Q1. What are some of the conventional sources through which talents are hired? What are the new age platforms now available; and how do they benefit?
Conventional sources are job portals, campus placements, hiring consultants, direct applications etc.
- Some of the new age platforms that are quite interesting & interactive are the social media platforms of Facebook, Linked In and often Instagram too. They enable great connect with prospective candidates and are a more fun way of hiring.
- Student and fresher hiring/ Campus placements from unexplored & often remote locations have also been very successful for THE Park Hotels.
- We also have had good success through our Refer-A-Buddy program and internal job postings.
Q2. What is the biggest single challenge you face as an HR professional in the hospitality industry face?
The Great Resignation continues to plague the industry! Attrition and getting on-board the right talent remains the biggest challenge as of now, due to the pandemic. Managing the needs and expectations of our people is the most critical focus point. The past two years have been brutally difficult and unfortunately, we often find that people want to move away from the hospitality industry and on to other sectors.
Q3. Are youngsters emerging from hotel schools job-ready? If not, how do you address this challenge and prepare them for the job?
The new graduates are not completely job ready, and need a strong on-the-job training to complement their academic learning.
A comprehensive orientation and induction program is undoubtedly very important. But focussed learning and training is also key to ensuring that they are able to move onto the expected level of competency. This learning is not about just class room training only but on the job guidance and practice too.
