Discuss the role of the HR function and highlight the contribution of front-line management when managing people within

your chosen industry.

This essay will firstly discuss the human resource function and will then further highlight the contribution of the front line management when managing people within the hotel industry. Human resource function in essence is one of the most important factors in a business for it to run efficiently and to make optimum profit no matter how large or small it may be. Staff must be effectively managed in order to achieve the most professional work rate. Human Resource functions specialize in matters connected with the management and development of people and organisations (Armstrong 2001) William R. Tracey defines human resources as The people that staff and operate an organization this definition highlights the point made previous, that every business needs human resources to firstly employ staff and secondly train these staff to carry out specific tasks in order to have the business run well. According to www.enrepenur.com human resource is defined as The department or support systems responsible for personnel sourcing and hiring, applicant tracking, skills development and tracking, benefits administration and compliance with associated government regulations These roles may include factors such as responsibility for the payroll, benefits for example pensions or maternity leave pay, hiring, firing, and keeping up to date with federal tax laws for example any changes in employee tax codes and ensuring that all employees are declared as working in the establishment. Front line managers are defined as managers who are responsible for a work group to a higher level of management hierarchy, and are placed in the lower layers of the management hierarchy, normally at the first level. Hutchinson and Purcell (2003) Foot and hook make a clear distinction between a line manager and a HR manager, they state that line managers must combine their commitment to the technical

aspects of the task completion with attention to people aspects and recognise the symbiotic nature of these two elements (Foot and Hook 2008) From this quote it is gathered that line managers unlike HR managers can not only concentrate on the task that must be completed for example in the hotel industry a function that must be run may take over 10 hours to complete from setting the room to final clearance. A HR manager may only have concern that the staff is trained to do the job while the line manager must look after the staff ensuring they have their breaks and are not over worked.

Below will discuss the role of the Human Resource function in detail and what it entails and how a line manager contributes when managing people. Examples will be given from a hotel industry point of view as and where appropriate. Through the recruitment and selection period a HR managers work is ongoing, they must design policies and procedures for fair recruitment and selection. They would also be responsible for the interviewing techniques set out for the business but the line manager would generally be responsible for carrying out interviews directly with the employee because the line manager would be in direct contact with the prospective employee. The HR manager would also be responsible for the terms and conditions of employment. Another element of the HR function is performance management this is related to Getting better results from the organisation, teams throughout the work environment and individuals by measuring and managing performance. How performance is managed is determine through the HR department or manager but the practice of assessing performance would be carried out by the line manager. For example in the Killyhevlin hotel Enniskillen. After the first three month period of work in the hotel the new employee will be informally interviewed by their line manager and asked a few questions. These questions are designed by the HR manager but asked by the line manager because the line manager has a direct working relationship with the employee. Human resource planning is a HR function that is assumed only concerns HR staff in reality it concerns both HR manager and also the line manager. The HR manager would b in responsible for the collection and analysis of data, monitoring targets for the whole organisation. They would also conduct exit interviews and analyse any reason for leaving. The role of the line manager in this aspect of the HR function

would be to collect information. On the employees and why they would leave the business (Foot and Hook 2008) Provision of contracts has a major part to play in the HR function. The HR manager must provide a written statement of contract to the employees ensuring that all legal and taxable information is correct and standardised as much as possible. They must also keep copies of all contracts and any changes or altercations made for legal reasons. The line manager may only have a small part to play in this function. For example the Killyhevlin hotel the line manager will hand out the contracts and advise the employee how to read and sign the documents and return them to the HR manager. Provision of fair treatment. A topic that although falls under the bracket of the HR function it is more the line manager that carries out the work involved. The HR manager is still responsible for the design of the polices procedures. They are usually also responsible for the enforcement of these procedures and the monitor if their success. The line managers role involves keeping a watch on their department that all provisions in place are being instilled in his or her employees. The line manager must also deal with any initial grievances either informally person to person or formally thought the businesses grievance policy. For example in the hotel industry there are many grievances brought to the four court, many of which are caused by the pressured environment and the long hours, and can be resolved through a quiet word with one or both parties. Articles of a more serious nature however for example sexual discrimination would have to be brought through a formal grievance procedure. HR function involves working to motivate the businesses employees to achieve an improved performance. The HR manager would be responsible for the design and the implementation of techniques to gauge the performance of the employees. They must train, inform and involve all of the staff in performance management techniques. They reserved he right to maintain records of performance on any and every employee. The HR manager must also encourage the line manager to aim to achieve a high performance work environment. The line manager must take an active lore in the management of people and their performance in their department. They must assess the performance of all the staff in their particular department. For example referring back to the killyhevin hotel in Enniskillen have team meetings and

set goals for performance every month. This is monitored by the line manager and then feedback is delivered at the next monthly meeting. Equal opportunities have become a prevalent force in the HR function, HR managers must be very aware of this factor and have policies in place to ensure that this enforced throughout the hotel when new employees are applying for jobs they must fill in an equal opportunities form that is completely anonymous and is only for HR and research purposes. This aspect is also closely related to the management of diversity. The HR management must promote and ensure their work force is diverse; in the long run this will help the business to have views and outlooks from a range of prospective and backgrounds. The line managers duty on this aspect is to ensure that there is no discrimination within the work force of bullying techniques within their own department. However this should always be monitored by another manager to get a true view. This leads to the prospect of disciplinary and grievance. A HR managers role in essence is to organise training for line managers and employees about disciplinary issues to ensure they comply with the organisations policy and with the law. (Foot and Hook 2008) In reality the HR manager does allot more referring to the hotel industry, although the line manager will deal with the informal disciplinary and first time offences for a formal disciplinary there must be a panel of management there. Usually the HR manager would be asked to join this panel as they would be of the most neutral opinion as they would have no real day to day dealings with the employees. For the grievance procedure a HR manager must design policies complying with current laws and also informal and train line managers on how to deal with a grievance issues within the staff of the business. The line manager then must deal initially with any grievances raised bye employees within his or her department (Foot and Hook 2008) and if the issue needs to be pressed then they employee and the accused must appear before a grievance committee. This may occur in the hotel business through for example sexual discrimination by the way of promotion. A visible account would be one female member of the bar staff in a hotel getting rude or obnoxious comments on her ability for example oh are you sure you wont break a nail changing that keg this warrants a grievance. Through grievance and disciplinary leads to the aspect of dismissal. This is a major HR function in the hospitality sector especially with the high turnover rates. Staff in

