HR POLICIES AND PRACTICES: A STUDY OF HOTEL YKM HOTELS

& RESORTS OF DEHRADUN CITY

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality businesses are open 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. The term Hospitality has
become accepted over the years as a generic word which describes all the activities that relate to
services and facilities for tourists and travelers. The hotel sector represents a vital part of the
hospitality industry since the provision of accommodation, food and beverage is essential for
anyone spending time away from home, whether it is for business or pleasure. The hotel
industry is a sector of business that revolves around providing accommodations for travelers.
Success in this industry relies on catering to the needs of the targeted clientele, creating a desirable
atmosphere, and providing a wide variety of services and amenities. The hospitality field generally
includes businesses such as restaurants and hotels. One essential difference between the
hospitality business and other business sectors is that they produce guest satisfaction – an
ephemeral product also called as an intangible in the service literature. The establishments serve
the public and frequently employ numerous staff members to efficiently accomplish this task.
As an administrator of a hospitality organization’s most valuable asset — its human resource —
the HR department is called on to administer employee-related activities that may be critical to
the continued success of the organization. The HR department’s role is to support the
organization by freeing up management to concentrate on the business of doing business. The
hospitality industry caters to people, and successful hospitality ventures make it a priority to
expertly serve their guests. A role of the HR department in this endeavor is to recruit good
employees and train them to become great employees who enjoy serving others, achieving a high
level of customer service. The HR department’s role also encompasses compensation and
benefits administration. This includes making sure wages and benefits are competitive with
other similar restaurants or hotels. Human resources are frequently cited as a company’s most
valuable asset and a competitive advantage.
Human resource policies are formal rules and procedures that are directives for certain matters
that how they should be addressed in the workplace, including employee rights and duties. Each
human resource policy addresses a precise workplace issue and is incorporated into the
company’s policy manual. HR policies are designed to promote communication and
understanding between managers and their underlings, and to give employees an overview of
the company’s programs.
The establishment of policies can help hotels to demonstrate, both internally and externally, that it
meets requirements for diversity, ethics and training of its employees. The establishment of an HR
Policy which sets out obligations, standards of behavior and document disciplinary procedures, is
now the standard approach to meeting these obligations. These policies provides frameworks within
which consistent decisions can be made and promote equity in the way in which people are treated.
HR policies and procedures can help the managers at various levels of decision making to take
decisions without the consulting their superiors. Subordinates are more willing to accept
responsibility because policies indicate what is expected of them and they can quote a written
policy to justify their action. It ensures long term welfare of employees and makes for good
employee relationship as biasedness is demoralized. Well-established policies ensure uniform and
consistent treatment of all employees throughout the organization.
 HR POLICIES & PRACTICES
According to the literature review done, the below mentioned HR policies and practices
evaluated for Hotel YKM Hotels $ Resorts are more or less common and complimenting the best
practices followed in the industry.

Manpower Planning and Selection

Salary slabs/grades are a must.

Proper sanctions to be taken for filing new requirements, including for filling replacement
vacancies.

Grooming Standards

 To ensure that standards are maintained within the organization premises while interacting
with the customers/guests.
 The Guest Relation Executives & Agents will be in uniform according to their position and
grade.
 No much jewelry to be worn by the staff with in the premises.
 Ladies to have their hair tied and neatly pinned.
 Gents must be clean shaved with short hair neatly combed
 Well-redefined language to be spoken with one another and also while interacting with
the guests.
 No staff to chew gum or tobacco during the duty hours with in the premises.
Employee Engagement Activities

Employees must be made to feel that work is fun and not fun is work. Both the Hotels are regularly
conducting cultural activities for the staff like quizzes, games, competitions etc. to motivate the
employees.

Holidays/Leaves

 Weekly offs to all employees.

 10 public holidays a year.
 Compensatory Offs in lieu of Public Holidays when employees couldn’t take.
 Entitlement of Casual Leaves, Sick Leaves, maternity Leaves as per Organization’s
norms.
 Leave in advance on a pro-rata basis is granted only in deserving cases.
 Leave taken (SL/CL/PL) to be intimated to HRD through leave card to avoid loss of pay.

Group Benefits

All full-time employees who have successfully completed their probationary period are
eligible to join the company benefits plan.

Harassment Policy

 Any Superior who becomes aware of possible harassment should promptly advise
Management or the Personnel Department Representative who will handle the matter in
a timely and confidential manner.
 An Internal committee is there to handle such matters.

Open House Meetings

 Each department to meet regularly to identify, discuss and solve work related issues.
 Ideas that can be implemented for the welfare of the organization can be put forth to the
Management.
 Open House Meetings conducted on Monthly Basis to resolve any issues and for the
suggestions by the Employees.
 Interdepartmental Open House Meeting - conducted under the supervision of
Departmental Heads.
 Employees Open House Meetings - Open for all Departments employees, conducted under
the supervision of HR Manager and General Manager
 Separation Policy.
 Management fixes notice period for Resignation based on the grades
 Before final settlement, workers/staff will have to return the uniform, lockers, identity
badges (if any) and other facility provided by the organization.
 Terminal payment on account of exigencies of work during the notice period
 An exit interview will be conducted by the Head of HRD to take a feedback from the staffs
who wishes to resign, to elicit frank opinions about the organization and its personnel
policies and also to seek suggestions for improvements.
Benefits

Hotels also offer Benefits to its employees. The benefits are available for employees and can be
availed as per the Hotel norms. Some of the important Benefits offered by the two Hotels are
discussed.

Staff canteens
Workers/Staff are provided facility of canteens to have their breakfast, lunch and dinner
Strict timings to be followed by the workers/staff
Canteen discipline (area, dinning manner, etc.) to be maintained

Medical Facilities
Medical entitlements are given to workers/ staff through ESIC for which the staff and
management contribute monthly for the welfare of workers/staff
Non-ESIC staff are covered under Group Medical Claim

Employee Recognition Programme

Fortune Select Metropolitan Hotel, Jaipur
An employee recognition committee will select one employee each month for recognition as
 Employee of the Month
 Best Groomed Employee
 Best Attendance Employee
 Employee of the Year
Recognition in the form of a Certificate of Award and Thank you Letter from the management
will be presented to the Recognized Employees.

CONCLUSION
The indicator to best HR practices is the long-lasting relationship with employees. At the core of
this solid foundation lie various HR initiatives, which are rolled out for employees. The HR
Policies should be geared towards the future. Organizations need to match HR policies and
practices with long-term business strategies required to compete in the global market place, and
generate employee commitment and retention over the long-term. HR practices are required
that are incremental and collaborative and provide the opportunity to employees to make decisions
affecting their work and to share in the rewards of their creative efforts. Therefore, if HR policy is
to contribute to the organization’s bottom line, areas such as recruitment, selection, training,
development and performance appraisal should be consistent, integrated and strategically
focused.