Impact of Learning and Development in the Hotels of Kolkata: A Case Study of 5 Star Hotels

Abstract

The objective of this study is to asses the impact of learning and development (L&D) initiatives on employee performance, service quality and organizational effectiveness of hotel in Kolkata in five-star category. The hospitality industry is highly service oriented which makes the job of continuous professional development very important and a need to maintain the competitive advantage and customer satisfaction. Structured interviews along with surveys disseminated among the HR Manager and front line staff in five leading five star hotels of Kolkata was conducted through case study approach. It explores the design, implementation and outcome of L&D programs toward assessing the role of these to employee motivation, skill enhancement and employee retention rate. Results indicate a very high positive correlation between structured L&D programs and performance (both of the individual and the organization as a whole) as well as guest satisfaction and operational efficiency. Still, the study shows that challenges such as budget constraints, inconsistent training delivery and poor alignment between training goals and strategy present in the context of the study. The study concludes by arguing that L&D has to be strategically integrated into the overall business model of luxury hotels and suggests frameworks for what will be more effective learning interventions. The contribution of this paper to a broader understanding of human resource development practices in the Indian hospitality industry is made in the context of the urban luxury hotels.

Keywords: Learning and Development, 5-Star Hotels, Hospitality Industry, Kolkata, Employee Performance, Human Resource Development, Training Programs, Organizational Effectiveness

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