediate manager is responsible for assessing development needs, recommending and assisting in the development of goals and methods, and assessing progress.

The employee carries most of the responsibility for his or her development and achieving the agreed-on goals.

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Professional Development Strategies

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STEP 1: Establish Goals While Considering the Budget

Goals should focus on the operation’s needs first and then the employee’s goals.

Managers should be aware of the amount budgeted for professional development and then consider priorities when developing plans for specific employees.

Goals should be measurable and written plan established, which should be signed by the manager and the employee after agreement.

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STEP 2: Select Development Methods

After goals are agreed and budgets approved, methods to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills must be identified.

Consider opportunities within the organization: cross-training or on-the-job training, OJT.

Educational opportunities that relate to the goals of the program might be sourced outside the establishment.

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Select Development Methods continued

Examples of educational opportunities: Local trade schools or four year degree programs Trade or professional association resources Books, videos or computer based training Classes and materials available on the Internet

Special questions should be addressed How will different activities in the plan be prioritized? How much time will each activity take What does the operation expect as a result of

successful completion of the activity How will the plan be evaluated?.

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Select Development Methods continued

• A sample worksheet that a manager can use to assist an employee in attaining knowledge and skills for another position.

• A series of these development plans can be used over time to address transfers or advancements.

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STEPS 3-5: Approve, Implement, Monitor Progress and Evaluate Plan

Throughout the program, the manager and employee should meet to discuss progress and ways to overcome obstacles.

The manager should: Observe the employee’s new and exiting behaviors

Provide feedback

Discuss progress being made to achieve goals

Evaluation is easier if the goals are measurable.

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STEPS 6-7: Celebrate and Maintain Success

Evaluate and celebrate success along the way

If additional resources and training are needed; the dollars and time invested will need to be evaluated and determined if sufficient budget and time are available.

The employee may be asked to provide a written or oral summary of the learning experience.

Successful completion of agreed-on activities should be followed by recognition of success.

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Employee Development Planning Meeting

What—meeting to plan employee development goals and how they will be achieved

When—in conjunction with, but separate from, an employee’s performance review

How—a planned series of steps

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Preparing and Starting Employee Development Planning Meetings

Meet in a quiet and private place.

Have a clear agenda, collect data about the employee’s developmental needs, and use an outline.

State that you want to help the employee to improve.

Consider a time frame for development.

Listen to the employee’s needs and concerns.

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An Employee DevelopmentPlanning Meeting

Being prepared for and sincerely interested in helping the employee to improve will help to assure a successful meeting.

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Discussion Topics in Goal-Setting Session

Current work assignments and required knowledge and skills

Current skills and knowledge of the employee

Corrective actions, if any, that are needed

Employee’s career plans, and the skills and knowledge required to meet his/her goals

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Types of Developmental Goals

To attain a skill or knowledge

To improve a skill or attitude Skills – Intellectual or physical actions that help

accomplish a goal.

Knowledge – Information stored in a person’s mind, such as facts, concepts, rules and procedures

Attitudes – Feelings about facts or situations that influence behaviors, such as liking to help people or disliking being interrupted

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Types of Developmental Goals continued

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Setting Employee Development Goals

Each employee’s goals will likely be unique, but they should support the operation’s overall goals.

Managers can help staff establish personal and professional goals and to align them correctly.

Goals can be agreed upon formally (in writing) or informally (verbal statement/agreement)

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Determining Opportunities for Development

Within the operation, including general and cross-training

Opportunities within the community

Formal education programs Trade/professional association resources

Community library materials

Internet resources

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Establishing and Implementing the Development Plan

The supervisor-employer agreement must address The plan’s time frame and goals

Method(s) for development

How the method(s) will be monitored and measured

The supervisor and employee should meet as agreed to discuss progress and provide feedback.

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How Would You Answer the Following Questions?

1. Who is the person most responsible for an employee’s development.

2. A _______ represents the difference between the skills an employee has, and the skills that are needed.

3. A manager (should/should not) ask staff to clarify personal development goals.

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Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement through professional development is essential for success in restaurant and foodservice management.

Certification is one way to do this.

Certification requires an individual to demonstrate a high level of skill and to meet specific performance requirements by participating in a rigorous process.

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Continuous Improvement continued

Examples of Sources of Certification: National Restaurant Association

Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) ServSafe food protection manager certificate ServSafe Alcohol certificate ManageFirst Professional (MFP) credential

The State and local restaurant Associations International Food Service Executives Association

(IFSEA) Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) American Culinary Federation (ACF)

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Continuous Improvement continued

Networking is a process in which persons build relationships to: Help with their career advancement, Keep updated in the industry and Seek advise about common operating challenges

How? Attend meeting, seminars and conventions Participate in community events Participate in local job fairs Join the local Chamber of Commerce Volunteer as a community mentor Active member in professional organizations

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Employee Development Method—Cross-Training

Cross training allows manager or their employees to learn a job related to their own, often by working closely with an employee currently doing the job.