the hospitality sector of the industry use these jobs as a stepping stone for future employment or to keep them in finance through their studies, and there for have little or no respect for the position they hold or the company that they work for. This can lead to tartness with time keeping presentation and general respect for the workplace and result in dismissal. A HR managers role for dismissal is to ensure that all procedures comply with the legislation in place to avoid any tribunals. They must also provide clear information to managers on the process of dismissal procedures and introduce training for any member of staff that may be involved in the dismissal procedure. They will be responsible for the dismissal an employee. The line managers role is small but very important; they must inform the HR department and also issue the panel meeting for dismissal to the employee. Payment and reward systems are an extremely important part of the HR function especially from an employees point of view. The HR manager must manage all PAYE numbers and ensure that all staff members are earning the correct wage; they must also have all policies complying with the minimum wage act 1998. Current figures state that from October this year (2010) any one aged from 16 to 17 must earn 3.64 per hour. Anyone aged from 18 to 20 must earn 4.92 per hour and any one aged 21 and over must earn 5.93 per hour. These figures have been relayed from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_178175 . The HR manager with concern to reward policies, if they are in place in the particular business must set out a specific policy regarding entitlement of rewards. And they must indicate the reward given for example in a hotel function bar if the bar staff lift over 8000 in one sitting they may all be rewarded. If this target is not met then it may only be the staff member that lifted the most money that is rewarded. This will also boost productivity in that department and to refer back to the previous point on motivation, may help to motivate staff and provide a competitive environment and again in turn relay tot eh customer that the staff enjoy coming to their work. The previous point identifies the need for encouraging involvement and engagement from staff in a business. This is extremely important in the hospitality industry as the staff of the premises are your main marketing tool and they are the most front of house even thought they may be the most in experienced when it comes to legislation ect. They are the people that the guests see. If they are happy in their work they will relay a happy and relaxed atmosphere in the establishment. Thus relays the importance of involving them in the decision making, the HR manager

holds the strings on creating the culture in the establishment. The HR manager may for example draw up for each department choices and give the staff the opportunity to make their decision on these, these decions would be made with the help and supervision of the line manager. Which over all will elate a team atmosphere? For example this could be as simple as a wine menu change coming into the winter, all the restaurant and bar staff could have a staff training day on wines and then they may be given the choice of 10 wines and asked to pick 3 for the wine list. This will also give staff a sense of importance. To conclude overall both the HR manager and the line managers play a major part in the complete Human Resource Function. This is especially true in the hospitality industry to which this discussion was related. Throughout the research conducted, it was found that although the HR manager completes the nitty gritty work i.e. designing all of the police and procedure documentation, the majority of the practical work, implementation and communicating with the staff is carried out by the line managers. It was also discovered that behind every policy there is just as good of reason as to why it is there. Over all the HR function as a whole is there to help, encourage, protect and motivate staff, from the top of the hierarchy that is the general manager right down to the front of house staff and the cleaning staff.

References Armstrong, M. (2006) A handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 10th Edition. London. Kogan Foot, M. and Hook, C. (2008) Introducing Human Resource Management, 5th Ed., Harlow, Financial Times, Prentice Hall. Foot, M and Hook, C. (1999). Introducing Human Resource Management, 2nd Ed. Harlow. Longman. Pg 16, 17 and 18

Hutchinson, S and Wood, S (1995) Personnel and the line manager: Developing the Employment Relationship, IPD, London. Pg 95-96

Purcell, J, Kinnie, K, Hutchinson, Rayton, B and Swart, J (2003) People and performance: How people management impacts on organisational performance, CIPD, London.

www.enrepenur.com link to wages and salaries

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_178175

Bibliography Armstrong, M. (2006) A handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 10 th Edition. London. Kogan Page.

Beardwell, J. And Claydon T, (2007) Human Resource Management A Contemporary Approach, 5th Edition. Harlow, Prentice Hall. Boella, M.J. (2000) Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Industry. 7 th Edition. Stanley Thornes. Foot, M. and Hook, C. (2008) Introducing Human Resource Management, 5th Ed., Harlow, Financial Times, Prentice Hall. Mondy, R., Noe, R., Premeaux, S (2002) Human Resource Management. 8th Edition. Prentice hall, NJ. Mullins, L. J. (2001) Hospitality Management and Organisational Behaviour. 4 th Edition. Essex, Pearson Education Ltd.

Nickson, D. (2007) Human Resource Management for the hospitality and tourisms industries. Oxford, Elsevier Ltd. Pg 142

Purcell, J, Kinnie, K, Hutchinson, Rayton, B and Swart, J (2003) People and performance: How people management impacts on organisational performance, CIPD, London.

Reference http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Import-Role-of-Front-Line-Managers&id=1645229