Step 1 – Prepare a list of important skills in each job.

Step 2 – Identify the employees to be cross-trained.

Step 3 – Implement cross-training opportunities.

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Delegation

Delegation is a process of working with and through others to complete a task or project.

Allows employees to attain work tasks and responsibilities that are not a normal part of their position.

Tasks appropriate for delegation: fact finding tasks, detail work, repetitive tasks, “standing in” tasks.

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Delegation continued

Several steps should be used if the delegation process is to be effective:.

1. Preparation: Manager and employee work together to select the task to be delegated, which the manager clearly defines

2. Planning: Manager should meet with the employee to describe the assignment in details and discuss all the facts and required results.

3. Execution: The manager turns over the project or task to the employee.

4. Assessment: A meeting to discuss the results, process and lessons learned

5. Appreciation: Acknowledge the employee to recognize their effort and contribution.

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Mentoring

Mentoring is a process which an experienced employee provides advice to less experienced employees about concerns relating to the job, establishment, and profession.

Mentors can be provided as a part of orientation. Long term mentoring relationships can provide

input and continuity for an employee’s professional development.

Mentors serve in many roles as they interact with the employees assigned to them.

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Mentoring continued

Effective mentors have significant experience in the operation/industry.

They are in higher level positions than the employee being mentored

They enjoy a favorable reputation in the organization.

They are accessible. They have time and interest in helping the

person being mentored.

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Mentoring continued

Mentors are good communicators with effective interpersonal and listening skills.

They are good motivators and learn and listen to determine and understand the goals of the person being mentored.

They respect confidentiality and provide honest feedback.

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Mentoring continued

Those participating in long-term mentoring relationships for professional development purposes often go through several stages.

The stages are defined in the text book on page 225.

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Employee Development Programs Can Be Ineffective

Managers must confront the challenge of determining whether retraining will successfully address a specific problem.

Seldom does a single event or developmental program move an employee all the way to the final goal. More typically, several feedback and planning sessions must be conducted during multiple improvement periods.

It is difficult to modify attitudes.

Training may not overcome physical capabilities and aptitudes.

Some people cannot learn certain things.

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Developing Succession Plans

Succession planning is the process used by many organizations to ensure that employees will be recruited for and prepared to fill key position when they become vacant.

These are sometimes geared towards those individuals recruited for “fast-track” positions.

Several steps should be used to develop succession plans:

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Developing Succession Plans continued

Step 1: Review job descriptions to determine which position to include in the plan

Step 2: Write the succession plan Step 3: Develop a training program and select or

recruit employees for each position in the succession plan.

Step 4: Train the employees, evaluate trainees, and revise training activities as necessary.

Step 5: Evaluate the plan periodically to ensure it is still useful.

Details on each of these steps can be found on pages 229 and 230 of the text book.

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Next Week

Article review on any topic covered today

Position Checklist – create a checklist for your chosen position: sanitation, opening, or closing (one checklist). In a short paragraph indicate how often the checklist is to be completed and who is responsible to verify/review employee completion and what actions should be taken if incomplete. Or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – write a Standard Operating Procedure for a task your chosen position would perform. The SOP should include: 1) Task, 2) Detailed steps to achieve task, 3) Specific order of steps, 4) Level of quality expected, i.e. speed of service, food safety or hospitality that employees are expected to demonstrate.

Read Chapters 8 & 9

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Key Terms:

Certification The process through which an organization grants recognition to an individual who meets certain established criteria.

Cross-training Training in which an employee learns how to do work normally done by someone in a different position.

Delegation A process of working with and through others to complete a task or project; it shares authority and entrusts employees to accomplish the tasks assigned to them.

Developmental goal A description of the knowledge and skills that need to be gained or improved on to eliminate or reduce an employee’s knowledge and skills gap.

Knowledge or skill gap A difference between the knowledge or skills a manager or employee already has and those that are needed to do the job.

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Key Terms: continued

Mentoring A process in which an experienced employee provides advice to less-experienced employees about concerns relating to the job, establishment, and profession.

On-the-job training (OJT) A one-on-one approach to training conducted at the work site.

Professional development Any experience, training, and education provided to help employees do their current jobs better and prepare them for other positions.

Succession planning A process used by many organizations to ensure that employees will be recruited for and prepared to fill key positions when they become vacant.